ACHIEVING HIGH BURN-UP IN FAST REACTORS
A theory is proposed that relates irradiation swelling in metal fuel with burn-up. The theory is used to predict fuel element behavior under various fast reactor conditions. Agreement of the theory with known behavior is sufficient to substantiate the general conclusion that fission-product gas accumulation is chiefly responsible for swelling. It appears to be possible only to reduce and accommodate such swelling. Based on this principle, a fast reactor fuel element is suggested using unalloyed uranium, with substantial void-space, in a strong can. This element should be capable of 4 per cent average burn-up at 700 deg C center temperature under practical fast reactor conditions, which should be sufficient to ensure economic power. With oxide fuel it appears that, in order to satisfy the essential safety and economic requirements in a fast reactor, it is also necessary to incorporate considersble voidage in the fuel and to employ a strong can; safety requirements could also lead to double-canning. Such an arrangement could possibly attain 10 per cent bum-up, which is comparable to 4 per cent with metal fuel. A cermet of U0/sub 2/-PuO/sub 2/ dispersed in uranium metal, in a strong can and with void space in the fuel, appears to be a suitable way of combining the good properties of both oxide and uranium fuel, and could result in a high burn-up fuel for fast reactors, though its behavior is more uncertain tc predict. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Dounreay Experimental Reactor Establishment, Caithness, Scotland
- NSA Number:
- NSA-15-025603
- OSTI ID:
- 4014933
- Journal Information:
- J. Nuclear Energy, Pts. A & B. Reactor Sci. and Technol., Journal Name: J. Nuclear Energy, Pts. A & B. Reactor Sci. and Technol. Vol. Vol: 4
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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