Searching for optimal reactivity management using a new burnable absorber for SCLWR with (Th, 233U)O2

Abstract

This work investigates the efficiency of some new burnable absorbers (BAs) suggested to provide possible improvements in the fuel management of a supercritical light water reactor (SCLWR) assembly fueled with (Th, ²³³U)O₂. Four BAs including gadolinium, Erbium, Iridium and Lutetium are suggested as integral burnable absorber (IBA) rods. A three-dimensional model of SCLWR has been modelled using MCNPX version 2.7. A complete neutronic analysis has been carried out for the suggested BAs and compared with the gadolinium vector which is the common BAs. The IBA rods were distributed through the SCWR fuel assembly in a way that provided a flat power distribution. Various concentrations of the suggested BAs have been investigated to obtain the optimum value that can suppress the excess reactivity at the beginning of the cycle and flatten the infinite multiplication factor. The burnup parameters including the fertile, fissile, BAs and most effective fission product concentration as a function of effective full power days (EFPDs) of the SCLWR have been examined for the suggested BAs. The reactivity temperature coefficients have been studied to ensure the viability of the suggested BAs. A further analysis is performed to study the axial, radial power distribution and local power peaking factor.