Weapons-grade plutonium disposition in existing Westinghouse PWRs

Journal Article · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:89291

Ankney, R D; Biswas, D

The physics and safety characteristics of a weapons-grade mixed-oxide (MOX) core in an advanced 600-MW(electric) pressurized water reactor (PWR), called the PDR600, were previously studied as part of the Plutonium Disposition Study sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). In the current study, also sponsored by DOE, the feasibility of full weapons-grade-MOX cores in existing Westinghouse reactors has been investigated and preliminary conclusions formed. Specifically, two full weapons-grade-MOX equilibrium cycle core designs were developed for a typical four-loop plant. A four-loop plant was chosen, as opposed to a two-loop or three-loop plant, because four-loop plants are generally the most limiting with respect to shutdown margin. In the first design, the maximum loading of weapons-grade MOX was used (for maximum plutonium disposition) such that the shutdown margin (SDM) requirement was just met with the existing Ag-In-Cd control rods. No cycle-length or discharge-burnup constraints were imposed. In the second design, more typical fuel management was used, i.e., an 18-month cycle with a discharge burnup of 44 000 MWd/tonne of metal. To meet the SDM requirement, however, this design required enriched B{sub 4}C control rods to increase rod worth.

• OSTI ID: 89291
• Report Number(s): CONF-941102--
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Vol. 71; ISSN 0003-018X; ISSN TANSAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
FUEL CYCLE
FUEL MANAGEMENT
MIXED OXIDE FUELS
PLUTONIUM DIOXIDE
REACTOR FUELING
WESTINGHOUSE STANDARD REACTOR