The Use of Graphite in CANDU Fuel with Recovered Uranium

Abstract

Introducing recovered uranium(RU) into CANDU reactors derives double energy output due to the neutronic benefit of RU. However the coolant void reactivity at mid-burnup is somewhat increased due to the use of this RU. Therefore, graphite is introduced into the CANDU fuel of recovered uranium to reduce the coolant void reactivity. The lattice characteristics are calculated and analyzed for both 37-element and 43-element(CANFLEX) fuel bundles. The use of graphite rods in the RU bundle will improve the consequence of LOCA, as well as the power coefficient in CANDU reactors.