Determination of the combined effect of boron and gadolinia on the reactivity and safety parameters of (U, Th)O-2 fuel

Uguru, E. H. and Abdul Sani, Siti Fairus and Khandaker, M. U. and Rabir, M. H. and Karim, J. A. (2020) Determination of the combined effect of boron and gadolinia on the reactivity and safety parameters of (U, Th)O-2 fuel. In: International Nuclear Science Technology and Engineering Conference 20199 (INUSTEC2019), 29-31 October 2019, UKM, Bangi, Selanogr, Malaysia.

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Abstract

This study investigated the combined effect of boron in light water moderator and gadolinia in fuel on the neutronic properties of (U, Th)O-2 fuel in Westinghouse small modular reactor. The reactivity control of boron and gadolinia, and the potential of gadolinia in increasing thermal conductivity of its mixed fuel pellet motivated this study. Monte Carlo N -particle code integrated with CINDER90 was used for the calculations. Four fuel assemblies were used: one without boron and gadolinia, one with borated water only while the other two contained borated water plus 16 and 24 gadolinia fuel rods in each of the FAs. The BOC safety parameters was calculated at hot zero power (293.6 K) and hot full power (600 K). The results showed that the moderator temperature coefficient of reactivity was highest in FA without boron and gadolinia and smallest in FA containing boron plus 24 gadolinia fuel rods, while a reverse phenomenon was observed for the fuel temperature coefficient of reactivity. The effective delayed neutron fraction was slightly larger in FA without neutron absorber. The results show that boron and gadolinia decreased significantly the MTC but increased FTC slightly in addition to their initial neutron multiplication suppression role.

Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Funders: University of Malaya, Malaysia through the Research University Grant Faculty Programme
Additional Information: 8th International Nuclear Science, Technology and Engineering Conference (iNuSTEC), Univ Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Malaysia, Oct 29-31, 2019
Subjects: Q Science > QC Physics
Divisions: Faculty of Science > Department of Physics
Depositing User: Ms Zaharah Ramly
Date Deposited: 13 Apr 2023 04:54
Last Modified: 13 Apr 2023 04:54
URI: http://eprints.um.edu.my/id/eprint/37197

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