Burnup Credit Feasibility for BWR Spent Fuel Shipments

Burnup Credit Feasibility for BWR Spent Fuel Shipments
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 5
Release: 1990
Genre:
ISBN:

Considerable interest in the allowance of reactivity credit for the exposure history of power reactor fuel currently exists. This burnup credit'' issue has the potential to greatly reduce risk and cost when applied to the design and certification of spent of fuel casks used for transportation and storage. Analyses1 have shown the feasibility estimated the risk and economic incentives for allowing burnup credit in pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent fuel shipping cask applications. This paper summarizes the extension of the previous PWR feasibility assessments to boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel. As with the PWR analysis, the purpose was not verification of burnup credit (see ref. 2 for ongoing work in this area) but a reasonable assessment of the feasibility and potential gains from its use in BWR applications. This feasibility analysis aims to apply simple methods that adequately characterize the time-dependent isotopic compositions of typical BWR fuel. An initial analysis objective was to identify a simple and reliable method for characterizing BWR spent fuel. The method includes characterization of a typical pin-cell spectrum, using a one-dimensional (1-D) model of a BWR assembly. The calculated spectrum allows burnup-dependent few-group material constants to be generated. Point depletion methods were then used to obtain the time-varying characteristics of the fuel. These simple methods were validated, where practical, with multidimensional methods. 6 refs., 1 tab.

Feasibility Assessment of Burnup Credit in the Criticality Analysis of Shipping Casks with Boiling Water Reactor Spent Fuel

Feasibility Assessment of Burnup Credit in the Criticality Analysis of Shipping Casks with Boiling Water Reactor Spent Fuel
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 44
Release: 1991
Genre:
ISBN:

Considerable interest in the allowance of reactivity credit for the exposure history of power reactor fuel currently exists. This burnup credit'' issue has the potential to greatly reduce risk and cost when applied to the design and certification of spent fuel casks used for transportation and storage. Recently, analyses have demonstrated the technical feasibility and estimated the risk and economic incentives for allowing burnup credit in pressurized water reactor (PWR) spent fuel shipping cask applications. This report summarizes the extension of the previous PWR technical feasibility assessment to boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel. This feasibility analysis aims to apply simple methods that adequately characterize the time-dependent isotopic compositions of typical BWR fuel. An initial analysis objective was to identify a simple and reliable method for characterizing BWR spent fuel. Two different aspects of fuel characterization were considered:l first, the generation of burn- up dependent material interaction probabilities; second, the prediction of material inventories over time (depletion). After characterizing the spent fuel at various stages of exposure and decay, three dimensional (3-D) models for an infinite array of assemblies and, in several cases, infinite arrays of assemblies in a typical shipping cask basket were analyzed. Results for assemblies without a basket provide reactivity control requirements as a function of burnup and decay, while results including the basket allow assessment of typical basket configurations to provide sufficient reactivity control for spent BWR fuel. Resulting basket worths and reactivity trends over time are then evaluated to determine whether burnup credit is needed and feasible in BWR applications.

Review and Prioritization of Technical Issues Related to Burnup Credit for Bwr Fuel

Review and Prioritization of Technical Issues Related to Burnup Credit for Bwr Fuel
Author: U.s. Nuclear Reglatory Commission
Publisher: CreateSpace
Total Pages: 102
Release: 2014-05-20
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9781499629750

This report has been prepared to support technical discussion of and planning for future research supporting implementation of burnup credit for boiling-water reactor (BWR) spent fuel storage in spent fuel pools and storage and transport cask applications. The review and discussion in this report are based on knowledge and experience gained from work performed in the United States and other countries, including experience with burnup credit for pressurized-water reactor (PWR) spent fuel. Relevant physics and analysis phenomena are identified, and an assessment of their importance to burnup credit implementation is given. Results from sensitivity studies of some of the key phenomena are presented.

Practices and Developments in Spent Fuel Burnup Credit Applications

Practices and Developments in Spent Fuel Burnup Credit Applications
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 464
Release: 2003
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN:

Documents the proceedings of the IAEA's third major BUC meeting in Madrid in April 2002 on requirements, practices and developments in BUC applications. Fifty-four participants from 18 countries addressed validation of codes and methods, key issues, safety assessment and implementation, and future applications.