Conceptual Design of Spent NuScale-Derived DUPIC Fuel in CANDU Reactors to Reduce Spent Fuel Inventory

Abstract

A conceptual design of a NuScale Small Modular Reactor derived DUPIC (Direct Use of spent PWR fuel In CANDU reactors)fuel bundle design is proposed in this work with the overall objective of reducing the spent fuel footprint in Canada. The DUPIC nuclear fuel cycle, which was developed by Atomic Energy of Canada Limitedand Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute, has been researched in China and Korea for many years in irradiating PWR derived spent fuel in CANDU reactors. Preliminary thermal analyses of the conceptualfuel bundle design, which has a similar geometry as a Bruce 37-element bundle, has demonstrated that it experiencessimilarfuel temperatures compared to a standard Bruce37-element CANDU bundle under the same neutron flux. This work, which contributed to an undergraduate capstone project, generally looks towards the potential applications of CANDU reactors in reducing the NuScale SMR's spent fuel inventory.