The Application of U-Np Fuel and 6Li Burnable Poison for Space Reactors

• Published in: Nuclear technology Vol. 144; no. 2; pp. 152 - 157
• Main Authors: Nikitin, Konstantin L., Saito, Masaki, Artisyuk, Vladimir V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: La Grange Park, IL Taylor & Francis 01.11.2003; American Nuclear Society
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Fission nuclear power plants; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; Space application; Reactivity (fission reactors); burnable absorber; Lifetime; Lithium 6; reactivity swing; space reactor; Burnable poisons; Neptunium nitrides; Uranium nitride; Nuclear fuel; Nuclear reactor
• ISSN: 0029-5450; 1943-7471
• DOI: 10.13182/NT03-A3436

The possible application of 6 Li as a burnable poison and U-Np nitride as a fuel for space nuclear reactors has been studied. The analysis was performed for an infinite lattice with a leakage in the form of buckling and (U-Np)N fuel with 20% uranium enrichment. The combination of 7 Li as a coolant and 6 Li as a burnable poison results in a favorable criticality behavior during burnup. The parameters taken into consideration include the different fuel and coolant compositions, the form of absorber material, and the various absorber mass and concentrations. It was found that absorption properties of 6 Li allow reaching the burnup value up to 67 GWd/tHM while reactivity swing is comparable with β eff . The corresponding reactor lifetime is ~10 to 30 yr.