Fertile Free Fuels for Plutonium and Minor Actinides Burning in LWRs

The feasibility of using various uranium-free fuels for plutonium incineration in present light water reactors is investigated. Two major categories of inert matrix fuels are studied: composite ceramic fuel particles dispersed in another ceramic matrix (CERCER) and ceramic fuel particles dispersed into a metallic matrix (CERMET). In the category of CERCER, the current world wide research effort has been focused on three matrix candidates: (1) Spinel (MgAl2O4); (2) CeO2, and (3) MgO. In contrast, there are still no emerging commonly accepted matrix candidates for a CERMET. The fuel may consist of plutonium, minor actinides (MA), or both which are termed trans-uranium (TRU) fuel. The transmutation rate and the transmuted fraction of initial loadings are calculated using CASMO-4. Different inert matrix fuels have similar burning abilities in terms of how much and how fast the Pu, MA or TRU can be burned, and they are all superior to the mixed UO2-PuO2 (MOX) fuel. From this point of view, there is no good reason to favor one inert matrix over another. The burning rates in terms of kg/(GWe-Year) of different inert matrix fuels are quite stable with regard to changing the moderation level (or H/HM ratio) in the core. Changing initial loadings and changing power densities can not result in large change in the burned percentage of initial loadings and burning rate. Lack of U-238 and the neutronic characteristics of plutonium lead to degradation of safety related kinetic parameters. It is found that various inert matrix fuels have similar values for the Doppler coefficient, moderator temperature coefficient, void coefficient, boron worth and effective delayed