Parametric Study of Thorium Fuel Utilization on Small Modular Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR)

Abstract

Small Modular Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) can be used to overcome the problem of electricity shortages in remote areas with fewer populations. These reactors usually use uranium-based fuel. Currently, the use of thorium-based fuels for this type of reactor has received constant attention, leading to several investigations of fuel performance. This study aims to determine the performance of thorium-based fuel in the PWR core at a power level of 300 MWt. The analysis was carried out by varying the percentage of U-233 as fissile material in Thorium (Th-233U)O2 fuel by 3%-8% and Pa-231 variation as burnable poison 0.2%-5%. In addition, analysis of changes in the volume fraction of fuel ranging from 40%-60%, with the type of cladding used in the form of Zirlo. The calculation system uses the SRAC computer code with PIJ and CITATION modules for cell and core calculations, using JENDL-4.0 nuclide data. Parameters analyzed from the fuel cell calculation results are reactor criticality, excess reactivity, and power density profile. The analysis results show that the best fuel performance is found in fuel volume fraction of 60%, U-233 configuration on the fuel of 4-5-6%, and the addition of 2.5% Pa-231. This fuel configuration can achieve cycles of up to 19 years with excess reactivity at BOL of 2.57% dk/k and excess reactivity at EOL of 0.87% dk/k.

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

“…The SRAC system facilitates neutron calculations for different thermal reactors by generating accurate microscopic and macroscopic cross-sections. It supports core and static cell calculations, including burnup analysis, and provides essential parameters for reactor design and experimental analysis [27]. As a nuclear data library, we utilize JENDL 4.0.…”

“…The reactor core has three fuel regions (F1, F2, and F3) with a 1% 233 U content difference between each fuel region. F1 is the fuel region with the least fi ssile material, F2 is the fuel region with the medium fi ssile material, and F3 is the fuel region with the most fi ssile material [27]. The analyzed PWR design parameters are shown in Table 1.…”

Neutronic design of small modular long­life pressurized water reactor using thorium carbide fuel at a power level of 300–500 MWth

“…2. The core configuration is designed by placing the fuel region with the lowest 233 U enrichment closest to the reactor core center (F1) and the fuel with the highest 233 U enrichment closest to the reflector (F3) [19]. As a result, F2 represents the fuel region with 233 U enrichment between F1 and F3.…”

Comparative Study of UO2 and (Th,U-233)O2 Performance in Small Long-Life PWR Fuel Cell

“…Besides that, many studies have been conducted to investigate the performance of thorium-based fuel used in PWR. It has been shown that Th-232 and U-233 oxide or (Th,U-233)O2 fuel has excellent performance to a long-life PWR, those are longer operation period without refueling, higher internal conversion ratio, and higher fuel burn-up (Subki et al, 2008;Subkhi et al, 2012;Subkhi et al, 2013;Subkhi et al, 2015;Hassan et al, 2020;Napirah & Su'ud, 2020;Lapanporo & Su'ud, 2022).…”