Symbiotic systems consisting of large-FBR and small water-cooled thorium reactors (WTR)

Small long life water-cooled thorium reactors (WTR; 30–300 MWth) have been investigated. For realizing thorium cycle of the reactors, a uranium–thorium mixture core is introduced to fast breeder reactors (FBR; 3000 MWth) to be a ²³³U producer. In the present study, two distinct metallic fuel pins, with natural uranium and thorium, are loaded into a large sodium-cooled FBR. The FBR itself is self-sustained by the plutonium produced in the uranium pins. Under the equilibrium burnup state, the FBR spent fuels are periodically discharged with a certain discharge rate and then separated. Some actinides are returned to the FBR core while ²³³U, which is discharged from the thorium pins, is utilized for the WTR fresh fuel. Fissile support capability is the main investigated parameter of the study. The system achieves higher support capability at higher burnup and lower power of the WTR, and shows that larger number of uranium pins is better for the FBR criticality while larger number of thorium pins and lower burnup give better support factor capability. For a symbiotic system consisting 3000 MWth FBR and 100 MWth WTRs, where discharged fuel burnup is 96 and 60 GWd/t for the FBR and WTRs, one FBR can support 5 WTRs.     

钍基柱状高温气冷堆不同启动燃料特性初步分析

钍是一种可转换材料,将其转换成²³³U能极大提高现有核燃料资源的储量。为实现对钍的合理利用,以模块式柱状高温气冷堆GT-MHR的燃料组件作为研究对象,选取低浓缩铀、武器级钚、核反应堆级钚等作为其启动燃料。利用栅格输运计算程序DRAGON对这3种启动燃料下的钍基柱状燃料组件的寿期初中子能谱、无限增殖系数、燃耗、转换比以及²³³U和²³²Th的含量等参数进行了分析。结果表明,在易裂变物质初装量约为9%时,与低浓缩铀和武器级钚相比,核反应堆级钚作为启动燃料时组件寿期初中子能谱较硬、转换比较高;其燃耗达90 GW•d/tHM;其无限增殖系数在寿期内的波动最小;燃耗为75 GW•d/tHM时组件中²³³U存余量与²³²Th消耗量之比达0.566。     

Radiological and environmental aspects of Th-U fuel cycle facilities

The comparatively higher level of thorium reserves and the absence of long lived actinides of environmental concern offer real advantages for utilization of thorium in nuclear reactors. While use of uranium is likely to continue for some more time in view of investments already made, a shift to thorium eventually is an imperative necessity. It is in fact inevitable for a country like India. The paper presents a detailed comparative analysis of occupational radiation exposures as well as environmental releases. Different stages such as mining, fuel fabrication, reactor operation, spent fuel storage and reprocessing are considered. The factors that need to be taken into account include among others, the relatively lower occupational exposures and environmental releases in sodium cooled fast reactors compared to LWRs, the occurrence of thorium as surface deposits obviating the need for deep mining as in the case of uranium and the special dose reduction measures that need to be devised to minimize occupational exposures due to daughter products of ²³²U present in ²³³U during fuel fabrication operations. If once through mode of fuel cycle is to be adopted, thorium oxide materials are likely to be more enduring than would be the case with uranium.     

Long life small CANDLE-HTGRs with thorium

CANDLE (constant axial shape of neutron flux, nuclide densities and power shape during life of energy producing reactor) burnup strategy is applied to small (30 MWth) block-type high temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs) with thorium fuel. The CANDLE burnup is adopted in this study since it has several promising merits such as simple and safe reactor operation, and the ease of designing a long life reactor core. Burnup performances of thorium fuel (²³³U, ²³²Th)O₂ are investigated for a range of enrichment ⩽15%. Discharged fuel burnup and burning region motion velocity are major parameters of its performances in this study. The reactors with thorium fuel show a better burnup performance in terms of higher discharged fuel burnup and slower burning region motion velocity (longer core lifetime) compared to the reactors with uranium fuel.     

使用均匀混合型燃料组件的压水堆钍-铀增殖循环研究

为提升压水堆燃料利用率,设计了一种包含适量²³²Th和²³³U的均匀混合型燃料组件。对该型燃料组件的核特性分析表明,其具备随燃耗增加k_inf下降更缓慢的特性,有利于堆芯获得更长的循环长度。以岭澳核电厂一号机组为例,对包含均匀混合型含钍燃料组件的堆芯进行了分析,结果表明,当前压水堆中采用均匀混合型含钍燃料组件是可行的,并且具备²³⁵U利用率高、堆芯循环长度长的优势。     

