Effect of fuel nuclide composition on the fuel lifetime of reactor KLT-40S

• Published in: Nuclear engineering and design Vol. 360; p. 110524
• Main Authors: Beliavskii, Sergei V., Nesterov, Vladimir N., Laas, Roman A., Godovikh, Alexei V., Bulakh, Olga I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.04.2020; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Breeding; Breeding ratio; Composition effects; Effective multiplication factor; Fuel lifetime; Icebreakers; Mathematical analysis; Multiplication; Nuclear fuel elements; Nuclear fuels; Nuclear reactors; Parameters; Power plants; Reactor KLT-40S; Reactors; Remote regions; Thorium-uranium fuel cycle; Uranium; Uranium–plutonium fuel cycle; Thorium-uranium fuel cycle; Breeding ratio; Fuel lifetime; Uranium–plutonium fuel cycle; Reactor KLT-40S; Effective multiplication factor
• ISSN: 0029-5493; 1872-759X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nucengdes.2020.110524

•The multiplication factors and breeding ratios for the reactor installation KLT-40S core were determined.•How fuel load affects the neutron flux density spectrum is presented.•The dependence of fuel lifetime on fuel rod diameter is determined.•The advantages of the thorium fuel cycle are shown. Fuel lifetime is a crucial parameter for small reactors used as the main part of floating power plants. Such plants have the potential to solve energy supply problems of remote regions. This article explains the methodology used to determine the effective multiplication factors and breeding ratios for reactor KLT-40S (Korpusnoi Ledokolnogo Tipa; [Shell-Type Reactor of Icebreaker Kind]) under operating conditions. The following parameters are shown to affect fuel lifetime:-effective neutron multiplication factor;-breeding ratio of nuclear fuel;-and fuel element diameter or volume of charged fuel.An increase in these parameters extends fuel lifetime. Four different fuel compositions, namely, (U238 + U235)O2, (U238 + Pu239)O2, (Th232 + U235)O2, and (Th232 + U233)O2, were examined to calculate possible fuel lifetime. The dependence of lifetime on the fuel rod diameter was also determined. The study shows that Th-U fuel cycle offers great lifetime advantages over the conventional U–Pu fuel cycle. Switching the fuel composition to (Th232 + U233)O2 can prolong fuel lifetime by 75%.