Conceptual design of a 1000-MWe light-water-moderated prebreeder/breeder reactor system based on the seed-blanket principle (AWBA Development Program)
A practical light water moderated breeder reactor design concept is described which is based on the technology of PWRs and which uses the Th/U-233 fuel cycle. On the equilibrium core cycle, the breeder is self-sustaining, producing enough new fissile fuel to load the next core cycle with allowance for up to 1% fissile losses during fuel reprocessing and refabrication. The reactor system proceeds through two phases of operation in the same reactor plant: a prebreeder phase and a breeder phase. During the early prebreeder phase the core is fueled with naturally available U-235 and Th to produce the U-233 needed to start the breeder phase. During the breeder phase the reactor continues operation with U-233 being recycled through succeeding core cycles. The principal geometric difference between the prebreeder and breeder cores is a smaller fuel element diameter in the prebreeder core. Cumulative uranium mill ore requirements to attain the equilibrium breeder core cycle are calculated to range from 2700 to 3900 short tons U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ per gigawatt electric capacity (including ex-core fuel inventory) for assumed fissile losses during fuel recycle ranging from 0.5% to 1.0%, and for an assumed time period ranging from one to two years for recycling discharged fuel. Good neutron economy in a practical size core is obtained by arranging the core into a pattern of seed regions containing ThO/sub 2/-UO/sub 2/ fuel and blanket regions containing only ThO/sub 2/ fuel. The seed-blanket core arrangement levels core lifetime reactivity variation at full power with minimal use of neutron poisons for reactivity control. The nuclear, mechanical and thermal/hydraulic design features of the prebreeder/breeder concept are described. Performance predictions show that both the prebreeder and breeder reactors are expected to have performance and safety margins comparable to a commercial PWR.
- Research Organization:
- Knolls Atomic Power Lab., Schenectady, NY (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC12-76SN00052
- OSTI ID:
- 5693580
- Report Number(s):
- KAPL-4155; ON: DE84001889
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
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BREEDER REACTORS
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EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FUEL CYCLE
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
LWBR TYPE REACTORS
NUCLEI
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REACTORS
THERMAL REACTORS
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URANIUM 233
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WATER COOLED REACTORS
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YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES