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The potential for the elimination of soluble poison control in PWRS

Conference · · Proc., Intersoc. Energy Convers. Eng. Conf.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5731999
Total elimination of soluble boron control from PWRs appears to offer significant advantages in safety, reactor operation, capital equipment savings, and uranium resource utilization. Based on a ''minicore'' computational model, an optimized combination of poisons has been found which would permit practically total elimination of soluble boron control. The poisons used are gadolinium, boron, hafnium, and samarium in such combination as to match closely the boron letdown curve. Only small increases in control rod motion would be necessary for complete reactivity control. The analysis is now being extended to account for realistic core configurations to determine the necessary refinements in order to ensure acceptable power distributions and to minimize burnable poison residues at core boundaries. Fuel management schemes to take advantage of the elimination of soluble boron control are also being developed.
Research Organization:
Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion University of the Negev
OSTI ID:
5731999
Report Number(s):
CONF-840804-
Conference Information:
Journal Name: Proc., Intersoc. Energy Convers. Eng. Conf.; (United States) Journal Volume: 3
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English