Study on Transmutation of Minor Actinides as Burnable Poison in VVER-1000 Fuel Assembly

Autor: Vinh Thanh Tran, Hoai-Nam Tran, Huu Tiep Nguyen, Van-Khanh Hoang, Pham Nhu Viet Ha
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2019
Předmět:
Zdroj: Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations, Vol 2019 (2019)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1687-6075
1687-6083
DOI: 10.1155/2019/5769147
Popis: Thermal reactors have been considered as interim solution for transmutation of minor actinides recycled from spent nuclear fuel. Various studies have been performed in recent decades to realize this possibility. This paper presents the neutronic feasibility study on transmutation of minor actinides as burnable poison in the VVER-1000 LEU (low enriched uranium) fuel assembly. The VVER-1000 LEU fuel assembly was modeled using the SRAC code system, and the SRAC calculation model was verified against the MCNP6 calculations and the available published benchmark data. Two models of minor actinide loading in the LEU fuel assembly have been investigated: homogeneous mixing in the UGD (Uranium-Gadolinium) pins and coating a thin layer to the UGD pins. The consequent negative reactivity insertion by minor actinides was compensated by reducing the gadolinium content and boron concentration. The reactivity of the LEU assembly versus burnup and the transmutation of minor actinide nuclides were examined in comparison with the reference case. The results demonstrate that transmutation of minor actinides as burnable poison in the VVER-1000 reactor is feasible as minor actinides could partially replace the functions of gadolinium and boric acid for excess reactivity control.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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