Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Advanced PWR core concept with once-through thorium fuel cycle

Conference ·
OSTI ID:23142184
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Department of Nuclear Engineering, Kyung Hee University YoungIn, KyungGi, 449-701 (Korea, Republic of)
  2. Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, P.O. Box 105, Yusung, Taejon, 305-353 (Korea, Republic of)
A design methodology for a high-converting PWR core with once-through thorium fuel cycle was investigated. The core is a heterogeneous and similar to RTR, but different in shape of assemblies. Seed and blanket have different reloading cycle, (Th+U)O{sub 2} blanket fuel is designed to stay about 100 GWD/MT for the maximization of conversion, whereas driver fuel of UO{sub 2} or U/Zr alloy is to be refueled annually in 3 batch mode. From a parametric study performed by HELIOS code system, the optimized designs of seed and blanket module were searched for. Optimization goal of this study is the maximization of conversion capability and nonproliferation characteristics. Compared with conventional PWR, conversion ratio was much higher resulting in less production of spent fuel and long-lived minor actinides. It was found that both fuel temperature coefficient and moderator temperature coefficient were negative.
Research Organization:
American Nuclear Society - ANS, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
OSTI ID:
23142184
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English