Feasibility Study of Thorium-Plutonium Mixed Oxide Assembly In Light Water Reactors

Abstract

Thorium-plutonium mixed oxide, (Th,Pu)OX, is currently used as an alternative fuel in the light water reactors in the world. The main objective of this paper is not only to show the benefits of using the thorium, but mainly to study how the way thorium is introduced in the fuel affects the neutron parameters. Among these benefits is the possibility of extending the operating cycle length and the reduction of the increasing stockpiles of plutonium. The first investigated method is introducing thorium as (Th,Pu)OX. The second one is a homogeneous model of thorium plutonium oxide. It is carried out by adding an amount of plutonium separated from the uranium oxide cycle at 50 GWd/ton of heavy metal to the same amount of thorium. Thus, we studied three assemblies; the reference assembly is uranium oxide of 4.2% enrichment containing borated water as a moderator of concentration 500 ppm (part per million) of B-10. The second is a (Th,Pu)OX and the third one is an assembly with homogenized thorium plutonium. All three assemblies are modeled using MCNPX. A comparison is held between the results of the three lattices. The factors compared are the effective multiplication factor, the inventory of plutonium and uranium isotopes, and the depletion of B-10, the pin by pin power distribution at 0 and 60 GWd/ton and the relative pin radial power for the three lattices. The comparison is aimed to show the effect on the cycle length, the reduction in the Pu content and the power flattening across the assembly. It is found that the evolution of the multiplication factors shows a similar behaviour using (Th-Pu)OX fuel in the assembly as UOX cycle inspite of lowering the K-eff of fresh (Th-Pu)OX fuel (1.19847). The power flattening which is favorable in reactor operation is clearer in (Th,Pu)OX fuel. It is noticed that the mass of Pu-239 decreases by 1.07% from its initial value at the end of life. For homogeneous (Th,Pu)OX, the mass decreases by 0.0832%. The high power peaking factor for (Th,Pu)OX is not expected to cause significant effects during reactor operation but it can be reduced by adding burnable poisons.

Effect of pressure on mechanical and optical properties of ThO2 and PuO2

“…It is feasible to produce and use mixed plutonium-thorium fuel ThO 2 + PuO 2 . 4,5 The possible advantages of this fuel are reduced fuel cycle cost lower excess reactivity requirements, the higher burnups achievable in light water reactors, lower long-term radiotoxicity, improved thermal conductivity, physical and chemical stability (as ThO 2 does not oxidize as easily as UO 2 ), and increased ability to retain radiogenic gases. 4,5 Actinide dioxides show remarkably interesting properties due to the presence of 5f electrons.…”

“…4,5 The possible advantages of this fuel are reduced fuel cycle cost lower excess reactivity requirements, the higher burnups achievable in light water reactors, lower long-term radiotoxicity, improved thermal conductivity, physical and chemical stability (as ThO 2 does not oxidize as easily as UO 2 ), and increased ability to retain radiogenic gases. 4,5 Actinide dioxides show remarkably interesting properties due to the presence of 5f electrons. Lighter AnO 2 undergo a structural phase transition from a cubic structure to an orthorhombic structure at higher pressures.…”