Advanced MOX Core Design Study of Sodium-Cooled Reactors in Current Feasibility Study on Commercialized Fast Reactor Cycle Systems in Japan

Mizuno, Tomoyasu; Niwa, H.

doi:10.13182/nt04-4

Cited by 19 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Oxidedispersion-strengthened (ODS) steel was selected as a cladding material, because it is expected to withstand a high-neutron fluence and exhibits excellent hightemperature strength. As shown in Figure 2, a Fuel Assembly with Inner Duct Structure (FAIDUS) was applied to mitigate the effect of a core disruptive accident (CDA) [12]. An inner duct was installed at a corner of the subassembly, and a part of the upper shielding was removed.…”

Section: Reference Corementioning

confidence: 99%

Fast breeder reactor core concept for heterogeneous minor actinide loading

Ohki

Naganuma

Ōkubo

et al. 2013

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology

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As an alternative method to the homogeneous minor actinide (MA) recycling in fast breeder reactors, a heterogeneous MA loading core concept using a highly concentrated americium (Am)-containing fuel (Am target) is proposed. By the use of an extraction process for Am and curium (Cm) in the reprocessing of the spent fuel, Am (and a small amount of Cm) can be recovered and then concentrated to produce the target. The Am content in the heavy metal is assumed to range from 10 to 20 wt% in accordance with the target development scope. A mixed oxide fuel that contains uranium, plutonium, and neptunium is chosen as the base material of the target, so that the targets can generate a level of power equivalent to that of the driver fuels. It was found that a ring-shaped arrangement of Am targets between the inner and outer core regions exhibits a favorable MA transmutation performance without any significant deterioration in the core neutronic characteristics, including increases of the burnup reactivity and sodium void reactivity worth, and decreases of the breeding ratio and absolute value of the Doppler coefficient, etc., in comparison with those of a reference homogeneous MA loading case. It should be noted that the Am targets in this loading arrangement can contribute to the suppression of the core power distribution change along with burnup. A series of core designs, including core neutronics, thermal hydraulics, and fuel integrity evaluations, was also carried out for a representative Am target loading case. The results indicate that it is possible to design an Am target subassembly that can cope with the issues presented by highly concentrated Am, i.e., the deterioration of thermophysical properties and the accumulation of helium gas inside the target fuel pins. Therefore, the design feasibility of the heterogeneous target loading core has been enhanced.

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Section: Reference Corementioning

confidence: 99%

Fast breeder reactor core concept for heterogeneous minor actinide loading

Ohki

Naganuma

Ōkubo

et al. 2013

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology

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“…The FBR design used for this study was adopted from the Feasibility Study on commercialized FBRs 11,12) carried out by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). We selected an economically efficient, sodium-cooled large-scale FBR with a long burn-up period excluding the radial blanket, because this type of FBR was designed to have a small breeding ratio of 1.03 and is suitable for the equilibrium state.…”

Section: Power Plantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Partitioning and Transmutation on High-Level Waste Disposal for the Fast Breeder Reactor Fuel Cycle

Nishihara

Oigawa

Nakayama

et al. 2010

J. Nucl. Sci. Technol.

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The impact of partitioning and/or transmutation (PT) technology on high-level waste management was investigated for the equilibrium state of several potential fast breeder reactor (FBR) fuel cycles. Three different fuel cycle scenarios involving PT technology were analyzed: 1) partitioning process only (separation of some fission products), 2) transmutation process only (separation and transmutation of minor actinides), and 3) both partitioning and transmutation processes. The conventional light water reactor (LWR) fuel cycle without PT technology, on which the current repository design is based, was also included for comparison. We focused on the thermal constraints in a geological repository and determined the necessary predisposal storage quantities and time periods (by defining a storage capacity index) for several predefined emplacement configurations through transient thermal analysis. The relation between this storage capacity index and the required repository emplacement area was obtained. We found that the introduction of the FBR fuel cycle without PT can yield a 35% smaller repository per unit electricity generation than the LWR fuel cycle, although the predisposal storage period is prolonged from 50 years for the LWR fuel cycle to 65 years for the FBR fuel cycle without PT. The introduction of the partitioningonly process does not result in a significant reduction of the repository emplacement area from that for the FBR fuel cycle without PT, but the introduction of the transmutation-only process can reduce the emplacement area by a factor of 5 when the storage period is extended from 65 to 95 years. When a coupled partitioning and transmutation system is introduced, the repository emplacement area can be reduced by up to two orders of magnitude by assuming a predisposal storage of 60 years for glass waste and 295 years for calcined waste containing the Sr and Cs fraction. The storage period of 295 years for the calcined waste does not require a large storage capacity because the number of waste packages produced is significantly reduced by a factor of 5 from that of the glass waste package in the FBR fuel cycle without PT.

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“…HCM12A is also a viable candidate for a range of other energy-producing applications, including solar thermal power facilities and gas turbine power systems [23,24]. In both nuclear and non-nuclear applications, liquid metal coolants are under consideration as the primary heat transfer media [23][24][25][26]. High temperature oxidation of HCM12A in such extreme environments leads to the formation of a multilayered oxide structure, which have been studied previously on a range of different alloys [6][7][8][27][28][29][30].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…HCM12A has been selected because it is a promising candidate material for use in industrial heat transfer processes: it is one of the leading F/M steels for Generation IV lead-cooled fast reactors (LFR) reactors due to its high strength and favorable corrosion resistance [7,[19][20][21][22]. HCM12A is also a viable candidate for a range of other energy-producing applications, including solar thermal power facilities and gas turbine power systems [23,24]. In both nuclear and non-nuclear applications, liquid metal coolants are under consideration as the primary heat transfer media [23][24][25][26].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of the Mechanical Properties of Naturally Grown Multilayered Oxides Formed on HCM12A Using Small Scale Mechanical Testing

et al. 2015

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The microstructure and mechanical integrity of protective multilayered oxide films grown in liquid metal on F/M steel HCM12A was investigated utilizing Raman spectroscopy, nanoindentation and micro-cantilever testing methods. The Raman spectra showed a Fe 3 O 4 outer layer and a Cr-rich spinel structure inner layer. The nanoindentation results showed a higher hardness value for the inner layer than for the outer layer. In addition, the hardness of the diffusion layer in between the inner layer and the bulk steel was measured. Quantitative fracture properties were obtained of the steel/oxide interface and within the oxide layers utilizing microcantilever testing. Furthermore the strength and elastic properties of the multilayered oxide film were measured and it was found that the porous structure in the inner Fe-Cr oxide limits the integrity of the steel/oxide interface.

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Advanced MOX Core Design Study of Sodium-Cooled Reactors in Current Feasibility Study on Commercialized Fast Reactor Cycle Systems in Japan

Cited by 19 publications

References 3 publications

Fast breeder reactor core concept for heterogeneous minor actinide loading

Fast breeder reactor core concept for heterogeneous minor actinide loading

Impact of Partitioning and Transmutation on High-Level Waste Disposal for the Fast Breeder Reactor Fuel Cycle

Evaluation of the Mechanical Properties of Naturally Grown Multilayered Oxides Formed on HCM12A Using Small Scale Mechanical Testing

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