Loading...
Optimization of an AP1000 fuel assembly for the transmutation of plutonium and minor actinides, The
Washington, Jeremy A.
Washington, Jeremy A.
Citations
Altmetric:
Advisor
Editor
Date
Date Issued
2016
Date Submitted
Keywords
Collections
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Embargo Expires
Abstract
The average nuclear power plant produces twenty metric tons of used nuclear fuel per year, containing approximately 95 wt% uranium, 1 wt% plutonium, and 4 wt% fission products and transuranic elements. Fast reactors are a preferred option for the transmutation of plutonium and minor actinides; however, an optimistic deployment time of at least 20 years indicates a need for a near-term solution. The goal of this thesis is to examine the potential of light water reactors for plutonium and minor actinides transmutation as a near-term solution. This thesis screens the available nuclear isotope database to identify potential absorbers as coatings on a transmutation fuel in a light water reactor. A spectral shift absorber coating tunes the neutron energy spectrum experienced by the underlying target fuel. Eleven different spectral shift absorbers (B4C, CdO, Dy2O3, Er2O3, Eu2O3, Gd2O3, HfO2, In2O3, Lu2O3, Sm2O3, and TaC) have been selected for further evaluation. A model developed using the NEWT module of SCALE 6.1 code provided performance data for the burnup of the target fuel rods. Irradiation of the target fuels occurs in a Westinghouse 17x17 XL Robust Fuel Assembly over a 1400 Effective Full Power Days (EFPD) interval. The fuels evaluated in this thesis include PuO2, Pu3Si2, PuN, MOX, PuZrH, PuZrHTh, PuZrO2, and PuUZrH. MOX (5 wt% PuO2), Pu0.31ZrH1.6Th1.08, and PuZrO2MgO (8 wt%) are selected for detailed analysis in a multi-pin transmutation assembly. A coupled model optimized the resulting transmutation fuel elements. The optimization considered three stages of fuel assemblies containing target fuel pins. The first stage optimized four target fuel pins adjacent to the central instrumentation channel. The second stage evaluated a variety of assemblies with multiple target fuel pins and the third stage re-optimized target fuel pins in the second-stage assembly. A PuZrO2MgO (8 wt%) target fuel with a coating of Lu2O3 resulted in the greatest reduction in curium-244 production with the highest rate of plutonium transmutation.
Associated Publications
Rights
Copyright of the original work is retained by the author.