Equilibrium Cycle Design for LLFPs Transmutation in PWRs

The performance of the pressurized water reactor (PWR) for the transmutation treatment of long lived fission products (LLFPs) was evaluated. The LLFPs selected in the transmutation analysis include ⁹⁹Tc and ¹²⁹I discharged from spent nuclear fuel, based on the inventory and the radiotoxicity evaluation. The isotope ¹²⁷I was also considered to avoid the separation. By loading the transmutation targets (metallic forms of technetium and magnesium iodide) with the inert matrix material ZrH₂ in the control rod tube, the fuel cycles in different shuffle design patterns were simulated and studied. Based on these results, equilibrium fuel cycle might be achieved and sound transmutation performance can be obtained in the PWR. However, the fuel shuffle schemes were limited by present transmutation assembly design pattern.