Nuclear Fuel Cycle

MIDDLE
SECTION
amjad@pieas.edu.pk 1
Important Points in Middle Section of NFC
• Selection of the best fuel management scheme
from the point of view of reactor performance
• Influence of the fuel management scheme on fuel
cycle cost and fuel utilization
• A fuel management scheme influences various
reactor parameters, which in turn have an
important effect on one or more of the three
basic components of nuclear power cost:
─ Capital cost
─ Fuel cycle cost
─ Operation & maintenance cost
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 Middle Section of NFC
• Fuel Loading Schemes
• Fuel Re-shuffling
• Time Dependent Composition of Fuel
• Time Dependent Mechanical Properties of
Fuel
• Conversion Ratio of System (production of
fissionable material from fertile material)

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 Within the Reactor
• Fuel Management Requirements:
– Remain critical while fuel composition and
reactivity changes
– Shape the power density to max power output
– Max. heat production from fuel
– Uniform irradiation of fuel
– Max. productive use of neutrons
 Definitions
• Availability - % of time over a reporting period
that the plant is operational
• Capacity - % of total electric power that could
be produced
• Efficiency - Energy output per thermal energy
output of the reactor
Efficiency, η = W/QR (MWe/MWt)
 Definitions
• Breeder- More than 1 fissile atom produced for every
fissile atom consumed, C > 1
• Converter- C = 1
• Burner- No conversion or breeding

• Burn-up - Total energy released for a given amount of

fuel (MWd)
• Specific burn-up - Energy released per unit of mass
(MWd/t) or (MWd/kg)
• Fractional burn-up (b)
# fission / # heavy atoms
 Steps to Decrease Fuel Consumption
or to Prolong Fuel Life

i) Increase Fuel Burnup:

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Increasing Fuel Burnup
 Fuel Shuffling
• Every year PWR-1/3 or BWR 1/4 of the core is
removed and the core is reloaded
• New fuel is shuffled into the core:

– Zone/Out-In loading
– Scattering/Checkerboard loading
– Modified Scatter/Low-Leakage loading
 OUT-IN Refueling Scheme: SCATTER/Checkerboard Refueling Scheme:
0 = fresh fuel 0 = fresh fuel
1 = fuel burned in one previous cycle 1 = fuel burned in one previous cycle
2 = fuel burned in two previous cycles 2 = fuel burned in two previous cycles
Zone Loading

Advantage
uniform burn-up
where the flux is
uniform
Disadvantage
where the flux is not
uniform, higher enriched
fuel is used to compensate
 Scattering Loading

Advantages
1. can be irradiated to
a higher burn-up
2. less poisons for control

Disadvantages
1. fuel movement takes
41231234123 more time to perform

1234123
 Fuel Shuffling
In order to avoid pressure vessel radiation damage:
• Reduce neutron flux
• Without reducing power
• & without violating safety limits by doing:
– Place only burned assemblies in core periphery
– Relocate certain assemblies from critical points
– Replace certain peripheral assemblies with stainless
steel dummies
– Place attenuating materials b/w core edge & vessel
– Use burnable poison in peripheral elements
LOW-LEAKAGE
Core Refueling
Scheme:

0 = fresh fuel
1 = fuel burned
in one previous
cycle
2 = fuel burned
in two previous
cycles
3 = fuel burned
in three
previous cycles
Modified Scatter Loading
Fig 6.12
Fig 6.13
 Length of Fuel Cycle/Refueling Cycle
Fuel cycles can normally be of:

• 12-months
• 18-months
• 24-months

Longer fuel cycles are advantageous due to:

• Availability & thus plant factor increase

• Reduced need of replacement power during refueling
• Lower radiation exposure to operating personnel
 Burnup Measurement Techniques
1. Direct Measurement:
Fuel still in reactor, in-core flux probes are used.
2. Indirect Measurement:
Measurement based on burnup indicators after fuel
is discharged from core.
─ Activity: A(Cs137)
─ Activity ratio: A(Cs134) / A(Cs137)
─ Activity ratio: Ro = A(Ru106) A(Cs137) / [A(Cs134)]2
Burnup is then measured using respective
correlations
 Planning for Refueling
Refueling is either done during:
shutdown or on-line (CANDU/RBMK)
─ Proper refueling window (time of lowest demand)
─ To be completed as quick as possible
─ All maintenance has to be done during this outage
─ Planning for a refueling outage is started six months
before the planned refueling operation
─ A proper CPM/PERT planning schedule is developed
and followed/updated at every step
 Refueling Tasks
1. Shutdown activities prior to reloading
operations
2. Unloading the fuel
3. Fuel inspection (sipping)
4. Work on in-vessel (internals) and ex-vessel
equipment
5. Reloading the fuel and closing the vessel
6. Equipment inspections and repair before startup
7. Startup tests
 Maintenance Activities
A tentative list applying to LWRs can be:
1. Reactor vessel (inspection/cleaning)
2. Steam generators (inspection/cleaning/flushing)
3. Reactor coolant pumps (inspection/cleaning)
4. Turbine generator (inspection/cleaning/replacement)
5. Control rods (inspection for wear/replacement)
6. Pressurizer (nozzle inspection/replacement)
7. Moisture separator reheater (inspection/replacement)
8. Reactor coolant system (cleanup to reduce activity)
9. Containment (integrity/leak test, PWR/BWR)
 Maintenance Activities
10. Fuel assemblies (inspection for leak/damage)
11. Fuel handling system (inspection/testing)
12. In-core instrumentation (detector/probe replacement)
13. Ex-core instrumentation (testing/replacement)
14. Diesel generators (inspection/testing)
15. Service water system (piping inspection)
16. Valves (motor-operated/electromagnetic)
17. Residual heat removal system (core/pumps/motors)
18. Cooling tower (inspection/overhaul)
Radiation Exposure during Refueling
Refueling activities are a major source of radiation
exposure to personnel at NPP

Annual limit of exposure for radiation workers

20 mSv

“ALARA”
As low as reasonable achievable