MOX fuel arrangement for nuclear core
Abstract
In order to use up a stockpile of weapons-grade plutonium, the plutonium is converted into a mixed oxide (MOX) fuel form wherein it can be disposed in a plurality of different fuel assembly types. Depending on the equilibrium cycle that is required, a predetermined number of one or more of the fuel assembly types are selected and arranged in the core of the reactor in accordance with a selected loading schedule. Each of the fuel assemblies is designed to produce different combustion characteristics whereby the appropriate selection and disposition in the core enables the resulting equilibrium cycle to closely resemble that which is produced using urania fuel. The arrangement of the MOX rods and burnable absorber rods within each of the fuel assemblies, in combination with a selective control of the amount of plutonium which is contained in each of the MOX rods, is used to tailor the combustion characteristics of the assembly. 38 figs.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Combustion Engineering Inc
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 675859
- Patent Number(s):
- 5822388
- Application Number:
- PAN: 8-749,795; TRN: 99:001152
- Assignee:
- Combustion Engineering Inc., Windsor, CT (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-93SF19682
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 13 Oct 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 21 NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; PLUTONIUM; MIXED OXIDE FUELS; WATER COOLED REACTORS; REACTOR CORES; FUEL MANAGEMENT; REACTOR FUELING; NUCLEAR WEAPONS DISMANTLEMENT
Citation Formats
Kantrowitz, M L, and Rosenstein, R G. MOX fuel arrangement for nuclear core. United States: N. p., 1998.
Web.
Kantrowitz, M L, & Rosenstein, R G. MOX fuel arrangement for nuclear core. United States.
Kantrowitz, M L, and Rosenstein, R G. Tue .
"MOX fuel arrangement for nuclear core". United States.
@article{osti_675859,
title = {MOX fuel arrangement for nuclear core},
author = {Kantrowitz, M L and Rosenstein, R G},
abstractNote = {In order to use up a stockpile of weapons-grade plutonium, the plutonium is converted into a mixed oxide (MOX) fuel form wherein it can be disposed in a plurality of different fuel assembly types. Depending on the equilibrium cycle that is required, a predetermined number of one or more of the fuel assembly types are selected and arranged in the core of the reactor in accordance with a selected loading schedule. Each of the fuel assemblies is designed to produce different combustion characteristics whereby the appropriate selection and disposition in the core enables the resulting equilibrium cycle to closely resemble that which is produced using urania fuel. The arrangement of the MOX rods and burnable absorber rods within each of the fuel assemblies, in combination with a selective control of the amount of plutonium which is contained in each of the MOX rods, is used to tailor the combustion characteristics of the assembly. 38 figs.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1998},
month = {10}
}