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.
- Inventors:
-
- Portland, CT
- Windsor, CT
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Combustion Engineering Inc
- OSTI Identifier:
- 871909
- Patent Number(s):
- 5822388
- Assignee:
- Combustion Engineering Inc. (Windsor, CT)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21C - NUCLEAR REACTORS
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-93SF19682
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- mox; fuel; arrangement; nuclear; core; stockpile; weapons-grade; plutonium; converted; mixed; oxide; form; disposed; plurality; assembly; types; depending; equilibrium; cycle; required; predetermined; selected; arranged; reactor; accordance; loading; schedule; assemblies; designed; produce; combustion; characteristics; whereby; appropriate; selection; disposition; enables; resulting; closely; resemble; produced; urania; rods; burnable; absorber; combination; selective; control; amount; contained; tailor; mixed oxide; absorber rods; appropriate selection; nuclear core; fuel assemblies; fuel assembly; /376/
Citation Formats
Kantrowitz, Mark L, and Rosenstein, Richard G. MOX fuel arrangement for nuclear core. United States: N. p., 1998.
Web.
Kantrowitz, Mark L, & Rosenstein, Richard G. MOX fuel arrangement for nuclear core. United States.
Kantrowitz, Mark L, and Rosenstein, Richard G. Thu .
"MOX fuel arrangement for nuclear core". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/871909.
@article{osti_871909,
title = {MOX fuel arrangement for nuclear core},
author = {Kantrowitz, Mark L and Rosenstein, Richard 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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998},
month = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998}
}