Neutronic Analysis of Thorium Nitride (Th, U233)N Fuel for 500MWth Gas Cooled Fast Reactor (GFR) Long Life without Refueling

Abstract

Neutronic analysis of Thorium Nitride (Th, U233)N fuel of 500MWth Gas Cooled Fast Reactor (GFR) has been done. In this study the neutronic analysis use SRAC2006 code both PIJ and CITATION calculation. The data libraries use JENDL 4.0. First calculation is survey parameter with U-233 enrichment variation. From the homogeneous core configuration calculation, when the enrichment of U-233 is 8.2%, the maximum k-eff value is 1,00819 with excess reactivity value 0,812%. The average power density is 63 Watt/cc and the maximum power density 100 Watt/cc. The heterogeneous core configuration calculation has been done to flattening the power of the reactor. The variation fuel of F1:F2:F3 = 7.8%:8%:8.8%. The fraction of fuel : cladding: coolant = 60%:10%:30%. The max k-eff value of heterogeneous core configuration is 1,01229 with excess reactivity value 1.21%. The average power density is 65 Watt/cc and the maximum power density 92 Watt/cc. The power density distribution of heterogeneous core configuration is flatter than homogeneous core configuration.