Study on reduced-moderation spectrum BWR with an Advanced Recycle System

A study is being evolved on neutronic and thermal characteristics of a fast spectrum BWR core with the tight fuel lattice for an innovative fuel cycle system named BARS (BWR with an Advanced Recycle System) aiming at Pu multi-recycling and MA's (Minor Actinides) burning. The BARS core has unique characteristics: its neutron spectrum is very hard through tight fuel lattice with fuel pin gap of 1.3 mm and it has neutron streaming channel to keep negative void reactivity on top of one-third of the fuel bundles. Therefore, the neutronic benchmark tests and the thermal-hydraulic tests were planned to measure void reactivity effects, neutron streaming, and the thermal-hydraulic performance of the tight lattice bundle. Through our core design study and benchmark tests, we will make clear the feasibility of the conceptual design of BARS core. (author)