Modeling and mitigation of bundle end power peaking in pressure tube heavy water reactor advanced fuels using thorium dioxide. (October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dugal, C.; Colton, A.; Golesorkhi, S.; Bromley, B.P.
• Is Part Of: Annals of nuclear energy. Volume 120(2018)
• Page Start: 625
• Page End: 629
• Publication Date: 2018-10
• Subjects: PT-HWR pressure tube heavy water reactor -- NUO2 natural uranium dioxide -- RUO2 recycled uranium dioxide -- SEUO2 slightly enriched uranium dioxide -- (233U Th)O2, uranium-233/thorium mixed oxide -- (LEU Th)O2, low-enriched uranium/thorium mixed oxide -- (Pu Th)O2, plutonium/thorium mixed oxide -- ThO2 thorium dioxide; End power peaking -- Pressure tube heavy water reactor -- Fuel bundle -- Monte Carlo calculation -- Thorium; Nuclear energy -- Periodicals; Nuclear engineering -- Periodicals; 621.4805
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2018.06.018
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-4549

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: Bundle end power peaking becomes more significant in advanced reactor fuels. End pellets can be downblended with thorium dioxide to reduce end power peaking. Using downblended end pellets causes fresh fuel reactivity to be slightly reduced. Abstract: Fuel bundle end power peaking in pressure tube heavy water reactors (PT-HWRs), particularly considering advanced reactor fuels (such as thorium-based fuels), was evaluated and a mitigation method was assessed. For bundles containing all the same fuel pellets, power is greatest at the bundle ends due to higher thermal neutron flux there. A method to achieve a flatter axial power profile along a bundle by downblending the fissile content in the end pellets with thorium dioxide was evaluated. The method was shown to be effective, and only a slight reduction in fresh fuel reactivity was observed.