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Feasibility of using gadolinium as a burnable poison in PWR cores. Final report

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6597011· OSTI ID:6597011
As an alternative to the use of lumped burnable absorbers in PWR cores, distributed burnable absorbers are being considered for generic application. These burnable absorbers take the form of Gd/sub 2/O/sub 3/ mixed with UO/sub 2/ in selected fuel rods (as is currently done in BWR cores). The work discussed herein concerns a three-dimensional feasibility study of the use of such distributed burnable absorbers in PWR cores. This study of distributed burnable absorbers was performed for the first cycle of a typical current design PWR using the following steps: analysis of a generic reference core design; determination of gadolinium assembly designs; determination of a generic gadolinium core design; evaluation of feasibility by examining selected parameters; and redesign of the generic gadolinium core, using axial zoning.
Research Organization:
Science Applications, Inc., McLean, VA (USA)
OSTI ID:
6597011
Report Number(s):
EPRI-NP-1663
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English