ANALYSIS OF FUEL REUTILIZATION AND ITS EFFECT ON EFFECTIVE MULTIPLICATION FACTOR OF AP1000 REACTOR

• Main Author: Azzakki S, Rohmatullah
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/83924
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

The need for energy is increasing, while the threat of global warming is getting closer. Nuclear reactors that do not produce direct carbon emissions can be used as an energy source. Nuclear reactors are not free from problems, one of which is nuclear fuel residue. This fuel residue is in the form of pins that have been used, but still contain fissile materials. There is an option to reutilize the remaining fuel, but reutilization can affect the parameter of reactor, one of which is the multiplication factor. Therefore, a study was conducted to determine the effect of fuel reutilization on the multiplication factor of the AP1000 reactor. The study was conducted by simulation on the SRAC code system and the COREBN module. The equations used in the simulation are related to the neutron transport equation, neutron diffusion, collision probability method, cell and core burn-up calculation, multiplication factor, and nuclide number density. In SRAC, simulations of pins, FA, reactor cores, and cell burn-up were carried out. In COREBN, simulations of burn-up on the reactor core were carried out for various cases. From SRAC, several results were obtained such as kinf of pins, kinf of FAs, and keff of reactor core. The kinf results from the FA simulation have a relatively large error. The error in keff of reactor core at CZP condition is 1,921%. From COREBN, the keff of reactor core and the level of U-235 usage values are obtained throughout the cycle. In the 540-day period case, a comparison is made with the reference value. In the 360-day period cases, there are 2 cases with keff values falling below 1. For the 240-day period cases, the keff value is above 1 for all cases. The level of U-235 usage tends to be greater in FA with lower enrichment. Reutilizing fuel will decrease the keff value, with a greater decrease in fuel with lower U-235 concentration.