Burnable Poison: A Solution for Fuel Management in 1.2% SEU Fueled CANDU 6 MKI Core

Abstract

Utilization of burnable poison for the SEU fueled CANOU 6Mkl core is proposed The main incentives for this proposal are the reduction of void reactivity effects - due to increased fuel absorption - and the achievement of better axial as well as radial power shape control. The latter allows the preservation of construction parameters of the standard core (e.g. number and location of reactivity devices). It also permits the use of regular shift fueling schemes, as opposed to the more involved "advanced schemes" , usually proposed for the SEU fueled core. Burnable poison is a good solution especially for the enrichments exceeding 1% 235U. The paper makes an analysis of a 1.2% SEU - boron added - fueled CANDU 6Mkl core. Comparison is made to a reference case consisting of a 1.2% SEU - no boron - CANDU core. Two-, and four-bundle regular shift schemes are considered for the boron case. A two-bundle regular shift scheme is used for the reference case.