Fuel cycle performance evaluation of the pressure-tube type light water cooled high-conversion reactor

A design concept of pressure-tube type light water cooled reactor (HCPLWR) core was proposed as a thermal high-conversion reactor using a thorium based once-through cycle strategy. In the previous work, a design feasibility in fuel cycle economics and nuclear safety were confirmed. In this work, HCPLWR was evaluated in the aspects of proliferation resistance, transmutation capability and radioactive toxicity. Evaluation was done by a direct comparison of indices with PWR, CANDU and Radkowsky Thorium Fuel(RTF). Conversion ratio was measured by fissile inventory ratio and fissile gain. Proliferation resistance of plutonium composition from spent seed and blanket fuels was measured by bare critical mass, spontaneous neutron source rate, and thermal heat generation rate. For the evaluation of long-lived minor actinide transmutation was measured by a new parameter, effective fission half-life. Evaluation of radioactive toxicity was done by a new index. Two-dimensional calculation for the assembly-wise unit module showed each parameter values. Even though conversion capability of HCPLWR was higher than one of RTF, it was concluded that current HCPLWR design was not favorable than RTF. Design optimization is required for the future work