GB2215114A - Fuel elements containing burnable poison - Google Patents
Fuel elements containing burnable poison Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2215114A GB2215114A GB8827422A GB8827422A GB2215114A GB 2215114 A GB2215114 A GB 2215114A GB 8827422 A GB8827422 A GB 8827422A GB 8827422 A GB8827422 A GB 8827422A GB 2215114 A GB2215114 A GB 2215114A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- fuel
- burnable poison
- gadolinia
- pin
- fuel pin
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 239000000446 fuel Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 28
- 239000002574 poison Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 17
- 231100000614 poison Toxicity 0.000 title claims abstract description 17
- CMIHHWBVHJVIGI-UHFFFAOYSA-N gadolinium(iii) oxide Chemical compound [O-2].[O-2].[O-2].[Gd+3].[Gd+3] CMIHHWBVHJVIGI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 28
- 239000003758 nuclear fuel Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 239000008188 pellet Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 5
- PNEYBMLMFCGWSK-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium oxide Inorganic materials [O-2].[O-2].[O-2].[Al+3].[Al+3] PNEYBMLMFCGWSK-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 7
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910010293 ceramic material Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 3
- OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon Chemical compound [C] OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 229910002804 graphite Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 239000010439 graphite Substances 0.000 description 3
- 229910001220 stainless steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 239000010935 stainless steel Substances 0.000 description 3
- CPLXHLVBOLITMK-UHFFFAOYSA-N Magnesium oxide Chemical compound [Mg]=O CPLXHLVBOLITMK-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 238000010521 absorption reaction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000000919 ceramic Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000008030 elimination Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000003379 elimination reaction Methods 0.000 description 2
- ZOXJGFHDIHLPTG-UHFFFAOYSA-N Boron Chemical compound [B] ZOXJGFHDIHLPTG-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052688 Gadolinium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- WGLPBDUCMAPZCE-UHFFFAOYSA-N Trioxochromium Chemical compound O=[Cr](=O)=O WGLPBDUCMAPZCE-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000006096 absorbing agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011358 absorbing material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052796 boron Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910000423 chromium oxide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- UIWYJDYFSGRHKR-UHFFFAOYSA-N gadolinium atom Chemical compound [Gd] UIWYJDYFSGRHKR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000011810 insulating material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000395 magnesium oxide Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000009257 reactivity Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005245 sintering Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G21—NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
- G21C—NUCLEAR REACTORS
- G21C3/00—Reactor fuel elements and their assemblies; Selection of substances for use as reactor fuel elements
- G21C3/02—Fuel elements
- G21C3/04—Constructional details
- G21C3/16—Details of the construction within the casing
- G21C3/18—Internal spacers or other non-active material within the casing, e.g. compensating for expansion of fuel rods or for compensating excess reactivity
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E30/00—Energy generation of nuclear origin
- Y02E30/30—Nuclear fission reactors
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
- Monitoring And Testing Of Nuclear Reactors (AREA)
Abstract
A burnable poison such as gadolinia is introduced into a nuclear fuel pin by way of thermal insulating pellets (18) which serve to protect end caps (16) from exposure to the intense heat generated by the fuel (14) during irradiation. The pellets may comprise a sintered mixture of aluminia and gadolinia. <IMAGE>
Description
Fuel elements containing burnable poison
This invention relates to nuclear fuel elements and is particularly concerned with fuel elements of the kind which incorporate a burnable neutron absorber or poison such as gadolinia in order to extend the reactivity lifetime of the fuel.
In a known fuel element-design for AGRs (Advanced
Gas Cooled Reactors) the fuel is in the form of sintered
U02 pellets enclosed within tubular sheaths, known as stainless steel pins, and the fuel element comprises a cluster of such pins within a sleeve of graphite, the pins being located in a generally parallel spaced-apart array by grids/braces located at spaced intervals axially of the sleeve. In such fuel pins, the fuel pellets form a stack enclosed with the stainless steel pin and, in order to protect end caps welded to the ends of the pin, it has been the long standing practice to provide a thermally insulating pellet composed of sintered alumina at each end of the fuel stack.
It is already known (see "Gadolinium burnable poison for high temperature reactors" by J D Noden, CEGB, Berkeley Nuclear Laboratories, published in Nuclear
Engineering International, Vol 18 (107), Pages 641-646) to introduce burnable poison, such as gadolinia or boron, into High Temperature Reactor fuel cores by way of ceramic rods inserted into blind holes in the graphite moderator blocks of the core, the ceramic rods being composed of alumina (A1203) and the burnable poison.
It is also known (see "The use of burnable poisons in AGR initial fuel" by E W Carpenter, CEGB, Berkeley
Nuclear Laboratories, published in Nuclear Engineering, 1967, Vol 12 (April), pages 298-300) to introduce burnable poison into AGR fuel elements by way of cables containing a mixture of magnesia and gadolinia, the cables being wound around the perimeters of the grids and braces which are of U-section.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a nuclear fuel pin comprising a tubular sheath enclosing a column of nuclear fuel material and at least one thermally insulating body composed of a non-fissile ceramic material located between an end of the nuclear fuel column and an adjacent end of the sheath, characterised in that the or each insulating body also contains a burnable poison.
Preferably the non-fissile ceramic material comprises alumina and the burnable poison comprises gadolinia. The insulating body conveniently comprises a pellet of a sintered mixture of alumina and gadolinia.
