A Controllability Study of TRUMOX Fuel for Load Following Operations in a CANDU-900 Reactor

Abstract

Using a core model of a generic CANDU-900¹ reactor in RFSP-IST², load following simulations have been performed to assess the controllability of the reactor due to Xenon transients. Week long load following simulations have been performed with daily power cycles 12 hours in duration. Simulations have shown that Natural Uranium fuel can be safely cycled between 100 and 90% Full Power without adjuster rod movement while TRUMOX fuel can be safely cycled between 100 and 85% Full Power.