Core Designs and Economic Analyses of Homogeneous Thoria-Urania Fuel in Light Water Reactors
- Framatome ANP, Inc. (France)
The objective is to develop equilibrium fuel cycle designs for a typical pressurized water reactor (PWR) loaded with homogeneously mixed uranium-thorium dioxide (ThO{sub 2}-UO{sub 2}) fuel and compare those designs with more conventional UO{sub 2} designs.The fuel cycle analyses indicate that ThO{sub 2}-UO{sub 2} fuel cycles are technically feasible in modern PWRs. Both power peaking and soluble boron concentrations tend to be lower than in conventional UO{sub 2} fuel cycles, and the burnable poison requirements are less.However, the additional costs associated with the use of homogeneous ThO{sub 2}-UO{sub 2} fuel in a PWR are significant, and extrapolation of the results gives no indication that further increases in burnup will make thoria-urania fuel economically competitive with the current UO{sub 2} fuel used in light water reactors.
- OSTI ID:
- 20837863
- Journal Information:
- Nuclear Technology, Journal Name: Nuclear Technology Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 147; ISSN 0029-5450; ISSN NUTYBB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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