Critical Power Performance of Tight Lattice Bundle

Abstract

An innovative fuel cycle system concept named BARS (BWR with an Advanced Recycle System) has been proposed as a future fuel cycle option aiming at enhanced utilization of uranium resources and reduction of radioactive wastes. In BARS, the spent fuel from conventional light water reactors (LWRs) is recycled as a mixed oxide (MOX) fuel for a BWR core with the fast neutron spectrum by means of oxide dry-processing and vibro-packing fuel fabrication. The fast neutron spectrum is obtained by means of triangular tight fuel lattice. Further study on BARS, especially on tight lattice MOX fuel, has been initiated as a joint study by Toshiba and Gifu University. The objective of this paper is to show the latest progress of the study on BARS, especially concerning the thermal-hydraulics measurements for tight lattice bundle.