Thorium-based mixed oxide fuel in a pressurized water reactor: A beginning of life feasibility analysis with MCNP

Tucker, L. P.; Alajo, Ayodeji Babatunde; Usman, Shoaib

doi:10.1016/j.anucene.2014.09.058

Cited by 13 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 11 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…While there are notable downsides to the Th-fuel cycle, specifically the lack of commercial infrastructure and the reduced worth of certain control materials (du Toit & Naicker, 2018) (Alhaj, et al, 2016) (Lau, et al, 2014) (Insulander Bjork, et al, 2013 (Fridman & Kliem, 2011) (Lamarsh & Baratta, 2001), it may warrant further investigation. Th-Pu only recycle has been studied in depth (Zainuddin, et al, 2017) (Alhaj, et al, 2016) (Zainuddin, et al, 2016) (Tucker, et al, 2015) (Yun, et al, 2010) (Mittag & Kleim, 2011) (Schram & Klaassen, 2007) (Sorensen, et al, 2006) (Kim & Downar, 2002) (Galperin, et al, 2000). However, it is Th-Pu-MA recycle that is of more interest with respect to UK Pu management due to the previously mentioned build-up of Am241.…”

Section: Viable Technologies For Pu Dispositionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of Am241 on UK plutonium recycle options in thorium-plutonium fuelled LWRs – Part I: PWRs

Morrison

Parks

2020

Annals of Nuclear Energy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

UK plutonium is expected to be managed using uranium-plutonium (U-Pu) mixed oxide (MOX) fuels in Light Water Reactors (LWRs). However, studies have shown that thorium-plutonium (Th-Pu) may be preferential. Research has mostly focussed on recycle of reactor grade Pu with limited minor actinide (MA) content. This study will determine if large quantities of americium (Am) in UK Pu may be restrictive to recycle schemes by determining the effect this has on reactivity feedback coefficients, fissile loading and incineration potential. Addition of Am is shown to result in predictable trends in reactivity feedback coefficients and spatial separation of Am and Pu is found to offer potential advantages over uniformly loaded fuel in terms of maximising fissile loading and incineration. Separation may also offer benefits in terms of targeting Am destruction, particularly if multiple recycle schemes are pursued, as this would maximise the fissile loading requirements while keeping reactivity feedback coefficients negative.

show abstract

Section: Viable Technologies For Pu Dispositionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of Am241 on UK plutonium recycle options in thorium-plutonium fuelled LWRs – Part I: PWRs

Morrison

Parks

2020

Annals of Nuclear Energy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The abundant of Th-232 in earth crust has three times greater than natural uranium. Thorium based fuel has several advantages than uranium in reason [1,[3][4][5][6][7][8][9]:…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conceptual Core Analysis of Long Life PWR Utilizing Thorium-Uranium Fuel Cycle

Rouf

Su’ud

2016

J. Phys.: Conf. Ser.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Conceptual core analysis of long life PWR utilizing thorium-uranium based fuel has conducted. The purpose of this study is to evaluate neutronic behavior of reactor core using combined thorium and enriched uranium fuel. Based on this fuel composition, reactor core have higher conversion ratio rather than conventional fuel which could give longer operation length. This simulation performed using SRAC Code System based on library SRACLIB-JDL32. The calculation carried out for (Th-U)O2 and (Th-U)C fuel with uranium composition 30 -40 % and gadolinium (Gd2O3) as burnable poison 0,0125%. The fuel composition adjusted to obtain burn up length 10 -15 years under thermal power 600 -1000 MWt. The key properties such as uranium enrichment, fuel volume fraction, percentage of uranium are evaluated. Core calculation on this study adopted R-Z geometry divided by 3 region, each region have different uranium enrichment. The result show multiplication factor every burn up step for 15 years operation length, power distribution behavior, power peaking factor, and conversion ratio. The optimum core design achieved when thermal power 600 MWt, percentage of uranium 35%, U-235 enrichment 11 -13 %, with 14 years operation length, axial and radial power peaking factor about 1.5 and 1.2 respectively.

show abstract

“…•Good chemical and physical properties: higher melting point, higher thermal conductivity and chemical stability, lower coefficient of thermal expansion, less gas fission products released [3,4], •Less minor actinides and plutonium in spent fuel,…”

Section: Advantagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical design of the Seed-Blanket Unit for the thorium nuclear fuel cycle

Oettingen

Skolik

2016

E3S Web Conf.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. In the paper we present the Monte Carlo modelling by the means of the Monte Carlo Continuous Energy Burn-up Code of the 17x17 Pressurized Water Reactor fuel assembly designed according to the Radkowsky Thorium Fuel concept. The design incorporates the UO 2 seed fuel located in the centre and (Th,U)O 2 blanket fuel located in the peripheries of fuel assembly. The high power seed region supplies neutrons for the low power blanket region and thus induces breeding of fissile 233 U from fertile 232 Th. The both regions are physically separated and thus this approach is also known as either the heterogonous approach or the Seed-Blanket Unit. In the numerical analysis we consider the time evolutions of infinite neutron multiplication factor, axial/radial power density profile, 233 U, 235 U and 232 Th.

show abstract

Thorium-based mixed oxide fuel in a pressurized water reactor: A beginning of life feasibility analysis with MCNP

Cited by 13 publications

References 11 publications

The effect of Am241 on UK plutonium recycle options in thorium-plutonium fuelled LWRs – Part I: PWRs

The effect of Am241 on UK plutonium recycle options in thorium-plutonium fuelled LWRs – Part I: PWRs

Conceptual Core Analysis of Long Life PWR Utilizing Thorium-Uranium Fuel Cycle

Numerical design of the Seed-Blanket Unit for the thorium nuclear fuel cycle

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About