Question

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Question:

A nuclear plant operated for a year with a 69% capacity factor. What is the burnup of the fuel if the core contains 95 tons of uranium and have been designed to produce 1200 MW(e) with a 32% efficiency?

Answer 1

Given,

Capacity factor of nuclear plant= 69%=0.69

The core contains 95 tons of uranium and designed to produce 1200 MW of power

As efficiency is 32%, the annual power generation is 1200/0.32 = 3750 MW

Burnup (also known as fuel utilization) is a measure of how much energy is extracted from a primary nuclear fuel source. It is measured both as the fraction of fuel atoms that underwent fission in %FIMA (fissions per initial metal atom) and as the actual energy released per mass of initial fuel in gigawatt-days/metric ton of heavy metal (GWd/tHM), or similar units.

Burnup of fuel = capacity factor * annual power generation

= 0.69 * ((3750 MW *365 d)/(95 tons) )

= 9941.44 MWd/ton

= 9941.44 MW *24 hr/ton

= 238,594.736 MW.h/ton of uranium

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