钍基熔盐堆燃料循环与启动策略研究

研究了熔盐燃料在堆内外循环以及考虑特殊核素的添加、提取等在线处理过程的熔盐堆燃耗计算模型,在多功能组件计算程序SONG的基础上开发了相应的燃料循环计算功能并进行了初步验证。在此基础上,分别针对氧化铍慢化的热谱熔盐堆和无慢化的快谱熔盐堆进行计算,并根据堆芯反应性长期稳定的基本要求,分析了利用²³³U和工业Pu启动熔盐堆时配套的在线处理方案以及相应的易裂变核添加要求。通过对核素添加、提取以及燃料内核密度的平衡计算,分析了不同的在线处理方案与启动策略对钍-铀燃料循环效率的影响,并据此提出了初步的熔盐堆燃料循环技术路线。结果表明：压水堆乏燃料提取的工业Pu较²³³U更适宜用于钍铀燃料循环启动,因工业Pu启动的快谱熔盐堆的²³³U产率明显高于²³³U启动熔盐堆,而当有了足够的²³³U积累后,²³³U启动的热谱熔盐堆是更好的选择,因其燃料倍增时间更短且燃料初装量也小得多。     

电感耦合等离子体质谱测定铀样品年龄方法研究

铀样品年龄与生产时间密切相关,是核法证学调查核材料来源属性的一个重要参数。本文研究建立了利用²³⁰Th/²³⁴U原子数比测定铀样品年龄的分析方法。分别用²²⁹Th和²³³U稀释剂进行铀样品同位素稀释,利用TEVA树脂对样品中的铀和钍进行分离处理,用多接收电感耦合等离子体质谱测量²²⁹Th/²³⁰Th和²³³U/²³⁴U原子数比,根据铀年龄计算公式通过²³⁰Th/²³⁴U原子数比可得到样品的铀年龄。采用该方法对CRM U850和U010标准样品进行了年龄测定,结果与美国劳伦斯·利弗莫尔国家实验室的测量结果一致,但较实际年龄偏大,可能是由于生产时纯化过程不完全,导致有残留的²³⁰Th在样品中。本文所建立的方法可用于铀样品²³⁰Th-²³⁴U模型年龄的测定,为核法证学调查提供重要信息。     

Burnup characteristics and fuel cycle economics of mixed uranium–thorium fuel in a simplified small pebble bed reactor

The limitation of natural uranium resources and the improvement of economic values of nuclear reactors are important issues to be solved in the future development of these reactors. In our previous study, we presented an innovative design for simplifying a pebble bed reactor, and the optimization of this design showed that burnup values could be increased and natural uranium uses could be reduced. The purposes of the current study were to design a simplified pebble bed reactor by removing the unloading device from the reactor system and to further optimize the burnup characteristics of this reactor with a peu à peu fuel-loading scheme by introducing thorium in the fuel configuration as a fertile material. Another goal was to optimize the fuel composition so that the system could achieve even better burnup characteristics and use scarce uranium resources more efficiently. Using a specially developed computer code, we analyzed and optimized the performance of a 110-MWt simplified pebble bed reactor using a peu à peu fuel-loading scheme. An optimized design using 30% of fertile thorium mixed with uranium fuel with 15% ²³⁵U enrichment and a 7% packing fraction calculated to achieve a high burnup of 140 GWD/T for more than 21 years' operation time that could save 13 to 33% of natural uranium use compared with the savings noted in our previous study. Neutronic, burnup and fuel economic analysis for this optimized design are discussed in this study.     

通过测量模拟样品中236U与238U原子个数比估算燃耗的探索研究

自然界中²³⁶U与²³⁸U原子个数比约10^-14,不同反应堆类型及核燃料辐照情况辐照后的核材料中²³⁶U与²³⁸U原子个数比不同,一般为天然²³⁶U与²³⁸U原子个数比的10⁷～10¹¹倍。通过测量环境样品中的²³⁶U与²³⁸U原子个数比可探知取样点附近进行过的辐照活动、环境污染的来源及对应核燃料的燃耗。本研究使用配制的模拟样品,建立了多接收电感耦合等离子质谱（MC-ICP-MS）技术测定²³⁶U与²³⁸U原子个数比的方法以及估算核燃料燃耗的工作方案,并与其他燃耗计算方法比较,燃耗的相对偏差约10%。     

使用离散钍铀燃料组件的CANDU6堆物理特性初步研究

为研究钍铀燃料在CANDU6堆中的应用,采用DRAGON/DONJON程序,对使用离散型钍铀燃料37棒束组件的CANDU6堆进行时均堆芯分析。结果表明,组件采用235U富集度为2.5%的铀棒以及第1、2、3圈布置钍棒的37棒束组件,堆芯在8棒束换料、3个燃耗分区的方案下,组件的冷却剂空泡反应性较使用天然铀的37棒束组件（NU-37组件）与采用混合钍铀元件棒的37棒束组件更负;堆芯最大时均通道/棒束功率满足小于6700?kW/860?kW的限值;燃料转化能力比采用NU-37组件时更高;卸料燃耗可到达13400?MW·d/t(U)。研究表明,所设计的离散型钍铀燃料37棒束组件可用于现有CANDU6堆芯,且无需对堆芯结构及控制机构作重大改造;燃料组件和堆芯设计方案可为钍铀燃料在CANDU6堆芯的应用提供参考。      

