IRIS reactor core with thorium fuel

NUCLEAR ENGINEERING

IRIS reactor core with thorium fuel

Alrwashdeh MOHAMMAD，

YU Ganglin，

WANG Kan

Nuclear Science and Techniques

Vol.22, No.5

pp.311-315

Published in print 20 Oct 2011

DOI：10.13538/j.1001-8042/nst.22.311-315

35400

This work is aimed at running the first IRIS reactor core with mixed thorium dioxide fuel (ThO₂-UO₂ and ThO₂-PuO₂). Calculations are performed by using Dragon 4.0.4 and Citation codes. The results show the multiplication factor (K_eff) for central and peripheral assemblies as a function of burnup. To ensure the proliferation resistance, the value of ²³⁵U enrichment is ≤ 20%. The K_eff is calculated using Dragon 4.0.4 for a single fuel rod and the model developed to fuel assembly, while the whole core was calculated using Citation code. For a fuel burnup, the use of increased enrichment fuel in the IRIS core leads to high reserve of reactivity, which is compensated with an integral fuel burnable absorber. The self-shielding of boron is in an IRIS reactor fuel. The effect of increased enrichment to the burn-up rates, and burnable poison distribution on the reactor performance, are evaluated. The equipment used in traditional light water reactors is evaluated for designing a small unit IRIS reactor.

Long life reactorHigh burnupBurnable absorber

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