Shifting to a 36-month fuel cycle with advanced moderating burnable absorbers enabling high assay low enriched uranium (HALEU)
Allbwn ymchwil: Cyfraniad at gyfnodolyn › Erthygl › adolygiad gan gymheiriaid
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- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149197023004468
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Trwydded: CC BY-NC-ND Dangos trwydded
Meeting the increasing demand for energy requires more efficient and economical use of resources. Thus, extending the fuel cycle of nuclear reactors that commonly operate on 18-month cycles has become an important area of research both academically and industrially. However, longer fuel cycles necessitate higher fuel enrichment, which poses a greater challenge in terms of reactivity control. In this study, the operation and safety of nuclear power plants in 36-month fuel cycles using High Assay Low Enriched Uranium (HALEU) enriched up to 7.00 wt% were assessed. Moderated Discrete Burnable Absorber Pins (MDBAPs), containing ZrB2 and UB2 have the potential to improve fuel efficiency and fuel economy in long cycles, were introduced as a new burnable absorber solution. Comprehensive evaluations of MDBAPs were undertaken using fuel cycle analyses with the advanced Studsvik CASMO-4/SIMULATE-3 code system. This assessment focuses on understanding the impact of MDBAPs on several key aspects: reactivity feedback parameters, peaking factors, power distribution profiles, and shutdown margin. The results indicate that MDBAPs are a promising burnable absorber option for fuel enriched up to 7.00 wt% (HALEU), demonstrating substantial promise for supporting a 36-month fuel cycle while complying with those operational safety standards and limits.
Iaith wreiddiol | Saesneg |
---|---|
Rhif yr erthygl | 105011 |
Cyfnodolyn | Progress in Nuclear Energy |
Dyddiad ar-lein cynnar | 17 Rhag 2023 |
Statws | Cyhoeddwyd - 1 Maw 2024 |