High Conversion Th–U233 fuel for current generation of PWRs: Part III – Fuel availability and utilization considerations

Comparison of the neutronic properties of the (Th-233U)O2, (Th-233U)C, and (Th-233U)N fuels in small long-life PWR cores with 300, 400, and 500 MWth of power

“…In this study, neutronic calculations were carried out for thorium-based fuels with a mixture of 233 U fi ssile materials on long-life PWR cores with 300 MW th , 400 MW th , and 500 MW th power. Th-233 U fuel is a practical combination that can reproduce independently in the LWR core in the thermal spectrum because it has an -factor (number of fi ssion neutrons released per neutron absorbed) that is relatively >2 in the thermal spectrum [24]. In this study, three types of fuel were used, namely (Th-233 U)O 2 , (Th-233 U)C, and (Th-233 U)N, which are dioxide, carbide, and nitride, respectively.…”

Investigation of a new approach for regulating the reactivity and achieving economic feasibility using thorium in a blanket‐seed assembly of pressurized water reactors

“…A high conversion fuel cycle can be achieved by using a blanket‐seed fuel assembly. The appropriate fissile material concentration in the blanket zone was 0.5 w/o, whereas it was 9.55 w/o in the seed region 41,42 . The possibility of converting the AP1000 reactor core from UO 2 to (U‐ 232 Th)O 2 fuelled core is studied without the use of any burnable poisons and with low levels of boric acid 31 .…”

“…The appropriate fissile material concentration in the blanket zone was 0.5 w/o, whereas it was 9.55 w/o in the seed region. 41,42 The possibility of converting the AP1000 reactor core from UO 2 to (U-232 Th)O 2 fuelled core is studied without the use of any burnable poisons and with low levels of boric acid. 31 The high enrichment in the seed region leads to high power peak factors in the fuel assembly central region.…”