The high gain light water breeder reactor with a uranium-plutonium cycle
In the design concept presented, two seed-blanket cores are utilized, a prebreeder and a breeder. The prebreeder core is fueled with plutonium obtained from standard LWR spent fuel and generates plutonium with a high isotopic content of /sup 240/Pu and /sup 241/Pu, which is used to fuel the breeder core. The initial fissile fuel for a 950-MW(electric) prebreeder is between 3000 and 4000 kg. Assuming the availability of rapid fuel reprocessing and refabrication, overall breeding of well over 10%/6 yr is feasible. The time between core refueling is >1 yr, rather than once every 3 months as required in the case of liquid-metal fast breeder reactors, so that the fuel inventories are substantially reduced for our system. Thermal-hydraulic analysis indicates that each of the two seed-blanket cores can fit into a standard pressurized water reactor pressure vessel and meet safety requirements. Major advantages of the concept are continued utilization of present LWR plants and strong negative void coefficients for the core. It is anticipated that at equilibrium conditions, when plutonium for the prebreeder and breeder cores is recycled into standard LWRs, there will be a further gain in breeding.
- Research Organization:
- Tel Aviv Univ., Ramat Aviv 69 978, Tel Aviv, Israel and Ben-Gurion Univ., Beersheva (IL)
- OSTI ID:
- 7226887
- Journal Information:
- Nucl. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 80:2; ISSN NUTYB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
A concept for a high gain light water breeder on the uranium/plutonium cycle
Conceptual design of a 1000-MWe light-water-moderated prebreeder/breeder reactor system based on the seed-blanket principle (AWBA Development Program)
Related Subjects
210500* -- Power Reactors
Breeding
ABSORPTION
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AMPLIFICATION
BARYONS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BREEDER REACTORS
BREEDING
BREEDING BLANKETS
DESIGN
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FERMIONS
FLUID MECHANICS
FUEL CYCLE
GAIN
HADRONS
HEAVY NUCLEI
HYDRAULICS
ISOTOPES
LWBR TYPE REACTORS
MECHANICS
NEUTRONS
NUCLEAR FUEL CONVERSION
NUCLEI
NUCLEONS
OPERATION
PHYSICS
PLUTONIUM 239
PLUTONIUM 241
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR OPERATION
REACTOR PHYSICS
REACTORS
THERMAL REACTORS
THERMODYNAMICS
URANIUM 238
URANIUM ISOTOPES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES