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

A comparison of gadolinia and boron for burnable poison applications in pressurized water reactors

Journal Article · · Nucl. Technol.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5384450
Extended cycle lengths and fuel burnups are receiving increased attention. Frequently, the attendant fuel management strategies in pressurized water reactors (PWRs) require burnable poison shims to control power distribution and to maintain a negative moderator coefficient. High energy (about 450 effective full-power days) fuel cycles utilizing both out-in and low-leakage assembly placement schemes provide some insight to the relative merits of UO/sub 2/-Gd/sub 2/O/sub 3/ (gadolinia)- versus boron-bearing shims for PWR applications. Relative to using boron-bearing burnable shims in PWRs, gadolinia has important potential advantages and disadvantages. With proper application, the advantages point to a reduction in fuel cycle costs and increased fuel management flexibility. However, for proper application, the more complex gadolinia neutronics and thermal-mechanical design characteristics must be modeled accurately.
Research Organization:
S.M. Stoller Corporation, 1250 Broadway, New York, New York 10001
OSTI ID:
5384450
Journal Information:
Nucl. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 60:3; ISSN NUTYB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English