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Reverse depletion method for PWR core reload design

Conference · · Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5665220
Low-leakage fuel management is currently practiced in over half of all pressurized water reactor (PWR) cores. Prospects for even greater use of in-board fresh fuel loading are good as utilities seek to reduce core vessel fluence, mitigate pressurized thermal shock concerns, and extend vessel lifetime. Consequently, large numbers of burnable poison (BP) pins are being used to control the power peaking at the in-board fresh fuel positions. This has presented an additional complexity to the core reload design problem. In addition to determining the best location of each assembly in the core, the designer must concurrently determine the distribution of BP pins in the fresh fuel. A procedure was developed that utilizes the well-known Haling depletion to achieve an end-of-cycle (EOC) core state where the assembly pattern is configured in the absence of all control poison. This effectively separates the assembly assignment and BP distribution problems. Once an acceptable pattern at EOC is configured, the burnable and soluble poison required to control the power and core excess reactivity are solved for as unknown variables while depleting the cycle in reverse from the EOC exposure distribution to the beginning of cycle. The methods developed were implemented in an approved light water reactor licensing code to ensure the validity of the results obtained and provide for the maximum utility to PWR core reload design.
Research Organization:
Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN
OSTI ID:
5665220
Report Number(s):
CONF-851115-
Conference Information:
Journal Name: Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States) Journal Volume: 50
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English