Mox fuel arrangement for nuclear core

Patent · Tue May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2001

OSTI ID:969046

Kantrowitz, Mark L ^[1]; Rosenstein, Richard G ^[2]

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1. Portland, CT
2. Windsor, CT

In order to use up a stockpile of weapons-grade plutonium, the plutonium is converted into a mixed oxide (MOX) fuel form wherein it can be disposed in a plurality of different fuel assembly types. Depending on the equilibrium cycle that is required, a predetermined number of one or more of the fuel assembly types are selected and arranged in the core of the reactor in accordance with a selected loading schedule. Each of the fuel assemblies is designed to produce different combustion characteristics whereby the appropriate selection and disposition in the core enables the resulting equilibrium cycle to closely resemble that which is produced using urania fuel. The arrangement of the MOX rods and burnable absorber rods within each of the fuel assemblies, in combination with a selective control of the amount of plutonium which is contained in each of the MOX rods, is used to tailor the combustion. characteristics of the assembly.

• Research Organization: COMBUSTION ENGINEERING, INC.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-93SF19682
• Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): 6,233,302
• Application Number: 09/343,548
• OSTI ID: 969046
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English