ThO2 has been considered as a possible replacement for UO2 fuel for future generation of nuclear reactors, and thorium-based mixed oxide (Th-MOX) fuel performance in a light water reactor was investigated due to better neutronics properties and proliferation resistance compared to conventional UO2 fuel. In this study, the thermal, mechanical properties of Th0.923U0.077O2 and Th0.923Pu0.077O2 fuel were reviewed with updated properties and compared with UO2 fuel, and the corresponding fuel performance in a light water reactor under normal operation conditions were also analyzed and compared by using CAMPUS code. The Th0.923U0.077O2 fuel were found to decrease the fuel centerline temperature, while Th0.923Pu0.077O2 fuel was found to have a bit higher fuel centerline temperature than UO2 fuel at the beginning of fuel burnup, and then much lower fuel centerline than UO2 fuel at high fuel burnup. The Th0.923U0.077O2 fuel was found to have lowest fuel centerline temperature, fission gas release and plenum pressure. While the Th0.923Pu0.077O2 fuel was found to have earliest gap closure time with much less fission gas release and much lower plenum pressure compared to UO2 fuel. So the fuel performance could be expected to be improved by applying Th0.923U0.077O2 and Th0.923Pu0.077O2 fuel.
Effect of Burnable Absorbers on Inert Matrix Fuel Performance and Transuranic Burnup in a Low Power Density Light-Water Reactor
