FUEL CYCLE CONTROL METHOD FOR PRESSURE-TUBE REACTOR Russian patent published in 2003 - IPC

FIELD: nuclear power engineering; optimization of nuclear fuel burn-up process. SUBSTANCE: proposed method for controlling fuel charging processes within reactor implies organization of reactor core in the course of its charging, discharging and program-controlled displacement of fuel assemblies using uranium fuel originally enriched to 2.4% for U²³⁵ and of those using uranium-erbium fuel enriched to 2.6% for U²³⁵ with Eг¹⁶⁷ content of 0.41%. Displaced to peripheral process channels of reactor core are either uranium fuel assemblies where fuel burn-up amounted to 2 800 - 2 900 MW a day per fuel assembly and their discharge is made at burn-up of 3 100 MW a day per fuel assembly or uranium-erbium fuel assemblies where fuel burn-up is 3 100 - 3 200 MW a day per fuel assembly and they are discharged as soon as fuel burn-up reaches 3 500 MW a day per fuel assembly. Peripheral process channels are disposed in area confined within 0.9 1.0 of reactor core radius. EFFECT: enhanced burn-up of fuel assemblies with specified safety level maintained; reduced operating time of fuel assemblies in reactor. 1 cl