Performance analysis of 233U for fixed bed nuclear reactors
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S. Şahin
Abstract
Criticality and burn up behavior of the Fixed Bed Nuclear Reactor (FBNR) are investigated for the mixed fuel 233UO2/ThO2 as an alternative to low enriched 235UO2 fuel. CERMET fuel with a zirconium matrix and cladding has been used throughout the study. The main results of the study can be summarized as follows: Reactor criticality is already achieved by ∼2% 233UO2 with the mixed 233UO2/ThO2 fuel. At higher 233U fractions, reactor criticality rises rapidly and exceeds keff > 1.5 already by 9% 233UO2. With 100% 233UO2, start up criticality can reach keff = 2.0975. Time dependent reactor criticality keff and fuel burn up have been investigated for two different mixed fuel 233UO2/ThO2 compositions, namely: 4% 233UO2 + 96% ThO2 for a reactor power of 40 MWel (120 MWth) and 9% 233UO2 + 91% ThO2 for a reactor power of 70 MWel (210 MWth). Sufficient reactor criticality (keff > 1.06) for continuous operation without fuel change can be sustained during ∼5 and 12 years with 4% and 9% 233UO2 fractions in the mixed fuel, leading to burn ups of ∼36000 and >105000MWD/t, respectively. Thorium based fuel produces no prolific uranium. Plutonium production remains negligible.
Kurzfassung
Kritikalität und Abbrandverhalten des Festbettreaktorkonzepts (FBNR) mit dem Mischbrennstoff 233UO2/ThO2 als Alternative zum niedrig angereicherten Brennstoff 235UO2 wurden untersucht. Während der gesamten Studie wurde CERMET-Brennstoff mit einem Zirkonium-Matrix und -Mantel verwendet. Die wichtigsten Ergebnisse der Studie können folgendermaßen zusammengefasst werden: Reaktorkritikalität kann bereits mit ∼2% 233UO2-Anteil im Mischbrennstoff 233UO2/ThO2 erreicht werden. Bei höherem 233U-Anteil hat die Reaktorkritikalität einen steilen Anstieg und übertrifft keff > 1.5 bereits bei 9% 233UO2. Mit 100% 233UO2 beträgt Die Ausgangkritikalität keff = 2,0975. Zeitabhängige Reaktorkritikalität keff und Abbrandverhalten wurden für zwei verschiedene Mischbrennstoffkompositionen untersucht, nämlich: 4% 233UO2 + 96% ThO2 für eine Reaktorleistung von 40 MWel (120 MWth) und 9% 233UO2 + 91% ThO2 für eine Reaktorleistung von 70 MWel (210 MWth). Ausreichende Reaktorkritikalität (keff > 1,06) für einen kontinuierlichen Betrieb ohne Brennstoffwechsel kann mit 4% und 9% 233UO2-Anteilen im Mischbrennstoff während ∼5 beziehungsweise 12 Jahre aufrechterhalten werden, was zu Abbrandwerten von ∼36000 beziehungsweise >105000 MWD/t führt. Kernbrennstoff auf der Basis von Thorium produziert hauptsächlich Uran bei vernachlässigbarer Plutoniumproduktion.
References
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© 2010, Carl Hanser Verlag, München
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Contents/Inhalt
- Contents
- Summaries/Kurzfassungen
- Summaries
- Technical Contributions/Fachbeiträge
- Integrated online condition monitoring system for nuclear power plants
- Performance analysis of 233U for fixed bed nuclear reactors
- 3D thermal hydraulic simulation of the hot channel of a typical material testing reactor under normal operation conditions
- Analysis of the processes in the target cooling system of the W7-X fusion experiment
- Nuclear model calculation on charged particle induced reactions to produce 85Sr for diagnostic and endotherapy
- Neutronic and burn-up calculations of heterogeneous Thorium/Uranium fuel in pressurized water reactors
- Research on pitting corrosion of steam generator heat transfer tubes based on acoustic emission
- Application of the Chebyshev polynomial (TN and UN) approximation to reflected slab geometry in the neutron transport equation and computation of critical half thicknesses
- UN approximation to critical slab problem for one-speed neutrons with isotropic, forward and backward scattering
- The albedo problem for pure-quadratic anisotropic scattering with İnönü scattering
- Technical Notes/Technische Mitteilungen
- Targetry of Y2O3 on a copper substrate for the non-carrier-added 89Zr production via 89Y(p, n)89Zr reaction
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Contents/Inhalt
- Contents
- Summaries/Kurzfassungen
- Summaries
- Technical Contributions/Fachbeiträge
- Integrated online condition monitoring system for nuclear power plants
- Performance analysis of 233U for fixed bed nuclear reactors
- 3D thermal hydraulic simulation of the hot channel of a typical material testing reactor under normal operation conditions
- Analysis of the processes in the target cooling system of the W7-X fusion experiment
- Nuclear model calculation on charged particle induced reactions to produce 85Sr for diagnostic and endotherapy
- Neutronic and burn-up calculations of heterogeneous Thorium/Uranium fuel in pressurized water reactors
- Research on pitting corrosion of steam generator heat transfer tubes based on acoustic emission
- Application of the Chebyshev polynomial (TN and UN) approximation to reflected slab geometry in the neutron transport equation and computation of critical half thicknesses
- UN approximation to critical slab problem for one-speed neutrons with isotropic, forward and backward scattering
- The albedo problem for pure-quadratic anisotropic scattering with İnönü scattering
- Technical Notes/Technische Mitteilungen
- Targetry of Y2O3 on a copper substrate for the non-carrier-added 89Zr production via 89Y(p, n)89Zr reaction
