A New Fuel Design for Two Different HW Type Reactors

Abstract

A new fuel element (called CARA) designed for two different heavy water reactors (HWRs) is presented. CARA could match fuel requirements of both (one CANDU and one unique Siemens's design) Argentine HW reactors. It keeps the heavier fuel mass density and hydraulic flow restriction in both reactors together with improving both thermomechanic and thermalhydraulic, safety margins of present fuels. In addition, the CARA design could be considered as another design line for the next generation of CANDU fuels intended for higher burnup.

Negative power coefficient on PHWRs with CARA fuel

“…From the mechanical point of view, a collapsible cladding (no gap) of 0.54 cm is used, whose influence on the PC is studied. For vertical channel PHWRs, such as the Atucha reactors, an additional basket was designed (Brasnarof et al, 2005b). More geometrical specifications and reference values for the neutronic parameters will be given in Tables 6 and 7.…”