Masters Theses

Keywords and Phrases

Advanced Fuels Campaign; Uranium Nitride; Uranium Silicide

Abstract

"To improve the reliability and robustness of LWR, accident tolerant nuclear fuels and cladding materials are being developed to possibly replace the current UO2/zirconium system. This research highlights UN and U3Si2, two of the most favorable accident tolerant fuels being developed. To evaluate the commercial feasiblilty of these fuels, two areas of research were conducted. Chemical fabrication routes for both fuels were investigated in detail, considering UO2 and UF6 as potential starting materials. Potential pathways for industrial scale fabrication using these methods were discussed.

Neutronic performance of 70%UN-30%U3Si2 composite was evaluated in MNCP using PWR assembly and core models. The results showed comparable performance to an identical UO2 fueled simulation with the same configuration. The parameters simulated for composite and oxide fuel include the following: fuel to moderator ratio curves; energy dependent flux spectra; temperature coefficients for fuel and moderator; delayed neutron fractions; power peaking factors; axial and radial flux profiles in 2D and 3D; burnup; critical boron concentration; and shutdown margin. Overall, the neutronic parameters suggest that the transition from UO2 to composite in existing nuclear systems will not require significant changes in operating procedures or modifications to standards and regulations"--Abstract, page iii.

Advisor(s)

Alajo, Ayodeji Babatunde

Committee Member(s)

Castano Giraldo, Carlos Henry
Schlegel, Joshua P.

Department(s)

Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science

Degree Name

M.S. in Nuclear Engineering

Publisher

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Publication Date

Spring 2017

Pagination

ix, 63 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (pages 59-62).

Rights

© 2017 Benjamin Joseph Prewitt

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Thesis Number

T 11113

Electronic OCLC #

992440947

Download

Share

 
COinS