Pre-conceptual Fuel Design Concepts for the Canadian Super Critical Water-cooled Reactor

Abstract

The Canadian Supercritical Water Reactor (SCWR) reactor is in the pre-conceptual design phase, as is its fuel. This paper will discuss the currently envisaged Canadian SCWR fuel design and briefly describe its rationale. Physics, thermalhydraulics and fuel performance characteristics of the fuel are discussed and parameters such as coolant void reactivity, acceptable linear element ratings and fuel sheath temperatures are considered. Several different bundle concepts have been examined, including: bundles with the same sized fuel elements in each ring, bundles with smaller pins in the outer ring and bundles with internally-cooled annular fuel elements in the outer ring.