Advances in fuel management and on-line core monitoring

Advanced Nuclear Fuels Corporation (ANF) has developed and implemented advanced core power distribution monitoring methods for BWRs and PWRs based on the three dimensional nodal simulator codes used for incore fuel management design and analysis. The use of these methods has resulted in a more accurate assessment of the core power distribution and corresponding increased operating margins. These increased margins allow for more economical fuel cycle designs. Since the initial application in 1982, ANF has made enhancements to the incore monitoring system. These enhancements have permitted more rapid analysis of local power changes, power distribution projections during ascent to full power and on-line statistical analysis of the incore detector signal. The on-line analysis implemented in BWRs has also been developed for application PWRs. In the future, reactors are expected to operate with longer fuel cycles, more aggressive low radial leakage loadings, load follow and use higher burnup fuel. These advances will require more burnable neutron absorbers and more sophisticated fuel designs. To accommodate these advances, the fuel management methodologies and measurement system will require improvements. The state-of-the-art methods provided by ANF provide incore monitoring systems compatible with these expected needs