Improving CANDU performance by using uranium – thorium mixed oxide fuel
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R. Neacşa
Abstract
CANDU reactor flexibility in using advanced fuel options allowed the continuous improvement of its performances. Both economic benefits and better operational safety are expected from thorium-based fuel alternatives. This paper addresses the use of uranium – thorium mixed oxide in 37- and 43-element CANDU fuel bundles, in the aim of obtaining better economic and safety performances. Thorium is expected to partially replace uranium in the fuel, the expected Th/U ratio being 1.5 ÷ 2.333. These bundles are meant to be loaded in every channel of the CANDU core, in a homogenous “once-through Thorium” (OTT) core. The low-enriched uranium (LEU) with 5 ÷10 wt% U-235 is a suitable fissile driver material for thorium in CANDU, allowing the chain reaction to be initiated throughout the core. Cell calculations were performed using the transport codes DRAGON and WIMS, as well as the associated nuclear data library, in order to estimate the key fuel performance parameters: maximum burnup, power peaking factors, fissile utilization, void reactivity, Doppler effect and proliferation resistance.
Kurzfassung
Die Flexibilität des CANDU-Reaktors bei der Verwendung fortschrittlicher Brennstoffoptionen ermöglicht die kontinuierliche Verbesserung seiner Leistungen. Von thoriumbasierten Kernmaterialien werden sowohl wirtschaftliche Vorteile als auch eine höhere Betriebssicherheit erwartet. Dieses Papier befasst sich mit der Verwendung von Uran-Thorium-Mischoxid in 37- und 43-Elemente-CAN-DU-Brennstoffbündeln mit dem Ziel, bessere wirtschaftliche und sicherheitstechnische Leistungen zu erzielen. Es wird erwartet, dass Thorium Uran im Brennstoff teilweise ersetzen wird, wobei das erwartete Th/U-Verhältnis 1,5 ÷ 2,333 beträgt. Diese Bündel sollen in jedem Kanal des CANDU-Kerns in einen homogenen „once-through Thorium“ (OTT) Kern geladen werden. Das niedrig angereicherte Uran (LEU) mit 5 ÷ 10 Gew.-% U-235 ist ein geeignetes spaltbares Startmaterial für Thorium im CANDU, so dass die Kettenreaktion im gesamten Kern eingeleitet werden kann. Die Zellberechnungen wurden unter Verwendung der Transportcodes DRAGON und WIMS sowie der zugehörigen nuklearen Datenbibliothek durchgeführt, um die wichtigsten Parameter der Brennstoffleistung abzuschätzen: maximaler Abbrand, Leistungsspitzenfaktoren, Spaltausnutzung, Leerraumreaktivität, Dopplereffekt und Proliferationsresistenz.
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© 2018, Carl Hanser Verlag, München
Articles in the same Issue
- Contents/Inhalt
- Contents
- Technical Contributions/Fachbeiträge
- Porosity evolution study in irradiated UO2 fuel based on fuel matrix swelling
- Data collection assessment for the human performance analysis in nuclear installations
- Abnormal control rod withdrawal analysis for innovative research reactor using PARET-ANL codes
- Improving CANDU performance by using uranium – thorium mixed oxide fuel
- Computation of gamma radioactivity of natural rocks in the vicinity of Antalya province and its effect on health
- Calculation of liquid waste discharge limits for routine discharge of Tehran research reactor
- Thermal hydraulic assessment of a new design of PWR fuel assembly
- Simulation of error in suppression of Xenon oscillations in a WWER-1000 nuclear reactor
- A novel dual-molality densitometer for gauging in annular two phase flows using radial basis function
- Design and construction of toroidal field coil for Taban device
Articles in the same Issue
- Contents/Inhalt
- Contents
- Technical Contributions/Fachbeiträge
- Porosity evolution study in irradiated UO2 fuel based on fuel matrix swelling
- Data collection assessment for the human performance analysis in nuclear installations
- Abnormal control rod withdrawal analysis for innovative research reactor using PARET-ANL codes
- Improving CANDU performance by using uranium – thorium mixed oxide fuel
- Computation of gamma radioactivity of natural rocks in the vicinity of Antalya province and its effect on health
- Calculation of liquid waste discharge limits for routine discharge of Tehran research reactor
- Thermal hydraulic assessment of a new design of PWR fuel assembly
- Simulation of error in suppression of Xenon oscillations in a WWER-1000 nuclear reactor
- A novel dual-molality densitometer for gauging in annular two phase flows using radial basis function
- Design and construction of toroidal field coil for Taban device
