Value of {sup 236}U to actinide-only burnup credit

Journal Article · Thu Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1998 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:298328

Lancaster, D; Kang, C; Lake, W

The US Department of Energy (DOE) submitted a topical report to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in May 1995 in order to gain approval of a method for criticality analysis of transport packages that takes account for the change in actinide isotopes with burnup [pressurized water reactors (PWRs) only]. Historically, the NRC has conservatively assumed that the fuel was in its initial conditions (without any burnable absorbers). In order to permit credit for the changes in actinide content, the NRC has required validation of the depletion and criticality codes for spent nuclear fuel, justification of conservative depletion modeling, and finally confirmation measurements before loading. The NRC requested additional information on March 22, 1996. The DOE responded by a revision of the topical report in May 1997. The NRC again responded with another set of requests of additional information in April 1998. In that set of questions, the NRC challenged the use of {sup 236}U in burnup credit. Uranium-236 is not found in any significant amount in any available critical experiments. The authors explore the value of {sup 236}U to actinide-only burnup credit.

• OSTI ID: 298328
• Report Number(s): CONF-981106--
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Vol. 79; ISSN 0003-018X; ISSN TANSAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
42 ENGINEERING
ACTINIDES
BURNUP
CRITICALITY
PWR TYPE REACTORS
SPENT FUEL CASKS
SPENT FUELS
URANIUM 236