Table 14.3 summarizes TRU compositions and weights of fissile plutonium and
TRU of charged and discharged fuels in the RBWR-AC, -TB, and -TB2. In evaluation of the discharged fuel compositions, a 3-year cooling time after discharge from
the core is considered. Because the RBWR-AC and -TB satisfy the multi-recycling
criteria under the condition that both reactors charge TRUs that were discharged
from themselves, the TRU compositions of the RBWR-AC and -TB are kept the
same in the charged and discharged fuels. The weights of fissile plutonium and TRU
increase slightly in the discharged fuel in the RBWR-AC, the break-even reactor,
whereas they decrease in the discharged fuel in the RBWR-TB, the TRU burner. As
TRUs from LWR spent fuels are added to TRUs discharged from the RBWR-TB2
itself, the TRU composition of their mixture is to be the same at every operation
cycle with the constant mixing ratio of TRUs discharged from the RBWR-TB2 and
LWR. The weight of TRU decreases in the discharged fuel in the RBWR-TB2.
14.3 Conclusion
The specific design and core characteristics of the RBWR were summarized from a
review of published studies. The RBWR is categorized as a low moderation LWR.
By utilizing a tight lattice fuel and two-phase flow of coolant, the latter of which is a
Table 14.3 Trans-uranium (TRU) composition and Puf/TRU weight per fuel batch [3]
Nuclide
RBWR-AC
RBWR-TB
RBWR-TB2
Charge Discharge
a
Charge Discharge
a
Charge Discharge
a
LWR spent
fuel
Np-237
0.4
0.4
0.1
0.1
1.9
1.4
6.7
Pu-238
2.9
2.9
4.7
4.7
6.3
6.7
2.8
Pu-239
43.5
43.5
9.5
9.5
27.7
25.5
48.8
Pu-240
36.3
36.3
39.5
39.6
38.5
40.1
23
Pu-241
5.1
5.1
4.4
4.4
5.5
5.4
7
Pu-242
5.1
5.1
25.4
25.4
9.6
10.1
5
Am-241
3.6
3.6
4.7
4.7
5.4
5.4
4.7
Am-242m
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0
Am-243
1.3
1.3
4.7
4.7
2.4
2.4
1.5
Cm-244
1.1
1.1
4.1
4
1.8
2
0.5
Cm-245
0.4
0.4
1.2
1.2
0.5
0.6
0
Cm-246
0.1
0.1
1
1
0.2
0.2
0
Cm-247
0
0
0.2
0.2
0
0
0
Cm-248
0
0
0.2
0.2
0
0
0
Cm-249
0
0
0.1
0.1
0
0
0
Puf(t)
1.94
1.96
1.14
1.06
2.06
1.74
0.32
TRU(t)
3.99
4.03
8.18
7.62
6.20
5.63
0.58
a
Three-year cooling time after discharge was assumed
14 Application of the Resource-Renewable Boiling Water Reactor for TRU. . .
153
TRU of charged and discharged fuels in the RBWR-AC, -TB, and -TB2. In evaluation of the discharged fuel compositions, a 3-year cooling time after discharge from
the core is considered. Because the RBWR-AC and -TB satisfy the multi-recycling
criteria under the condition that both reactors charge TRUs that were discharged
from themselves, the TRU compositions of the RBWR-AC and -TB are kept the
same in the charged and discharged fuels. The weights of fissile plutonium and TRU
increase slightly in the discharged fuel in the RBWR-AC, the break-even reactor,
whereas they decrease in the discharged fuel in the RBWR-TB, the TRU burner. As
TRUs from LWR spent fuels are added to TRUs discharged from the RBWR-TB2
itself, the TRU composition of their mixture is to be the same at every operation
cycle with the constant mixing ratio of TRUs discharged from the RBWR-TB2 and
LWR. The weight of TRU decreases in the discharged fuel in the RBWR-TB2.
14.3 Conclusion
The specific design and core characteristics of the RBWR were summarized from a
review of published studies. The RBWR is categorized as a low moderation LWR.
By utilizing a tight lattice fuel and two-phase flow of coolant, the latter of which is a
Table 14.3 Trans-uranium (TRU) composition and Puf/TRU weight per fuel batch [3]
Nuclide
RBWR-AC
RBWR-TB
RBWR-TB2
Charge Discharge
a
Charge Discharge
a
Charge Discharge
a
LWR spent
fuel
Np-237
0.4
0.4
0.1
0.1
1.9
1.4
6.7
Pu-238
2.9
2.9
4.7
4.7
6.3
6.7
2.8
Pu-239
43.5
43.5
9.5
9.5
27.7
25.5
48.8
Pu-240
36.3
36.3
39.5
39.6
38.5
40.1
23
Pu-241
5.1
5.1
4.4
4.4
5.5
5.4
7
Pu-242
5.1
5.1
25.4
25.4
9.6
10.1
5
Am-241
3.6
3.6
4.7
4.7
5.4
5.4
4.7
Am-242m
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0
Am-243
1.3
1.3
4.7
4.7
2.4
2.4
1.5
Cm-244
1.1
1.1
4.1
4
1.8
2
0.5
Cm-245
0.4
0.4
1.2
1.2
0.5
0.6
0
Cm-246
0.1
0.1
1
1
0.2
0.2
0
Cm-247
0
0
0.2
0.2
0
0
0
Cm-248
0
0
0.2
0.2
0
0
0
Cm-249
0
0
0.1
0.1
0
0
0
Puf(t)
1.94
1.96
1.14
1.06
2.06
1.74
0.32
TRU(t)
3.99
4.03
8.18
7.62
6.20
5.63
0.58
a
Three-year cooling time after discharge was assumed
14 Application of the Resource-Renewable Boiling Water Reactor for TRU. . .
153