Fast burner reactor benchmark results from the NEA working party on physics of plutonium recycle Page: 3 of 9
This article is part of the collection entitled: Office of Scientific & Technical Information Technical Reports and was provided to UNT Digital Library by the UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
FAST BURNER REACTOR BENCHMARK RESULTS
FROM THE NEA WORKING PARTY ON
PHYSICS OF PLUTONIUM RECYCLE
R. N. Hill,' G. Palmiotti,* and D. C. Wade'
'ARGONNE NATIONAL LABORATORY
9700 S. Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL - USA
*CEA - Cadarache
F-13108 Saint-Paul-Les-Durance, France
Presently at Argonne National Laboratory, Reactor Analysis Division
ABSTRACT
As part of a program proposed by the OECD/NEA Working Party on Physics of Plutonium
Recycling (WPPR) to evaluate different scenarios for the use of plutonium, fast reactor physics
benchmarks were developed; fuel cycle scenarios using either PUREX/TRUEX (oxide fuel)
or pyrometallurgical (metal fuel) separation technologies were specified. These benchmarks
were designed to evaluate the nuclear performance and radiotoxicity impact of a transuranic-
burning fast reactor system. International benchmark results are summarized in this paper; and
key conclusions are highlighted.
INTRODUCTION
Two fast burner benchmark designs (oxide and metal) were specified by the WPPR. Both
designs utilize a power rating of 600 MWe and similar strategies were utilized to lower the
conversion ratio well below unity. The uranium content in the reactor is reduced both by
removing blanket assemblies and by increasing the enrichment of the driver fuel up to the limits
of the fuel irradiation data base. The neutrons which otherwise would have been captured on
uranium are purposely wasted by dramatically increasing the core leakage fraction. Thus, the
neutron balances of these fast burner reactors are quite different from conventional fissile-self-
sufficient or breeder designs for which the cross section data sets and calculational methods have
been extensively verified in historical fast reactor development programs. A primary goal of this
benchmark activity was to assess the variability among participants' solutions which arises for
burner cores whose neutron balance is substantially altered from that of traditional designs.
Two different feedstreams which span the range of potential transuranic (TRU) sources for fast
burner reactor recycle in the intermediate time interval (prior to widespread commercialization
of fast fissile-self-sufficient or breeder reactor designs) were used. In the case of the oxide
benchmark, the feedstream from the thermal reactor cycle is strongly skewed toward heavier
plutonium isotopes (e.g., Pu242 is 14%. of total mass). This feedstream is characteristic of a
scenario in which the plutonium has been twice recycled (three times burned) in a thermal
spectrum LWR, and in which during the reprocessing step, the Np, Am, and Cm have been
removed. In the case of the metal-fueled benchmark, the feedstream from the thermal reactor
cycle represents LWR once through fuel with about three years of cooling prior,.to injection
into the fast reactor closed fuel cycle. For the metal fast burner, a pyrometallurgical recycle
technology to reduce LWR spent fuel and produce a fast reactor metallic feedstream containing
all transuranics admixed together (Pu + Np + Am + Cm) has been assumed. The plutonium
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This article can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Article.
Hill, R.N.; Wade, D.C. & Palmiotti, G. Fast burner reactor benchmark results from the NEA working party on physics of plutonium recycle, article, December 1, 1995; Illinois. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc622965/m1/3/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.