Conceptual Engineering of CARA Fuel Element with Negative Void Coefficient for Atucha II

<table class="table-group" id="tab4"><tr><td><table class="table"><tr><td class="thead-hr" colspan="8"><hr/></td></tr><tr class="thead"><td align="left">FUEL</td><td align="center">1st ring</td><td align="center">2nd ring</td><td align="center">3rd ring</td><td align="center">4th ring</td><td align="center">PPF</td><td align="center">Void coeff (mK)</td><td align="center">Ref. cost (mill$/KWh)</td></tr><tr><td class="thead-hr" colspan="8"><hr/></td></tr><tr><td align="left">Atucha II original</td><td align="center">nat</td><td align="center">nat</td><td align="center">nat</td><td align="center">nat</td><td align="center">1.098</td><td align="center">15.36</td><td align="center">6.46</td></tr><tr><td align="left">CARA <svg height="13.425" id="M6" style="vertical-align:-2.29482pt" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 36.075001 13.425" width="36.075001" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
<g transform="matrix(1.25,0,0,-1.25,0,13.425)">
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<text transform="matrix(1,0,0,-1,-71.95,63.6)">
<tspan style="font-size: 12.50px; " x="0" y="0">𝜌</tspan>
<tspan style="font-size: 12.50px; " x="9.7398367" y="0">&lt;</tspan>
<tspan style="font-size: 12.50px; " x="21.780226" y="0">𝛽</tspan>
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</svg></td><td align="center">2 0.25 cm radius<br/>Dy<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> rods+2<br/>0.35% UO<sub>2</sub> rods</td><td align="center">1.4</td><td align="center">2.4</td><td align="center">1.9</td><td align="center">1.187</td><td align="center">5.36</td><td align="center">3.54</td></tr><tr><td align="left">CARA <svg height="13.55" id="M7" style="vertical-align:-2.29482pt" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 35.174999 13.55" width="35.174999" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
<g transform="matrix(1.25,0,0,-1.25,0,13.55)">
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<tspan style="font-size: 12.50px; " x="0" y="0">𝜌</tspan>
<tspan style="font-size: 12.50px; " x="9.7398367" y="0">&lt;</tspan>
<tspan style="font-size: 12.50px; " x="21.780226" y="0">0</tspan>
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</svg></td><td align="center">2 0.425 cm radius <br/><svg height="14.75" id="M8" style="vertical-align:-3.25793pt" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 42.6875 14.75" width="42.6875" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
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<tspan style="font-size: 12.50px; " x="0" y="0">D</tspan>
<tspan style="font-size: 12.50px; " x="9.0271664" y="0">y</tspan>
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</svg> rods+2<br/>0.35% UO<sub>2</sub> rods</td><td align="center"> 1.4</td><td align="center">2.4</td><td align="center">1.9</td><td align="center">1.22</td><td align="center">−1.54</td><td align="center">4.96</td></tr><tr class="table-tr"><td colspan="8"><hr class="tbody-hr"/></td></tr></table></td></tr></table>

Main results obtained for CARA fuel in Atucha II with safe coolant void coefficient compared with the original Atucha II fuel bundle.

Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations

tab4

Table 4

Table 4: Conceptual Engineering of CARA Fuel Element with Negative Void Coefficient for Atucha II 