Multiple recycling of fuel in prototype fast breeder reactor in a closed fuel cycle with pressurized heavy-water reactor external feed

Abstract

A fast breeder reactor (FBR) closed fuel cycle involves recycling of the discharged fuel, after reprocessing and refabrication, in order to utilize the unburnt fuel and the bred fissile material. Our previous study in this regard for the prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR) indicated the possibility of multiple recycling with self-sufficiency. It was found that the change in Pu composition becomes negligible (less than 1%) after a few cycles. The core-1 Pu increases by 3% from the beginning of cycle-0 to that of recycle-1, the Pu increase from the beginning of the 9th cycle to that of the 10th by only 0.3%. In this work, the possibility of multiple recycling of PFBR fuel with external plutonium feed from pressurized heavy-water reactor (PHWR) is examined. Modified in-core cooling and reprocessing periods are considered. The impact of multiple recycling on PFBR core physics parameters due to the changes in the fuel composition has been brought out. Instead of separate recovery considered for the core and axial blankets in the earlier studies, combined fuel recovery is considered in this study. With these modifications and also with PHWR Pu as external feed, the study on PFBR fuel recycling is repeated. It is observed that the core-1 initial Pu inventory increases by 3.5% from cycle-0 to that of recycle-1, the Pu increase from the beginning of the 9th cycle to that of the 10th is only 0.35%. A comparison of the studies done with different external plutonium options viz., PHWR and PFBR radial blanket has also been made.