Exploring new coolants for nuclear breeder reactors

Breeder reactors are considered a unique tool for fully exploiting natural nuclear resources. In current Light Water Reactors (LWR), only 0.5% of the primary energy contained in the nuclei removed from a mine is converted into useful heat. The rest remains in the depleted uranium or spent fuel. The need to improve resource-efficiency has stimulated interest in Fast-Reactor-based fuel cycles, which can exploit a much higher fraction of the energy content of mined uranium by burning U-238, mainly after conversion into Pu-239. Thorium fuel cycles also offer several potential advantages over a uranium fuel cycle. The coolant initially selected for most of the FBR programs launched in the 1960s was sodium, which is still considered the best candidate for these reactors. However, Na-cooled FBRs have a positive void reactivity coefficient. Among other factors, this fundamental drawback has resulted in the cancelled deployment of these reactors. Therefore, it seems reasonable to explore new options for breeder coolants.     

Plutonium isotopic composition of high burnup spent fuel discharged from light water reactors

The isotopic composition and amount of plutonium (Pu) in spent fuel from a high burnup boiling water reactor (HB-BWR) and a high burnup pressurized water reactor (HB-PWR), each with an average discharge burnup of 70 GWd/t, were estimated, in order to evaluate fast breeder reactor (FBR) fuel composition in the transition period from LWRs to FBRs.     

“CANDLE” burnup regime after LWR regime

CANDLE (Constant Axial shape of Neutron flux, nuclide densities and power shape During Life of Energy producing reactor) burnup strategy can derive many merits. From safety point of view, the change of excess reactivity along burnup is theoretically zero, and the core characteristics, such as power feedback coefficients and power peaking factor, are not changed along burnup. Application of this burnup strategy to neutron rich fast reactors makes excellent performances. Only natural or depleted uranium is required for the replacing fuels. About 40% of natural or depleted uranium undergoes fission without the conventional reprocessing and enrichment.

If the LWR produced energy of X Joules, the CANDLE reactor can produce about 50X Joules from the depleted uranium left at the enrichment facility for the LWR fuel. If we can say LWRs have produced energy sufficient for full 20 years, we can produce the energy for 1000 years by using the CANDLE reactors with depleted uranium. We need not mine any uranium ore, and do not need reprocessing facility. The burnup of spent fuel becomes 10 times. Therefore, the spent fuel amount per produced energy is also reduced to one-tenth.

The details of the scenario of CANDLE burnup regime after LWR regime will be presented at the symposium.     

Evaluation of the integral quantities for incident fusion source neutrons in infinite medium

Integral neutronic quantities have been evaluated for incident 14.1 MeV (D,T) and 2.45 MeV (D,D) fusion source neutrons in infinite medium for the most important materials in fusion technology, namely lithium, beryllium, lead and thorium. The study covers the calculation of the integral tritium breeding ratio, the ²³³U breeding rate (when applicable), the neutron multiplication ratio through (n,x)-and fission-(when applicable) reactions, and the heat release in those mixtures which are composed when first thorium is mixed with natural lithium or ⁶Li for a volume fraction from 0% to 100% and then the variable thorium-lithium composition is mixed with Be or Pb for a volume fraction from 0% to 100%.     

基于热堆的钍铀转换过程中232U生成的模拟计算

在钍铀燃料循环过程中生成的232U的衰变子体具有强放射性,对燃料循环具有重要影响。本工作采用ORIGEN2、SCALE5程序,以及基于Bateman方法编写的程序,分析了在不同条件下,热堆中钍反应生成232U的规律。一般情况下,232U主要由232Th的(n,2n)反应链生成,而在中子能谱更软情况下,230Th对232U生成贡献增大;CANDU型重水堆和压水堆的含钍燃料组件的燃耗计算结果表明,铀中232U含量随燃耗深度增加而变大,同时初始230Th/Thtotal大小直接线性影响卸料燃耗时232U/Utotal或232U/233U。     

Application of candle burnup strategy for future nuclear energy utilization

The CANDLE burnup strategy is a new reactor burnup concept, where the distributions of fuel nuclide densities, neutron flux, and power density move with the same constant speed along the core axis from bottom to top (or from top to bottom) of the core and without any change in their shapes. Therefore, any burnup control mechanisms are not required, and reactor characteristics do not change along burnup. The reactor is simple and safe. If this burnup scheme is applied to some neutron rich fast reactors, either natural or depleted uranium can be utilized as fresh fuel after second core and the burnup of discharged fuel is about 40%. It means about 40% of natural or depleted uranium can be utilized without either enrichment or reprocessing.

