An optimization scheme for selecting alternative fuels in CANDU-6 reactor

Abstract

We use DRAGON and DONJON codes and standard CANDU-6 models to develop a fuel management calculations sequence based on both time-average and instantaneous approaches that discriminates fuels along the modelling refinement process. This low computer time cost methodology provided various fuel management important quantities, such as average exit burnup and refueling frequency, and criterion for selecting best alternative fuels. The method is applied to natural uranium reference fuel cycle and to an advanced thorium-DUPIC fuel cycle for which we quantify fertile conversion. Results show that viable and exploitable thorium-DUPIC fuel cycle could be an interesting option in CANDU-6 reactor.