Thorium-based mixed oxide fuel in a pressurized water reactor: A feasibility analysis with MCNP

<p>"This dissertation investigates techniques for spent fuel monitoring, and assesses the feasibility of using a thorium-based mixed oxide fuel in a conventional pressurized water reactor for plutonium disposition. Both non-paralyzing and paralyzing dead-time calculations were performed for the Portable Spectroscopic Fast Neutron Probe (N-Probe), which can be used for spent fuel interrogation. Also, a Canberra ³He neutron detector's dead-time was estimated using a combination of subcritical assembly measurements and MCNP simulations. Next, a multitude of fission products were identified as candidates for burnup and spent fuel analysis of irradiated mixed oxide fuel. The best isotopes for these applications were identified by investigating half-life, photon energy, fission yield, branching ratios, production modes, thermal neutron absorption cross section and fuel matrix diffusivity. ¹³²I and ⁹⁷Nb were identified as good candidates for MOX fuel on-line burnup analysis. In the second, and most important, part of this work, the feasibility of utilizing ThMOX fuel in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) was first examined under steady-state, beginning of life conditions. Using a three-dimensional MCNP model of a Westinghouse-type 17x17 PWR, several fuel compositions and configurations of a one-third ThMOX core were compared to a 100% UO₂ core. A blanket-type arrangement of 5.5 wt% PuO₂ was determined to be the best candidate for further analysis. Next, the safety of the ThMOX configuration was evaluated through three cycles of burnup at several using the following metrics: axial and radial nuclear hot channel factors, moderator and fuel temperature coefficients, delayed neutron fraction, and shutdown margin. Additionally, the performance of the ThMOX configuration was assessed by tracking cycle length, plutonium destroyed, and fission product poison concentration."--Abstract, page iv.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D. in Nuclear Engineering

Grantor

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Author dc:creator

• Tucker, Lucas Powelson

• MCNP
• Monte Carlo N-Particle code
• Mixed oxide fuel
• Pressurized water reactor
• Nuclear Engineering

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/doctoral_dissertations/2492

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarsmine.mst.edu:doctoral_dissertations-3494