Burn-up Credit Criticality Benchmark - Phase IV-B

Phase IV-B: Results and Analysis of MOX Fuel Depletion Calculations

ISBN : 92-64-02124-8
Adobe Acrobat PDF Document - on 3/25/20 at 6:29 PM
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The OECD/NEA Expert Group on Burn-up Credit was established in 1991 to address scientific and technical issues connected with the use of burn-up credit in nuclear fuel cycle operations. Following the completion of six benchmark exercises with uranium oxide (UOX) fuels irradiated in pressurised water reactors (PWRs) and boiling water reactors (BWRs), the present report concerns mixed uranium and plutonium oxide (MOX) fuels irradiated in PWRs.

The exercises consisted of inventory calculations of MOX fuels for two initial plutonium compositions. The depletion calculations were carried out using three representations of the MOX assemblies and their interface with UOX assemblies. This enabled the investigation of the spatial and spectral effects during the irradiation of the MOX fuels.