ICONE15-10450 Evaluation of Core Characteristics of FBR and PWR Loaded with Americium-containing Cermet Fuel

Abstract

To effectively transmute Americium (Am) in a nuclear reactor, an idea of target fuel with a high content of Am and inert matrix has been proposed by one of the authors. We evaluated the Am transmutation amount and core characteristics, such as power distribution and reactivity effect, in a fast breeder reactor (FBR) and pressurized water reactor (PWR) loaded with the present Am target fuel. The FBR loaded with Am target fuel in radial blanket region could transmute Am amount which a 1000 MWe class light water reactor generates per year. Regarding the PWR, although the same amount of Am could be transmuted, the negative reactivity effect depends on the number of target pins and their locations in a target assembly. But, since its negative reactivity effect can be reduced by optimizing the number of target pins and their locations inside the target assembly, the feasibility of the FBR and PWR loaded with the present target fuel has been proven.