Evaluation of high thermal conductivity oxide nuclear fuel concept containing beryllium Conference Paper uri icon

abstract

  • Beryllium oxide (BeO) is proposed as an engineered additive to enhance the thermal conductivity of UO2. Processing methods to fabricate UO 2-10 vol% BeO have been established and a finite element thermal model has been created to predict the behavior of this fuel Further, two-dimensional, infinite lattice neutronic simulations were performed for a typical PWR system. It was determined that the BOC reactivity may increase by 2800 pcm, resulting in and increase in cycle length of 20 days with a potential increase in EOC burnup of 4000 MWd/tHM. Fuel and moderator reactivity coefficients were estimated to be similar those found with pure UO2 fuel.

published proceedings

  • LWR Fuel Performance Meeting/Top Fuel/WRFPM 2010

author list (cited authors)

  • McDeavitt, S. M., Naramore, M., Ragusa, J., Revankar, S. T., Solomon, A. A., & Malone, J.

complete list of authors

  • McDeavitt, SM||Naramore, M||Ragusa, J||Revankar, ST||Solomon, AA||Malone, J

publication date

  • December 2010