Electron accelerator driven subcritical system loaded with spent nuclear fuel

Abstract

We study an electron accelerator driven subcritical system (eADS) to burn the spent nuclear fuel, the eADS core is similar to a typical pressurized water reactor (PWR). The physical mechanism to produce neutrons by electron beams in eADS is different to the spallation neutron source used in the proton accelerator driven ADS system.

Loading spent nuclear fuel to eADS core save considerable amount of enriched nuclear fuel, but loading spent nuclear fuel leads to the uneven neutron flux distribution and the excessive high power peaking factors which is adverse to the safe operation of eADS reactor. After rearranging the spent fuel loading pattern in the subsequent fuel cycle, calculation results indicate that eADS only needs 2.4 % enrichment fuel assemblies to be loaded to its periphery area, rest of 2/3 core area charged with spent nuclear fuel can flatten the neutron flux and reduce power peaking factors ideally.

eADS saves considerable amount of expensive enriched nuclear fuel and operate in much safer subcritical operation condition, eADS also eliminates the control rod requirement which is necessary in a typical PWRs to control the nuclear fission reactions. eADS is promising to burn spent nuclear fuel and generate electric power simultaneously.