Energy multiplication and fissile fuel breeding limits of accelerator-driven systems with uranium and thorium targets

Şahi̇n, Sümer; Şarer, Başar; Çelik, Yurdunaz

doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2015.01.141

Cited by 13 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…10,11 High neutron economy of heavy-water-moderated Canada Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) reactors promises to be an attractive option for the exploitation of rich world thorium reserves, which was subject of different work. [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] In a series of systematic studies conducted with the SCALE5 code package, 22 the utilization potential of HG-Pu, reactor-grade plutonium (RG-Pu), and minor actinides (MA) as mixed with thorium in CANDU reactors has been investigated. [23][24][25][26] These generic studies had been performed with the help of the SCALE5 code 22 in 1-D cylindrical geometry and S 8 -P 3 approximation using 238 groups' neutron cross sections of the ENDF-V data library under consideration of the transmutation and radioactive decay of all actinide isotopes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…High neutron economy of heavy‐water–moderated Canada Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) reactors promises to be an attractive option for the exploitation of rich world thorium reserves, which was subject of different work . In a series of systematic studies conducted with the SCALE5 code package, the utilization potential of HG‐Pu, reactor‐grade plutonium (RG‐Pu), and minor actinides (MA) as mixed with thorium in CANDU reactors has been investigated .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Large-scale energy production with thorium in a typical heavy-water reactor using high-grade plutonium as driver fuel

Şahi̇n

Şarer²

2018

Int J Energy Res

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Summary Thorium can be introduced into the energy vector in combination with high‐grade plutonium (HG‐Pu). Excellent neutron economy of heavy‐water moderator allows use of mixed ThO2/HG‐PuO2 fuel in heavy‐water reactors with high efficiency, leading to the exploitation of large world thorium reserves and extending the availability of the nuclear energy by two orders of magnitude. In the present work, the criticality calculations have been performed with the code MCNPX 3‐D geometrical modeling of a typical heavy‐water reactor, where the structure of all fuel rods and bundles is represented individually. In the course of time calculations, nuclear transformation and radioactive decay of all actinide elements as well as fission products are considered. Five different fuel compositions have been selected for investigations: (1) 97% thoria (ThO2) + 3% PuO2; (2) 96% ThO2 + 4% PuO2; (3) 95% ThO2 + 5% PuO2; (4) 94% ThO2 + 6% PuO2; and (5) 92% ThO2 + 8% PuO2. The behavior of the criticality k∞ and the burn‐up values of the reactor have been pursued by full power operation at 640 MWel (2180 MWth) for approximately 7 years. Time calculations have been conducted with MCNPX and CINDER codes under consideration of all nuclear transformation and radioactive decay processes on the actinide isotopes and fission fragments. As the reactor allows fuel recharging at on‐power operation mode, the reactor criticality has been followed down to keff,end = ~1.05. The corresponding burn‐up values and operation periods for the investigated modes are (1) 18 GWd/MT and 780 days; (2) 27 GWd/MT and 1200 days; (3) 35 GWd/MT and 1560 days; (4) 44 GWd/MT and 1940 days; and (5) 60 GWd/MT and 2640 days. Among the investigated four modes, 94% ThO2 + 6% PuO2 seems a reasonable choice under consideration of the high price of the HG‐Pu as driver fuel. The mixed fuel has the potential of an extensive exploitation of thorium resources. Reactor will run with the same fuel charge for approximately 5 years and allow a fuel burn‐up approximately 44 GWd/MT, comparable with conventional light‐water reactors (LWRs). Plutonium component of the mixed fuel will become nonprolific after few months of plant operation through the accumulation of even isotopes. Addition of few percent natural uranium to the initial mixed fuel charge will keep the 233U component below 22% and hence at nonprolific level over the entire plant operation period. Replacement of 4% ThO2 with 4% nat‐UO2 will practically not change main technical parameters of the reactor.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Large-scale energy production with thorium in a typical heavy-water reactor using high-grade plutonium as driver fuel

Şahi̇n

Şarer²

2018

Int J Energy Res

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“…At the end of reactor operation, the final spent fuel contains nearly the same amount of non-fissile even isotopes and fissile odd isotopes. This can further be burnt partially in fast breeders and more effectively in fusion-fission (hybrid) reactors [36] and in accelerator Nuclear waste plutonium and thorium S. Şahin, B. Şarer and Y. Çelik driven systems [37]. Finally, Figure 9 shows the decline of the fertile isotope 232 Th in 7 years, which makes~3% of the initial thorium charge.…”

Section: Time Evolution Of Actinide Isotopesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…driven systems [37]. Finally, Figure 9 shows the decline of the fertile isotope 232 Th in 7 years, which makes~3% of the initial thorium charge.…”

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confidence: 97%

Utilization of nuclear waste plutonium and thorium mixed fuel in candu reactors

Şahi̇n

Şarer

Çelik

2016

Int. J. Energy Res.

