Initial benchmark comparison of the open-source Cyclus and NMB fuel cycle simulators

Bachmann, A. M.*; Nishihara, Kenji  ; Richards, S.*; Abe, Takumi ; Feng, B.*

Verification exercises between fuel cycle simulators are important for understanding how the methodology and capability differences between the simulators affect the results. This work performs an initial verification exercise with the Cyclus and NMB fuel cycle simulators. The exercise compares the results of the two codes in three simple fuel cycle scenarios: a once-through scenario with a pressurized water reactor, a limited recycle scenario with a pressurized water reactor, and a continuous recycle scenario with a pressurized water reactor and a sodium fast reactor. The results of this exercise highlight the differences in the codes' methodologies to determine when fresh fuel is fabricated and to model fuel depletion, affecting where material is located in a scenario.