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Comparison of the neutronic properties of the (Th-233U)O2, (Th-233U)C, and (Th-233U)N fuels in small long-life PWR cores with 300, 400, and 500 MWth of power Cover

Comparison of the neutronic properties of the (Th-233U)O2, (Th-233U)C, and (Th-233U)N fuels in small long-life PWR cores with 300, 400, and 500 MWth of power

Nukleonika
Volume 69 (2024): Issue 1 (March 2024)
By: ,   and    
Open Access
|Feb 2024
Figures & tables

Figures & Tables

Fig. 1.

Fuel cell design.

Fig. 2.

Small long-life PWR core design.

Table 1.

Design parameters of small long-life PWR

ParametersSpecification
Thermal power reactors300, 400, 500 MWth
Fuel(Th-233U)O2, (Th-233U)C, (Th-233U)N
Cladding structureZircaloy-4 and ZIRLO
CoolantH2O
ReflectorStainless steel and H2O
Geometry of fuel cellSquare cell
Percentage enrichment of 233U3–9%
Smear density85%
Fuel volume fraction60%
Cladding density6.5 g/cm3
Cladding thickness0.057 cm
Coolant density0.72 g/cm3
Pin pitch1.4 cm
Diameter of active core224.0 cm
Height of active core240.8 cm
Table 2.

The neutron energy group used in the calculation

Spectrum typeGroupEnergy range (eV)
UpperLower
Fast neutron11.000 × 1071.855 × 100
Thermal neutron21.855 × 1008.764 × 10–1
38.764 × 10–14.139 × 10–1
44.139 × 10–12.770 × 10–1
52.770 × 10–11.674 × 10–1
61.674 × 10–18.529 × 10–2
78.529 × 10–23.060 × 10–2
83.060 × 10–21.000× 10–5
Fig. 3.

The effective multiplication factor (keff) for small long-life PWR with (Th-233U)O2 fuel.

Fig. 4.

The effective multiplication factor (keff) for small long-life PWR with (Th-233U)C fuel.

Fig. 5.

The effective multiplication factor (keff) for small long-life PWR with (Th-233U)N fuel.

Table 3.

Excess reactivity for all types of fuel with the best level of criticality

Fuel%233U%231PaCladdingPower (MWth)Excess reactivity (% dk/k)
BOCEOCMaximum
(Th-233U)O25–6–74.00Zircaloy-43000.721.081.13
(Th-233U)O25–6–73.95Zircaloy-44000.960.801.16
(Th-233U)O25–6–74.00ZIRLO3000.861.211.26
(Th-233U)O25–6–74.00ZIRLO4000.860.921.23
(Th-233U)C4–5–62.70Zircaloy-43000.950.400.95
(Th-233U)C4–5–62.70ZIRLO3001.090.531.09
(Th-233U)N6–7–84.35Zircaloy-43000.650.220.65
(Th-233U)N6–7–84.35Zircaloy-44000.650.010.65
(Th-233U)N7–8–96.05Zircaloy-43000.320.990.99
(Th-233U)N6–7–84.35ZIRLO3000.760.320.76
(Th-233U)N6–7–84.35ZIRLO4000.760.100.76
(Th-233U)N7–8–96.05ZIRLO3000.411.081.08

1 BOC, beginning of cycle; EOC, end of cycle.

Fig. 6.

Power density distribution for (Th-233U)O2 fuel at 5-6-7%233U, 4.00% 231Pa, and 300 MWth. (a) Radial direction, (b) axial direction (1 mesh = 2.80 cm).

Fig. 7.

Power density distribution for (Th-233U)C fuel at 4-5-6% 233U, 2.70% 231Pa, and 300 MWth. (a) Radial direction, (b) axial direction (1 mesh = 2.80 cm).

Fig. 8.

Power density distribution for (Th-233U)N fuel at 6–7–8% 233U, 4.35%231Pa, and 300 MWth. (a) Radial direction, (b) axial direction (1 mesh = 2.80 cm).

Table 4.

The peak power density (watt/cc) for all types of fuel with the best level of criticality

Fuel%233U%231PaCladdingPower (MWth)BOCMOCEOC
RadialAxialRadialAxialRadialAxial
(Th-233U)O25–6–74.00Zircaloy-430027.7527.7528.8728.8732.8632.58
(Th-233U)O25–6–74.00ZIRLO30027.7527.7528.8828.8832.8832.61
(Th-233U)C4–5–62.70Zircaloy-430027.9727.9727.5927.5931.3931.39
(Th-233U)C4–5–62.70ZIRLO30027.9627.9627.6027.6031.4031.40
(Th-233U)N6–7–84.35Zircaloy-430027.8227.8227.8227.8230.2730.27
(Th-233U)N6–7–84.35ZIRLO30027.7427.7427.8327.8330.2430.24

1 BOC, beginning of cycle; EOC, end of cycle; MOC, middle of cycle.

Table 5.

Power peaking factor for all types of fuel with the best level of criticality

Fuel%233U%231PaCladdingPower (MWth)BOCMOCEOC
RadialAxialRadialAxialRadialAxial
(Th-233U)O25–6–74.00Zircaloy-43001.6441.3231.5731.1851.6981. 223
(Th-233U)O25–6–73.95Zircaloy-44001.6451.3211.5861.1951.6621.277
(Th-233U)O26–7–85.40Zircaloy-45001.6691.2711.6481.2111.7321.319
(Th-233U)O25–6–74.00ZIRLO3001.6451.3221.5741.1851.6981. 223
(Th-233U)O25–6–74.00ZIRLO4001.6451.3221.5871.1961.6651.279
(Th-233U)O26–7–85.45ZIRLO5001.6691.2721.6491.2111.7341.320
(Th-233U)C4–5–62.70Zircaloy-43001.6311.3341.5511.1821.6381.208
(Th-233U)C5–6–74.00Zircaloy-44001.6311.3331.5861.1841.5871.235
(Th-233U)C5–6–74.00Zircaloy-45001.6311.3331.5881.1951.6671.283
(Th-233U)C4–5–62.70ZIRLO3001.6311.3331.5521.1821.6381.208
(Th-233U)C5–6–74.05ZIRLO4001.6311.3331.5871.1841.5891.236
(Th-233U)C5–6–74.00ZIRLO5001.6321.3321.5891.1951.6671.283
(Th-233U)N6–7–84.35Zircaloy 43001.6491.3111.5801.1851.6571.211
(Th-233U)N6–7–84.35Zircaloy 44001.6491.3111.6021.1881.5731.224
(Th-233U)N7–8–96.05Zircaloy 45001.6671.2741.5991.1901.5891.231
(Th-233U)N6–7–84.35ZIRLO3001.6501.3111.5801.1851.6581.211
(Th-233U)N6–7–84.35ZIRLO4001.6501.3111.6021.1881.5751. 225
(Th-233U)N7–8–96.05ZIRLO5001.6671.2731.6001.1911.5901.232

1 BOC, beginning of cycle; EOC, end of cycle; MOC, middle of cycle.

Fig. 9.

Doppler coefficient for the (Th-233U)O2 fuel with the best criticality at 300 MWth, 400 MWth, and 500 MWth with zircaloy-4 and ZIRLO cladding.

Fig. 10.

Doppler coefficient for the (Th-233U)C fuel with the best criticality at 300 MWth, 400 MWth, and 500 MWth with zircaloy-4 and ZIRLO cladding.

Fig. 11.

Doppler coefficient for the (Th-233U)N fuel with the best criticality at 300 MWth, 400 MWth, and 500 MWth with zircaloy-4 and ZIRLO cladding.

Fig. 12.

Burnup level of (Th-233U)O2, (Th-233U)C, and (Th-233U)N at 300 MWth power.

Fig. 13.

Burnup level of (Th-233U)O2, (Th-233U)C, and (Th-233U)N at 400 MWth power.

Fig. 14.

Burnup level of (Th-233U)O2, (Th-233U)C, and (Th-233U)N at 500 MWth power.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/nuka-2024-0001 | Journal eISSN: 1508-5791 (formerly 0029-5922) | Journal ISSN: 0029-5922
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Language: English
Page range: 3 - 12
Submitted on: Apr 3, 2023
Accepted on: Dec 14, 2023
Published on: Feb 23, 2024
Published by: Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Keywords:
CITATION,
Core design,
Long-life PWR,
SMR,
SRAC,
Thorium
Related subjects:
Chemistry,
Nuclear chemistry

© 2024 Boni Pahlanop Lapanporo, Zaki Su’ud, Asril Pramutadi Andi Mustari, published by Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Volume 69 (2024): Issue 1 (March 2024)
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