FUEL ASSEMBLY OF PRESSURE-TUBE REACTOR WITH PROFILED FUEL Russian patent published in 2009 - IPC G21C3/00 

FIELD: engines and pumps.

SUBSTANCE: invention refers to designs of fuel assemblies of pressure-tube reactors of pressure-tube high-power reactors, which use nuclear fuel on the basis of uranium dioxide with burnable absorber in the form of erbium oxide. Fuel assembly of pressure-tube reactor with profiled fuel consists of fuel elements filled with fuel pellets made from uranium dioxide, which is enriched with uranium-235, by adding erbium oxide (Er₂O₃). In upper and lower fuel assembly parts, the fuel has uranium-235 enrichment of 2.4 wt % to 2.6 wt % and includes 0.2 wt % to 0.4 wt % of erbium. In central part of the fuel assembly, the fuel has uranium-235 enrichment of 3.0 wt % to 3.3 wt % and includes 0.6 wt % to 0.8 wt % of erbium.

EFFECT: when using the invention at its being loaded to pressure-tube high-power reactor, there can be increased fuel burn-out fraction, decreased the flow rate of fuel assemblies for feeding the reactor and storage volumes of burnup fuel, reduced steam coefficient of reactivity, thus there can be improved effectiveness and safe operation of reactor.

4 cl