Burn up extension in a PBMR-400 full core using weapon grade plutonium fuel mixed with thorium

• Published in: Kerntechnik (1987) Vol. 76; no. 5; pp. 337 - 340
• Main Authors: Acir, A., Coşkun, H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: De Gruyter 01.11.2011
• ISSN: 0932-3902; 2195-8580
• DOI: 10.3139/124.110170

In this study, the time dependent criticality and burn up analyses for a full core model of Pebble Bed Modular Reactors, such as PBMR-400, are performed using weapon grade plutonium mixed with thorium as an alternative to enriched UO fuel. Neutronic calculations are performed with the MCNP and MONTEBURNS 2.0 using ENDF/B-V nuclear data library. 9.6% enriched UO gives an effective multiplication factor of k ≈ 1.2395, which can be achieved by 18% weapon grade plutonium +82% ThO fuel mixture. Thorium mixed fuel with 18% weapon grade plutonium fuel would allow reactor operation periods ∼7 years without fuel change with burn up levels of 205000 MW.D/t, for end of life k set equal to 1.02.