First fuel loading simulations using advanced CANDU fuel projects

The aim of the paper is to simulate the reactor core configurations appearing during the first fuel loading at a standard CANDU NPP Commissioning, using advanced CANDU fuel projects. In 1996 the INR Reactor Physics specialists participated to and accomplished specific Commissioning tests at Cernavoda Unit 1. One of these tests was the first fuel loading, which was carried out through specific procedures. As Romania has chosen to increase its nuclear capacity by other 3 CANDU-6 type nuclear units, Romanian nuclear community should be interested in economic and safety enhancing of this type of nuclear reactors. We consider that one of the most important way to get this objective is improving the fuel channel design. We also mention that NUSIM-ACF - a national excellence research project dedicated to nuclear safety increasing using advanced CANDU fuel types - is ongoing (INR is the project leader) and its actual working stage is focused on Commissioning simulations. This paper is intended to analyze the effect of using of some improved CANDU fuel projects during the first fuel loading of a standard CANDU-6 core (similar to Cernavoda NPP Unit 1). (authors)