Actinide Production in Gas Core Reactors
- Department of Nuclear and Radiological Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-8300 (United States)
A gas or vapor core reactor (GCR or VCR) with power conversion cycles including a cascaded combination of Brayton, superheated Rankine, and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generator forms the basis for a Generation IV concept that is expected to set the upper performance limits in sustainability, proliferation resistant, and power conversion efficiency among all existing and proposed fission powered systems. The GCR system described in this paper is not constrained by solid fuel-cladding temperature limitations, and is only constrained by the less restrictive vessel limits. This research studies the actinide production and depletion features of three GCR designs. The research is done using Monteburns, which integrates MCNP and Origen computer codes to simulate a time dependent Monte-Carlo method depletion analysis. Three different GCR designs were analyzed and a typical LWR design was used as a reference of which to compare to the GCR. The study simulates an operation time of 10 years, studying the effects of parametric changes on actinide inventory. Core depletion analysis has shown that using a GCR for power production limits both the actinide inventory produced, as well as the unused spent fuel. The GCR is up to 15 times more efficient than a typical LWR in terms of fuel utilization (percent of fuel fissioned). The GCR produces as little as one-tenth the waste of a conventional LWR, and is inherently resistant to weapons proliferation. The GCR shows promise as being a viable means of power production while limiting nuclear waste. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 21160809
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: ICAPP'04: 2004 international congress on advances in nuclear power plants, Pittsburgh, PA (United States), 13-17 Jun 2004; Other Information: Country of input: France; 7 refs; Related Information: In: Proceedings of the 2004 international congress on advances in nuclear power plants - ICAPP'04, 2338 pages.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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