A new boiling water reactor core concept for a next-generation light water reactor

Journal Article · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Nuclear Technology; (United States)

OSTI ID:5645666

Yamashita, J; Nishimura, A; Mochida, T ^[1]; Yokomizo, O ^[2]

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1. Hitachi Ltd., Hitachi Works, 3-1-1 Saiwai-cho, Hitachi-shi, Ibaraki-ken 317 (JP)
2. Hitachi, Ltd., Energy Research Lab., 1168 Moriyama-cho, Hitachi-shi, Ibaraki-ken 316 (JP)

In this paper a boiling water reactor (BWR) core concept that meets various requirements for a next-generation light water reactor is proposed. This BWR core can be operated as either a high-burnup core or a high-conversion core simply by replacing the fuel assemblies and control rods. The high-burnup core is suitable for a once-through nuclear fuel cycle and has a low fuel cycle cost due to the adoption of advanced spectral shift technology. The high-conversion core is suitable for nuclear fuel recycling and reaches a high-conversion ratio by adopting a tight-lattice arrangement of mixed-oxide fuel rods in the fuel assemblies and using control rods with a zirconium follower. The reactor structures are essentially identical, and they are designed to be as simple as the current BWR to achieve high reliability. The reactor core also has high operability due to the spectral shift water rods that are operated with all control rods withdrawn. At reactor shutdown, the core has a large reactivity control capability due to the cruciform control rods with wider blades and has an ample safety margin.

• OSTI ID: 5645666
• Journal Information: Nuclear Technology; (United States), Journal Name: Nuclear Technology; (United States) Vol. 96:1; ISSN NUTYB; ISSN 0029-5450
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210100* -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Boiling Water Cooled
BURNUP
BWR TYPE REACTORS
CONTROL ELEMENTS
CONVERSION RATIO
COST
DESIGN
ELEMENTS
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
FUEL CYCLE
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL RODS
FUELS
METALS
MIXED OXIDE FUELS
NUCLEAR FUEL CONVERSION
POWER REACTORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CORES
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTOR SHUTDOWN
REACTORS
REPROCESSING
SAFETY
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SHUTDOWN
SOLID FUELS
THERMAL REACTORS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
ZIRCONIUM