Reduction of the erbium content in RBMK-1000 fuel

• Published in: Atomic energy (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 135; no. 1-2; pp. 12 - 19
• Main Authors: Alimov, Yu. V., Kaplienko, A. V., Kuznetsov, P. B., Rozhdestvenskiy, I. M., Slobodchikov, A. V., Davydov, V. K., Zhirnov, A. P., Lebedev, S. S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-11-2023; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Composition; Erbium; Fuel cell industry; Fuel cells; Graphite; Hadrons; Heavy Ions; International economic relations; Nuclear Chemistry; Nuclear Energy; Nuclear Physics; Nuclear reactors; Physical characteristics; Physical properties; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; RBMK; Reactors; Service life; Uranium; 621.039.8.002
• ISSN: 1063-4258; 1573-8205
• DOI: 10.1007/s10512-024-01075-x

The paper presents the results of a calculation study connected with the composition of RBMK-1000 fuel having a reduced erbium content. The computational studies were carried out using SADCO software systems (developed by JSC “NIKIET”) and MCU-RBMK (developed by NRC “Kurchatov Institute”). The studies include calculations of a fuel cell with various compositions of uranium-erbium fuel and a RBMK-1000 reactor under fuel-loading conditions involving a reduced erbium content. The conversion of RBMK-1000 to a fuel having a reduced erbium content ensures the neutron-physical characteristics and volumes of accumulating commercial
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Co to be maintained within operational limits under conditions of extending the reactor service life for more than 50 years.