In the ideal nuclear energy utilization system, the radioactive toxicity in the environment should remain or decrease after the utilization. This requirement is very severe and difficult to be satisfied. It may take too much time for its realization. The CANDLE burnup may substitute this period. Though it is a once-through fuel cycle, the discharged fuel burnup is about ten times of the present value for light water reactors. The space necessary for final disposal can be drastically reduced. However, in order to realize such a high burnup of discharged fuels some innovative technologies should be developed. Either new material standing still for such a high burnup or intermediate recladding will be required. Especially new fuel development will take a lot of time. For the time being a small reactor with CANDLE burnup may be a good option for nuclear power generation. Even this kind of reactor requires some innovative technologies and a long period for their developments. For the first stage of CANDLE burnup the prismatic fuel high-temperature gas cooled reactor is preferable. Since the design of this reactor fits to the CANDLE burnup very well, only a little time is required for its research and development.     

熔盐堆钍铀、铀钚燃料循环核数据不确定度分析

反应堆物理设计不确定度是第4代核能系统的QMU（quantification of margins and uncertainties）有效性认证所必须的参数之一,核数据不确定度是其重要来源。基于自主开发的耦合程序BUND（burnup uncertainty of nuclear data）,将SCALE程序TRITON和TSUNAMI-3D模块耦合,完成了熔盐堆钍铀燃料循环、铀钚燃料循环核数据引起的有效增殖因数k_eff不确定度分析,并与ENDF/B-Ⅶ.1协方差数据库计算结果进行了对比。结果显示：初始时刻,两种燃料循环模式下,核数据导致的k_eff不确定度分别为0.490%和0.582%。随燃耗的增加,核数据引起的k_eff不确定度增加。寿期末,两种燃料循环模式下,对k_eff不确定度影响显著增加的反应道分别为²³⁹Pu(nubar)、(n,f)、(n,γ)、¹⁰⁵Rh(n,γ)、¹³⁵Xe(n,γ)和²³⁴U(n,γ)、¹⁴³Nd(n,γ)、^131,135Xe(n,γ)等。     

γ能谱法分析放射性核素时对γ射线全能峰干扰的修正

针对在中核集团公司核电厂和“两厂两院”环境监测实验室比对中γ能谱分析存在的γ射线全能峰干扰问题,开展土壤中铀、钍、镭、钾、铯等γ核素测量实验。天然土壤标准源对谱仪进行效率刻度时,分析γ射线特征峰是否受到其它射线干扰,对受到干扰的γ射线通过修正代入效率计算的核素活度值以实现效率的拟合。由谱仪分析软件分析样品核素活度时,当利用不同特征γ射线计算的核素活度相差较大时,应进行活度修正。分析用于核素活度计算的γ特征峰(如²³⁵U 185.7 keV,²³⁸U 92.6 keV)受到的干扰峰,计算干扰峰对测量能谱峰(重峰)活度贡献,扣除干扰峰活度,即为γ特征峰贡献,由此给出样品核素活度值。这种方法在中核集团土壤样品比对中报出的²³⁸U、²²⁶Ra、²³²Th、⁴⁰K和¹³⁷Cs数据全部合格。     

Burnup optimization of once-through molten salt reactors using enriched uranium and thorium

The advantages of once-through molten salt reactors include readily available fuel,low nuclear proliferation risk,and low technical difficulty.It is potentially the most easily commercialized fuel cycle mode for molten salt reactors.However,there are some problems in the parameter selection of once-through molten salt reactors,and the relevant burnup optimization work requires further analysis.This study examined once-through graphitemoderated molten salt reactor using enriched uranium and thori...     

径向步进倒料行波堆的数值研究

行波堆是一种可实现自持增殖-燃耗的新概念快堆,它可直接使用天然铀、贫铀、钍等可转换核材料,实现非常高的燃料利用率。基于行波堆的原理,提出了具有现实应用价值的径向步进倒料行波堆的概念,并将其与典型钠冷快堆的设计相结合,采用数值方法对由外而内的径向步进行波堆二维渐近稳态特性进行了研究。计算结果表明:渐近keff随倒料循环周期近似抛物线分布,而渐近燃耗随倒料循环周期线性增长,满足临界条件的倒料循环周期中最大燃耗可达38%;堆芯功率峰随着倒料循环周期的增长,从燃料卸出区(堆芯中心)向燃料导入区(堆芯外围)移动,功率峰值逐渐降低,在高燃耗情况下,靠近堆芯中心的轴向功率分布呈M形。