Investigation of the Ru-43LV fuel behaviour under LOCA conditions in a CANDU reactor
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G. Horhoianu
Abstract
Presently, INR Pitesti is developing an advanced fuel design RU-43LV (recovered uranium fuel bundle with 43 elements and low void reactivity feature) based on recovered uranium from LWR. Compared with the current design of 37 natural uranium element (NU-37) fuel bundle, RU-43LV will have higher power capability and higher burn-up potential in CANDU reactors of Cernavodâ-Romania Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). Fuel burn-up of RU-43LV fuel will be about two times the burn-up usually achieved in CANDU reactors fuelled with natural uranium fuel. The effect of the design changes of RU-43LV bundle on the reactor safety has been analyzed and the results are presented in this paper. As part of the conceptual design study, the performance of the RU-43LV fuelled core during a large loss-of-coolant accident (LLOCA) was assessed with the use of several computer codes. The most relevant calculations performed regarding RU-43 RV fuel safety are presented in this paper. Also, the stages of an experimental program aiming to study RU-43LV fuel behaviour in high temperature transients are briefly described.
Kurzfassung
Zur Zeit wird im INR Pitesti ein fortschrittliches Brennelementdesign unter Verwendung von wiederaufgearbeitetem Uran aus Leichtwasserreaktoren entwickelt: RU-43LV (Brennelementbündel mit 43 Brennstäben und niedrigem Dampfblasenkoeffizient). Im Vergleich zum Design der derzeit verwendeten Bündel mit 37 Elementen (NU-37) mit natürlichem Uran, hat RU-43LV höhere Leistungsfähigkeit und höheres Abbrandpotential in den CANDU Reaktoren des Cernavodâ-Kernkraftwerks. Der Abbrand des RU-43LV Brennstoffs wird ca. zweimal höher sein als der normalerweise erreichte Abbrand bei CANDU Reaktoren, die mit natürlichem Uran als Brennstoff betriebenen werden. Der Effekt der Designänderungen des RU-43LV Bündels auf die Sicherheit des Reaktors wurde analysiert und die Ergebnisse werden in dieser Arbeit vorgestellt. Als Teil der konzeptionellen Designstudie wurde das Verhalten des mit RU-43LV betriebenen Kerns während eines großen Kühlmittelverluststörfalls (LLOCA) mit Hilfe verschiedener Computer Codes bestimmt. Die wichtigsten der durchgeführten Berechnungen im Hinblick auf die Sicherheit des RU-43 RV Brennstoffs werden in dieser Arbeit vorgestellt. Außerdem werden die verschiedenen Stufen des experimentellen Programms zur Untersuchung des RU-43LV Brennelementverhaltens bei hohen Temperaturtransienten kurz beschrieben.
References
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© 2012, Carl Hanser Verlag, München
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Contents/Inhalt
- Contents
- Summaries/Kurzfassungen
- Summaries
- Technical Contributions/Fachbeiträge
- Simulation of HALDEN IFA-650 loss-of-coolant accidents tests with TRACE
- On the evaluation of a fuel assembly design by means of uncertainty and sensitivity measures
- Best estimate plus uncertainty analysis of LBLOCA for Indian PHWR
- Remarks on boiling water reactor stability analysis – part 1: theory and application of bifurcation analysis
- Upgrading (V)HTR fuel elements for generationIV goals by SiC encapsulation
- Investigation of the Ru-43LV fuel behaviour under LOCA conditions in a CANDU reactor
- PCA-based ANN approach to leak classification in the main pipes of VVER-1000
- Analytical investigation of the properties of the neutron noise induced by vibrating absorber and fuel rods
- Diffusion approximation for certain scattering parameters of the Anli-Güngör phase function
- Calculation of beta induced Bremsstrahlung exposure from therapeutic radionuclide 198Au in tissues, DNA and RNA
- Dosimetric aspects of 103Pd radioactive stent source
- Radiological significance of coal, slag and fly ash samples from the Eastern Black Sea region
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Contents/Inhalt
- Contents
- Summaries/Kurzfassungen
- Summaries
- Technical Contributions/Fachbeiträge
- Simulation of HALDEN IFA-650 loss-of-coolant accidents tests with TRACE
- On the evaluation of a fuel assembly design by means of uncertainty and sensitivity measures
- Best estimate plus uncertainty analysis of LBLOCA for Indian PHWR
- Remarks on boiling water reactor stability analysis – part 1: theory and application of bifurcation analysis
- Upgrading (V)HTR fuel elements for generationIV goals by SiC encapsulation
- Investigation of the Ru-43LV fuel behaviour under LOCA conditions in a CANDU reactor
- PCA-based ANN approach to leak classification in the main pipes of VVER-1000
- Analytical investigation of the properties of the neutron noise induced by vibrating absorber and fuel rods
- Diffusion approximation for certain scattering parameters of the Anli-Güngör phase function
- Calculation of beta induced Bremsstrahlung exposure from therapeutic radionuclide 198Au in tissues, DNA and RNA
- Dosimetric aspects of 103Pd radioactive stent source
- Radiological significance of coal, slag and fly ash samples from the Eastern Black Sea region