By introducing the burnable poison into the insulating pellets of a fuel pin or sheath of an AGR fuel element, it becomes feasible to eliminate the burnable poison cables used hitherto and simplify the design of the grid/brace mounting arrangements within the graphite sleeve. This affords benefits in terms of reduction of neutron absorption losses since the absorption crosssections can be reduced by elimination of the cable sheaths, and elimination of the cable sheaths, in turn, allows the grid mounting components to be simplified so that the mass of neutron absorbing material is reduced.
In some applications the gadolinia content of the insulating pellets might be up to about 17 wt/o, but higher gadolinia contents may be used.
Also, according to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a nuclear fuel element comprising a sleeve of neutron moderating material and an array of fuel pins located within the confines of the sleeve, each fuel pin being as defined in said one aspect of the present invention.
The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing, the sole Figure of which is a diagrammatic view in longitudinal section of one end of an AGR fuel pin.
As shown, a nuclear fuel pin in accordance with the invention comprises a sheath 10, typically of stainless steel, terminating at each end in an end cap 12 which is welded to the sheath to seal the interior of the latter.
The sheath 10 encloses a stack of sintered, annular U02 pellets 14 some of which are provided with anti-ratchet grooves 16 into which the sheath is deformed. At each end of the fuel column or stack, the end caps 12 are thermally insulated from the fuel stack by discs 18 of insulating material which, in accordance with the invention are composed of alumina and a burnable poison, preferably gadolinia. The discs 18 may be fabricated in the same manner as the conventional insulating pellets composed of alumina, ie by sintering at high temperature.
Typically the discs have a diameter of the order of 0.57 inch (14.5 mm), a thickness of the order of 0.3 in (7.6 mm) and a gadolinia content of the order of 7.5 wt/o although it will be understood that these parameters may vary according to requirements. The discs may, if desired, be coloured to enable them to be distinguished, eg a small quantity of chromium oxide may be present in the composition in order to impart a distinctive pink colour to the discs to aid identification during fabrication of the fuel pins.
Claims (6)
1. A nuclear fuel pin comprising a tubular sheath enclosing a column of nuclear fuel material and at least one thermally insulating body composed of a non-fissile ceramic material located between an end of the nuclear fuel column and an adjacent end of the sheath, characterised in that the or each insulating body also contains a burnable poison.
2. A fuel pin as claimed in Claim 1 in which the burnable poison comprises gadolinia.
3. A fuel pin as claimed in Claim 1 in which the insulating body comprises a pellet of a sintered mixture of alumina and gadolinia.
4. A fuel pin as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3 in which gadolinia is present, as the burnable poison, in an amount up to 17 wt/o.
5. A fuel element comprising a sleeve of neutron moderating material and an array of fuel pins located within the confines of the sleeve, each fuel pin being as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.
6. A fuel pin substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawing.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZA898941A ZA898941B (en) | 1988-11-24 | 1989-11-23 | Eye-bathing device |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB888802419A GB8802419D0 (en) | 1988-02-03 | 1988-02-03 | Fuel elements containing burnable poison |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB8827422D0 GB8827422D0 (en) | 1988-12-29 |
| GB2215114A true GB2215114A (en) | 1989-09-13 |
Family
ID=10631002
Family Applications (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB888802419A Pending GB8802419D0 (en) | 1988-02-03 | 1988-02-03 | Fuel elements containing burnable poison |
| GB8827422A Withdrawn GB2215114A (en) | 1988-02-03 | 1988-11-24 | Fuel elements containing burnable poison |
Family Applications Before (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB888802419A Pending GB8802419D0 (en) | 1988-02-03 | 1988-02-03 | Fuel elements containing burnable poison |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (2) | GB8802419D0 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0621605A1 (en) * | 1993-04-23 | 1994-10-26 | Studsvik Nuclear Ab | Nuclear fuel rod with failure alleviating means |
Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB918224A (en) * | 1960-06-08 | 1963-02-13 | Gen Dynamics Corp | Improvements in nuclear fuel elements |
| GB1087433A (en) * | 1964-02-21 | 1967-10-18 | Reactor Centrum Nederland | Improvements in fuel elements |
| GB2137012A (en) * | 1983-02-22 | 1984-09-26 | Westinghouse Electric Corp | Burnable absorber coated nuclear fuel |
| EP0137675A1 (en) * | 1983-08-26 | 1985-04-17 | Westinghouse Electric Corporation | Coating a nuclear fuel with a burnable poison |
-
1988
- 1988-02-03 GB GB888802419A patent/GB8802419D0/en active Pending
- 1988-11-24 GB GB8827422A patent/GB2215114A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB918224A (en) * | 1960-06-08 | 1963-02-13 | Gen Dynamics Corp | Improvements in nuclear fuel elements |
| GB1087433A (en) * | 1964-02-21 | 1967-10-18 | Reactor Centrum Nederland | Improvements in fuel elements |
| GB2137012A (en) * | 1983-02-22 | 1984-09-26 | Westinghouse Electric Corp | Burnable absorber coated nuclear fuel |
| EP0137675A1 (en) * | 1983-08-26 | 1985-04-17 | Westinghouse Electric Corporation | Coating a nuclear fuel with a burnable poison |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0621605A1 (en) * | 1993-04-23 | 1994-10-26 | Studsvik Nuclear Ab | Nuclear fuel rod with failure alleviating means |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB8827422D0 (en) | 1988-12-29 |
| GB8802419D0 (en) | 1988-03-02 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |