Small-sized Channels Research Articles

Reactivity Control Method for Extended Burnup of Boiling Water Reactor Fuel Bundles

Abstract A reactivity control method was proposed for a boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel bundle, which has a potential for higher burnup with an increase in fuel enrichment. The new method optimized the distribution and amount of nonboiling water area in a fuel bundle in order to enhance the reactivity control capacity. Using the method, a 9×9 lattice fuel bundle with a small-sized channel box, large-sized water rods and a reduced fuel rod diameter was proposed for the discharged burnup of 70 GWd/t and the operational cycle length of 18 months. The core, which consists of the proposed fuel bundles with the bundle-averaged enrichment of 5.8% and includes other modifications concerning a neutron low leakage loading pattern, natural uranium axial blankets, and spectral shift with recirculation flow control, has a cold shutdown margin greater than the design limit (1%Δk) with minimum fuel bundle shuffling. Further, it has potentials for natural uranium savings of about 20% per unit power and reduction in the amount of reprocessing of about 60% per unit power, compared with current BWR designs.

Reactivity control method for extended burnup of boiling water reactor fuel bundles.

Abstract A reactivity control method was proposed for a boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel bundle, which has a potential for higher burnup with an increase in fuel enrichment. The new method optimized the distribution and amount of nonboiling water area in a fuel bundle in order to enhance the reactivity control capacity. Using the method, a 9×9 lattice fuel bundle with a small-sized channel box, large-sized water rods and a reduced fuel rod diameter was proposed for the discharged burnup of 70 GWd/t and the operational cycle length of 18 months. The core, which consists of the proposed fuel bundles with the bundle-averaged enrichment of 5.8% and includes other modifications concerning a neutron low leakage loading pattern, natural uranium axial blankets, and spectral shift with recirculation flow control, has a cold shutdown margin greater than the design limit (1%Δk) with minimum fuel bundle shuffling. Further, it has potentials for natural uranium savings of about 20% per unit power and reduction in the ...