Abstract
This study investigates the behavior of thorium-containing mixed oxide (TOX) fuels with different uranium (235U) enrichment levels in Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs). Using SERPENT V2.2.0 and OpenMC Monte Carlo codes, analyses were performed on 232Th consumption, fission products, neutronic behaviors and effective multiplication factor (keff) at different 235U enrichment levels. The results highlight the subtle relationship between uranium enrichment, fuel composition and neutron flux, shedding light on depletion rates and fission product production. In particular, while higher 235U content enhances fission reactions, it also affects the presence of specific fission products such as 137Cs and 131I and influences nuclear absorption reactions leading to the production of isotopes such as 135Xe, 241Am, 237Np, 243Cm and 90Sr. These findings underline the complex interplay between fuel composition, neutron flux and nuclear properties and provide important insights for reactor optimization and fuel cycle management in PWRs.
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