Assessment of a Heterogeneous PWR Assembly for Plutonium and Minor Actinide Recycle

Taiwo, T. A.; Kim, T. K.; Stillman, J. A.; Hill, R. N.; Salvatores, M.; Finck, P.J.

doi:10.13182/nt06-a3744

Cited by 33 publications

(13 citation statements)

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“…In this regard, the MA transmutation in LWRs has drawn much attention so far to serve as a near-term solution to the issues with spent fuel and various methods of loading MAs into the LWRs have been investigated to realize such possibility. Nonetheless, most of the studies are reported with the Western PWRs [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. Similar studies with the Russian water-water energy reactors (VVERs) have rarely been found in the literature although a large number of NPPs based on the VVER technologies are being operated in various East European and Asian countries [17,18].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Study on Transmutation of Minor Actinides as Burnable Poison in VVER-1000 Fuel Assembly

Tran

Nguyen

et al. 2019

Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations

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Thermal reactors have been considered as interim solution for transmutation of minor actinides recycled from spent nuclear fuel. Various studies have been performed in recent decades to realize this possibility. This paper presents the neutronic feasibility study on transmutation of minor actinides as burnable poison in the VVER-1000 LEU (low enriched uranium) fuel assembly. The VVER-1000 LEU fuel assembly was modeled using the SRAC code system, and the SRAC calculation model was verified against the MCNP6 calculations and the available published benchmark data. Two models of minor actinide loading in the LEU fuel assembly have been investigated: homogeneous mixing in the UGD (Uranium-Gadolinium) pins and coating a thin layer to the UGD pins. The consequent negative reactivity insertion by minor actinides was compensated by reducing the gadolinium content and boron concentration. The reactivity of the LEU assembly versus burnup and the transmutation of minor actinide nuclides were examined in comparison with the reference case. The results demonstrate that transmutation of minor actinides as burnable poison in the VVER-1000 reactor is feasible as minor actinides could partially replace the functions of gadolinium and boric acid for excess reactivity control.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Study on Transmutation of Minor Actinides as Burnable Poison in VVER-1000 Fuel Assembly

Tran

Nguyen

et al. 2019

Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations

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show abstract

“…The Cf252, which is a very powerful neutron emitter, results in an unacceptably high neutron source at fuel fabrication in the case of a thermal neutron reactor [17].…”

Section: Fuel Cycle Impactmentioning

confidence: 99%