A reverse depletion method for pressurized water reactor core reload design

Journal Article · Tue Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Nucl. Technol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5834053

Downar, T J; Kin, Y J

Low-leakage fuel management is currently practiced in over half of all pressurized water reactor (PWR) cores. The large numbers of burnable poison pins used to control the power peaking at the in-board fresh fuel positions have introduced 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 burnable poison pins in the fresh fuel. A new method for performing core design more suitable for low-leakage fuel management is reported. A procedure was developed that uses the wellknown ''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 burnable poison 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 provided for the maximum utility to PWR core reload design.

• Research Organization: Purdue University School of Nuclear Engineering, West Lafayette, IN 47907
• OSTI ID: 5834053
• Journal Information: Nucl. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 73:1; ISSN NUTYB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210200* -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled
BURNABLE POISONS
BURNUP
CALCULATION METHODS
DESIGN
FUEL CYCLE
FUEL MANAGEMENT
LEAKS
LICENSING
MATERIALS
NEUTRON ABSORBERS
NUCLEAR POISONS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
REACTIVITY
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CORES
REACTOR FUELING
REACTOR LICENSING
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS