Nuclear Engineering Commons^™

Dissolution, Reactor, And Environmental Behavior Of Zro 2 -Mgo Inert Fuel Matrix Neutronic Evaluation Of Mgo-Zro2 Inert Fuels, E. Fridman, A. Galperin, E. Shwageraus

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

In the second year of the “Dissolution, Reactor, and Environmental Behavior of ZrO₂-MgO Inert Fuel Matrix” project initiated and directed by UNLV, the Ben-Gurion University (BGU) group research was focused on the development of practical PWR core nuclear design fully loaded with Reactor Grade (RG) Pu fuel incorporated in fertile free matrix. The design strategy was based on the basic feasibility study results performed at BGU in the Year 1 of the project.

Dissolution, Reactor, And Environmental Behavior Of Zro2-Mgo Inert Fuel Matrix: Neutronic Evaluation Of Zro2-Mgo Inert Fuels, E. Fridman, A. Galperin, E. Shwageraus

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

Various fuel cycle concepts for plutonium incineration in existing PWR loaded with Inert Matrix Fuel (IMF), in which uranium is replaced by neutron-transparent inert matrix material, are currently under investigation at BGU. Some of the studied designs include ZrO₂-based IMF with annular fuel geometry and ZrO₂-MgO based IMF with the relative amount of MgO varied from 30v/o to 70v/o. These concepts are analyzed via detailed three-dimensional full core simulation of existing PWR including thermal-hydraulic feedback. The whole core simulations are carried out with the SILWER code. The SILWER code, which is a part of the ELCOS …

Dissolution, Reactor, And Environmental Behavior Of Zro2-Mgo Inert Fuel Matrix: Neutronic Evaluation Of Zro2-Mgo Inert Fuels, E. Shwageraus, A. Galperin, E. Fridman, S. Kolesnikov

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

This report presents results of the analysis performed within the framework of “Dissolution, Reactor, and Environmental Behavior of ZrO₂-MgO Inert Fuel Matrix” project managed by University of Nevada at Las Vegas, Harry Reid Center for Environmental Studies. The main objective of the study was to explore the basic neutronic feasibility of using MgO-ZrO₂ as inert fuel matrix for Pu recycling in conventional Light Water Reactors (LWR).

Dissolution, Reactor, And Environmental Behavior Of Zro2-Mgo Inert Fuel Matrix: Neutronic Evaluation Of Zro2-Mgo Inert Fuels, E. Fridman, S. Kolesnikov, E. Shwageraus, A. Galperin

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

This report presents the results of the Task 4, defined in working program as: evaluation of reactivity feedback coefficients. Three main parameters of the Fertile-Free Fuel (FFF) lattices were evaluated: Moderator Temperature Coefficient (MTC), Fuel Temperature Coefficient due to Doppler Effect (DC), and soluble Boron reactivity worth (BW).

One of the major design challenges associated with utilization of FFF is deterioration of the temperature coefficients and control materials reactivity worth caused by high thermal cross-section of Pu and consequent hardening of the neutron spectrum. The purpose of the investigation reported in this section is to estimate the potential of addition …

Dissolution, Reactor, And Environmental Behavior Of Zro2-Mgo Inert Fuel Matrix: Neutronic Evaluation Of Zro2-Mgo Inert Fuels, E. Fridman, S. Kolesnikov, E. Shwageraus, A. Galperin

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

This report presents the results of the Task 3, defined in working program as: evaluation of burnable poison designs. Adopting the basic design of a standard PWR and Pu loadings required for 18-month cycle (results of Task 2), this part of the program is aimed to estimate performance of each BP design and BP material to address challenges of Fertile-Free Fuel (FFF) Concept. Finally, an optimal BP design will be developed and an overall feasibility of FFF concept will be determined. Basically, the main challenge encountered in neutronic design for a FFF core is to develop reactivity control system which …

Dissolution, Reactor, And Environmental Behavior Of Zro2-Mgo Inert Fuel Matrix: Neutronic Evaluation Of Zro2-Mgo Inert Fuels, E. Fridman, A. Galperin, E. Shwageraus

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

Second task of the BGU part of “Dissolution, Reactor, and Environmental Behavior of ZrO₂-MgO Inert Fuel Matrix” project aims at evaluation of the fertile free fuel matrix composition effect on the fuel reactivity and corresponding reactivity limited burnup. Fertile free fuel with different MgO to ZrO₂ ratio in the matrix will require different PuO₂ loading in order to assure certain fuel cycle length. This is due to the fact that absorption cross section of Zr is slightly higher than that of Mg, although absorption in both of these elements is small compared to Pu. Therefore, the …