Derivation of empirical equations for neutronic performance in a thorium fusion breeder with various coolants using regression analysis

Abstract

In this paper, regression analyses (RA) are presented for the neutronic calculation of ThO2 mixed (CmO2)-Cm-244 fuel with different neutronic parameters for various coolants, natural lithium, Li20Sn80 and Flinabe, respectively. The tritium breeding ratio (TBR), energy multiplication factor (M), total fission rate (Xi) and Th-232(n, gamma) reaction is computed by XSDRNPM. In addition, this numerical results are estimated by RA depends on neutronic parameters and the empirical equations for neutronic performance are acquired. The results obtained by using XSDRNPM and the results of the RA, obtained empirical equations, are compared. The empirical equations indicate that RA can successfully be used for the prediction of the neutronic performance parameters in the hybrid reactor with a high degree of accuracy. In addition, correlation matrix is calculated to determined statistical relationships between variables TBR, M, Sigma(f), and Th-232(n, gamma). (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.