Method for Joint Configuration of Nuclear Power Plant Fuel Elements/Assemblies

Abstract

The method is about a design for nuclear fuel elements/assemblies configuration conducted jointly by several units with interchangeable fuel elements/assemblies. The first core of the new units may totally use the fuel elements/assemblies with relatively high enrichments which are identical or equivalent to the equilibrium cycle enrichments. Wherein, a part of new fuel elements/assemblies with relatively high enrichments may be put into one or more operating units for combustion, such that the new fuel elements/assemblies loaded in the operating units is much more than when such method is not implemented, and then considerable more once burned fuel elements/assemblies are obtained. Meanwhile, considerable twice burned fuel elements/assemblies may be provided by the operating units additionally (taking the reactor core with 157 fuel assemblies refueling every 18 months for example). From the considerable obtained once and twice burned fuel elements/assemblies, the burned fuel elements/assemblies with the desired quantity and burnup may be selected to construct the first reactor cores of the new units together with new fuel elements/assemblies with relatively high enrichments. After the method for joint configuration design of nuclear fuel elements/assemblies has been implemented, the average discharge burnup of the operating units added with more new fuel elements/assemblies and the first reactor cores of the new units is higher than that of the equilibrium cycle.