Thorium as a suitable fertile with higher natural resources in comparison with uranium resources has been remarkably considered by different nuclear energy user countries in the last decades. Its prominent features su...Thorium as a suitable fertile with higher natural resources in comparison with uranium resources has been remarkably considered by different nuclear energy user countries in the last decades. Its prominent features such as suitable possibility for power flattening of a nuclear reactor, applicable breeder blanket to produce^(233)U fissile as well as neutron leakage prevention from a nuclear core has caused its application as power flatter, breeder material or other aimed utilizations be evaluated by the researches. In the present study, neutronics of a modeled CANDU 6loaded with Th O_2 and UO_2fuel rods have been computationally studied. The study aimed at reprocessing of burned Th O_2 seeds at CANDU 6 reactor to recover the total produced uranium, which is to be going under another compound fuel cycle. The obtained results showed all the core reactivity coefficients are sufficiently negative. The modeled core 949 GWd burn-up concluding in 99.99 %depletion of^(235)U initial loads. 18.38 kg of^(233) U was produced in the burnt Th O_2 fuel after 1-year burn-up time. In addition, 31.84 kg of^(239) Pu was produced in the UO_2 spent fuel rods after the burn-up time. After a proposed cooling time, about 50.01 kg of^(233)U will be available in the spent Th O_2 fuel.展开更多
文摘Thorium as a suitable fertile with higher natural resources in comparison with uranium resources has been remarkably considered by different nuclear energy user countries in the last decades. Its prominent features such as suitable possibility for power flattening of a nuclear reactor, applicable breeder blanket to produce^(233)U fissile as well as neutron leakage prevention from a nuclear core has caused its application as power flatter, breeder material or other aimed utilizations be evaluated by the researches. In the present study, neutronics of a modeled CANDU 6loaded with Th O_2 and UO_2fuel rods have been computationally studied. The study aimed at reprocessing of burned Th O_2 seeds at CANDU 6 reactor to recover the total produced uranium, which is to be going under another compound fuel cycle. The obtained results showed all the core reactivity coefficients are sufficiently negative. The modeled core 949 GWd burn-up concluding in 99.99 %depletion of^(235)U initial loads. 18.38 kg of^(233) U was produced in the burnt Th O_2 fuel after 1-year burn-up time. In addition, 31.84 kg of^(239) Pu was produced in the UO_2 spent fuel rods after the burn-up time. After a proposed cooling time, about 50.01 kg of^(233)U will be available in the spent Th O_2 fuel.
