Thorium‐uranium close fuel cycle in fluoride‐salt‐cooled solid‐fuel fast reactor with two recycle strategies

Abstract

Summary Fluoride‐salt‐cooled solid‐fuel fast reactor (LSFR) based on thorium fuel could achieve a self‐sustaining core which satisfies long term energy supply. In this paper, we further investigated the LSFR core neutronics characteristics for the close fuel cycle from the 0th cycle core to the 8th cycle core. Two fuel recycle schemes, including U recycling and U/Pu/MA recycling, were put forward to evaluate physical effects caused by these recycling elements. It was found that both closed fuel recycle schemes gained self‐sustaining core and reduced the 233U fuel loading, indicating that recycling nuclides could partially replace 233U. Due to the lower 233U loading in fuel cycle process, the breeding performance of LSFR core was better and U/Pu/MA recycling scheme possessed more advantages. The LSFR core could not transmute MA due to the relatively soft fast energy spectrum. The U/Pu/MA recycle scheme accumulated more transuranium elements with cycle burnup than that of U recycle scheme.