A computational study of re-cycling the MTR research reactors with MOX fuel mixed with 241Am, 242Am and 243Am as burnable absorbers actinides using the MCNP4C code

Abstract

A computational study is performed for re-cycling of the MTR-22MW reactor with MOX (U3O8&PuO2) fuel mixed with (x)Am (241Am, 242Am and 243Am) as Burnable Absorbers Actinides (BAAs) using the MCNP4C code. The MCNP4C code was used to estimate the Criticality Safety Parameters (CSPs) and the Neutronic Parameters (NPs) of the MTR-22MW for the U3O8-Al original fuel and a MOX fuel mixed with (x)Am As BAAs. The obtained results of the CSPs and the NPs showed that re-cycling of the MTR-22MW reactor by MOX fuel mixed with (x)Am As BAAs would not significantly affect the neutronic characteristics of the MTR-22MW as well as its criticality. In addition results showed that by re-cycling of 4% and 3.51% of PuO2 mixed with (x)Am in the MTR-22MW reactor, the fuel enrichment with 235U can be reduced from 19.7% to 6.6% and 6.2%, respectively. In addition, the 235U mass loaded in the reactor core diminishes by about 37.77% and 42.18% for 4% and 3.51% of PuO2 mixed with (x)Am actinides, respectively.