Modular simulation software for modelling the impacts of alternative spent fuel management practices in the nuclear power industry

The authors describe the development of a modular software suite for application in the nuclear power industry. The approach incorporates nuclear data and fuel cycle architecture into a flexible and dynamic modelling environment. The software suite comprising MEEMS (mass, environment, economical modelling and simulation) and MPR (MEEMS pseudo reactor) was developed specifically to enable investigation of novel fuel cycle operations, such as partitioning and transmutation scenarios. The system has been used to model various nuclear fuel cycle scenarios and preliminary results indicate that the approach is a viable method with good prospects for industrial application.