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SUMMARYSpent nuclear fuel out of conventional light water reactors contains significant amount of even plutonium isotopes, so called reactor grade plutonium. Excellent neutron economy of Canada deuterium uranium (CANDU) reactors can further burn reactor grade plutonium, which has been used as a booster fissile fuel material in form of mixed ThO 2 /PuO 2 fuel in a CANDU fuel bundle in order to assure reactor criticality. The paper investigates incineration of nuclear waste and the prospects of exploitation of rich world thorium reserves in CANDU reactors.In the present work, the criticality calculations have been performed with 3-D geometrical modeling of a CANDU reactor, where the structure of all fuel rods and bundles is represented individually. In the course of time calculations, nuclear transformation and radioactive decay of all actinide elements as well as fission products are considered.Four different fuel compositions have been selected for investigations: ① 95% thoria (ThO 2 ) + 5% PuO 2 , ② 90% ThO 2 + 10% PuO 2 , ③ 85% ThO 2 + 15% PuO 2 and ④ 80% ThO 2 + 20% PuO 2 . The latter is used for the purpose of denaturing the new 233 U fuel with 238 U. The behavior of the criticality k ∞ and the burnup values of the reactor have been pursued by full power operation for~10 years.Among the investigated four modes, 90% ThO 2 + 10% PuO 2 seems a reasonable choice. This mixed fuel would continue make possible extensive exploitation of thorium resources with respect to reactor criticality. Reactor will run with the same fuel charge for~7 years and allow a fuel burnup~55 GWd/t.

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“…With the development of nuclear energy, the utilization of thorium has been discussed in various types of reactors with varying intensity, particularly in pressurized water reactors (PWRs), boiling water reactors, heavy water reactors, Canadian deuterium natural uranium reactors, molten salt reactors (MSRs), hybrid systems, accelerator‐driven systems, high temperature reactors (HTRs), breeder reactors, as well as in fast reactors . Thorium has gained considerable amount of interest because of its many advantages that;characterize it as fuel.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of homogeneous and heterogeneous thorium fuel blocks with four drivers in advanced high temperature reactors

et al. 2020

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Thorium is an attractive potential fuel owing to its abundance and unique thermal, neutronic, and chemical properties. One way to utilize thorium in block-type advanced high temperature reactors (AHTRs) is to homogenously mix the driver fuel (eg, U-233) with thorium in every fuel kernel of the tristructural-isotropic particles in a fuel block, which is the mixed oxide fuel (MOX) concept. Application of the seed and blanket (S&B) concept, that is, driver fuel in the seed region of a fuel block and thorium in the blanket region, is also another method to utilize thorium. To investigate the differences in the utilization of thorium using the MOX and S&B concepts in AHTRs, their multiplication factors (k ∞ ), discharge burnups, conversion ratios, and reactivity temperature coefficients are compared. The investigated drivers include U-233 (U3), weapons-grade uranium (WU), weapons-grade plutonium (WPu), and reactor-grade plutonium (RPu). The results demonstrate that the MOX block with plutonium drivers has a higher discharge burnup in comparison with the S&B block. When the heavy metal mass is 6 kg and the initial mass of the fissile materials is 0.65 kg per block, the MOX block achieves 27% higher discharge burnup than the S&B block with the RPu driver. In contrast, the S&B block achieves higher discharge burnup in the case of uranium drivers (U3 and WU). The MOX block achieves a higher conversion ratio for all the drivers. Furthermore, the MOX block achieves a stronger negative moderator temperature coefficient of reactivity than the S&B block for all the driver fuels.

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Energy multiplication and fissile fuel breeding limits of accelerator-driven systems with uranium and thorium targets

Cited by 13 publications

References 37 publications

Large-scale energy production with thorium in a typical heavy-water reactor using high-grade plutonium as driver fuel

Large-scale energy production with thorium in a typical heavy-water reactor using high-grade plutonium as driver fuel

Utilization of nuclear waste plutonium and thorium mixed fuel in candu reactors

Comparison of homogeneous and heterogeneous thorium fuel blocks with four drivers in advanced high temperature reactors

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