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Effect of Burnable Absorbers on Inert Matrix Fuel Performance and Transuranic Burnup in a Low Power Density Light-Water Reactor.

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Title: Effect of Burnable Absorbers on Inert Matrix Fuel Performance and Transuranic Burnup in a Low Power Density Light-Water Reactor.
Authors: Recktenwald, Geoff1 recktenwald@austin.utexas.edu, Deinert, Mark1 mdeinert@utexas.edu
Source: Energies (19961073). Apr2013, Vol. 6 Issue 4, p2291-2304. 14p. 3 Diagrams, 2 Charts, 8 Graphs.
Subjects: Burnable poisons, Transuranium elements, Light water reactors, Zirconium oxide, Thermal conductivity
Abstract: Zirconium dioxide has received particular attention as a fuel matrix because of its ability to form a solid solution with transuranic elements, natural radiation stability and desirable mechanical properties. However, zirconium dioxide has a lower coefficient of thermal conductivity than uranium dioxide and this presents an obstacle to the deployment of these fuels in commercial reactors. Here we show that axial doping of a zirconium dioxide based fuel with erbium reduces power peaking and fuel temperature. Full core simulations of a modified AP1000 core were done using MCNPX 2.7.0. The inert matrix fuel contained 15 w/o transuranics at its beginning of life and constituted 28% of the assemblies in the core. Axial doping reduced power peaking at startup by more than ∼23% in the axial direction and reduced the peak to average power within the core from 1.80 to 1.44. The core was able to remain critical between refueling while running at a simulated 2000 MWth on an 18 month refueling cycle. The results show that the reactor would maintain negative core average reactivity and void coefficients during operation. This type of fuel cycle would reduce the overall production of transuranics in a pressurized water reactor by 86% [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Energies (19961073) is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Effect of Burnable Absorbers on Inert Matrix Fuel Performance and Transuranic Burnup in a Low Power Density Light-Water Reactor.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Energies+%2819961073%29%22">Energies (19961073)</searchLink>. Apr2013, Vol. 6 Issue 4, p2291-2304. 14p. 3 Diagrams, 2 Charts, 8 Graphs.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Burnable+poisons%22">Burnable poisons</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Transuranium+elements%22">Transuranium elements</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Light+water+reactors%22">Light water reactors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Zirconium+oxide%22">Zirconium oxide</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thermal+conductivity%22">Thermal conductivity</searchLink>
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  Data: Zirconium dioxide has received particular attention as a fuel matrix because of its ability to form a solid solution with transuranic elements, natural radiation stability and desirable mechanical properties. However, zirconium dioxide has a lower coefficient of thermal conductivity than uranium dioxide and this presents an obstacle to the deployment of these fuels in commercial reactors. Here we show that axial doping of a zirconium dioxide based fuel with erbium reduces power peaking and fuel temperature. Full core simulations of a modified AP1000 core were done using MCNPX 2.7.0. The inert matrix fuel contained 15 w/o transuranics at its beginning of life and constituted 28% of the assemblies in the core. Axial doping reduced power peaking at startup by more than ∼23% in the axial direction and reduced the peak to average power within the core from 1.80 to 1.44. The core was able to remain critical between refueling while running at a simulated 2000 MWth on an 18 month refueling cycle. The results show that the reactor would maintain negative core average reactivity and void coefficients during operation. This type of fuel cycle would reduce the overall production of transuranics in a pressurized water reactor by 86% [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Energies (19961073) is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Light water reactors
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      – SubjectFull: Zirconium oxide
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      – TitleFull: Effect of Burnable Absorbers on Inert Matrix Fuel Performance and Transuranic Burnup in a Low Power Density Light-Water Reactor.
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