Spent mixed oxide fuel rejuvenation in fusion breeders
Küçük Resim Yok
Tarih
1999
Dergi Başlığı
Dergi ISSN
Cilt Başlığı
Yayıncı
ELSEVIER SCIENCE SA
Erişim Hakkı
info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
Özet
A fusion breeder is presented for the rejuvenation of spent nuclear fuel. A (D, T) fusion reactor acts as an external high energetic (14.1 MeV) neutron source. The fissile fuel zone, containing ten rows in radial direction, covers the cylindrical fusion plasma chamber. The first three fuel rod rows contain Canadian deuterium uranium (CANDU) reactor spent nuclear fuel which was used down to a total enrichment grade of 0.418%. The following seven fuel rod rows contain light water reactor (LWR) spent nuclear fuel, which was used down to a total enrichment grade of 2.17%. This allows a certain degree of fission power flattening. Fissile zone is cooled with pressurised helium gas with volume ration of V-coolant/V-fuel = 2 in the fissile zone. Spent fuel rejuvenation occurs through the neutron capture reaction in U-238. The new fissile material increases the nuclear quality of the spent fuel which can be described as the cumulative fissile fuel enrichment (CFFE) grade of the nuclear fuel which is the sum of the isotopic ratios of all fissile material (U-235 + (PU)-P-239 + (PU)-P-241) in the mixed oxide (MOX) fuel. Under a first-wall fusion neutron current load of 10(14) (14.1-MeV n/cm(2) s), corresponding to 2.25 MW/m(2) and by a plant factor of 100%, the CANDU spent fuel can achieve an enrichment degree of 1% after similar to 7 months, suitable for reutilization in a CANDU reactor. LWR spent fuel requires > 15 months to reach an enrichment grade similar to 3.5%, suitable for reutilization in a LWR. A longer rejuvenation period (up to 48 months) increases the fissile fuel enrichment levers of the spent fuel reactor to much higher degrees (> 3% for CANDU spent fuel and over 5% for LWR spent fuel), opening possibilities an increased burn-up in critical reactors and a re-utilization in multiple cycles. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.
Açıklama
Anahtar Kelimeler
fusion breeders, mixed oxide fuel, cumulative fissile fuel enrichment
Kaynak
FUSION ENGINEERING AND DESIGN
WoS Q Değeri
Q3
Scopus Q Değeri
Q2
Cilt
47
Sayı
1
