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Feasibility Study on Thermal-Hydraulic Performance of Innovative Water Reactor for Flexible Fuel Cycle (FLWR)

Conference ·
OSTI ID:21021016
R and D project to investigate thermal-hydraulic performance in tight-lattice rod bundles of Innovative Water Reactor for Flexible Fuel Cycle (FLWR) is started at Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) in collaboration with power company, reactor vendors, universities since 2002. The FLWR can attain the favorable characteristics such as effective utilization of uranium resources, multiple recycling of plutonium, high burn-up and long operation cycle, based on matured LWR technologies. MOX fuel assemblies with tight lattice arrangement are used to increase the conversion ratio by reducing the moderation of neutron. Increasing the in-core void fraction also contributes to the reduction of neutron moderation. The confirmation of thermal-hydraulic feasibility is one of the most important R and D items for the FLWR because of the tight lattice configuration. In this paper, we will show the R and D plan and summarize experimental studies. The experimental study is performed mainly using large-scale (37-rod bundle) test facility. Most important objective of the large-scale test is to resolve a fundamental subject whether the core cooling under a tight-lattice configuration is feasible. The characteristics of critical power and flow behavior are investigated under different geometrical configuration and boundary conditions. The configuration parameter is the gap between rods (FY2004) and the rod bowing (FY2005). We have confirmed the thermal-hydraulic feasibility from the experimental results. (authors)
Research Organization:
American Nuclear Society, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
OSTI ID:
21021016
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English