A PWR rated at 3000 MW thermal has a core consisting of 193 fuel assemblies. Each assembly contains 400 kg of UO$_2$. The plant capacity factor (CF) is 80% and the desired fuel burnup is 30 GWd/t.
a) Calculate the core lifetime in years.
(4 Marks)
b) Shall the CF be increased or decreased, and by how much, if the core lifetime is to be 1 year longer than what was obtained in (i)?
(4 Marks)
c) What is the implication of the changes in the CF to plant operation?
(4 Marks)
d) If the enrichment of the fuel is 3.2%, then calculate the number density of fissionable atoms in the fuel in atoms/cm$^3$.
(4 Marks)
e) Is the number density of fissionable atoms in the fuel increase or decrease, and by how many, if the fuel is uranium carbide, UC$_2$, with the same enrichment?
(4 Marks)
Data:
Avogadro's number = 0.6022 x 10$^{24}$
UO$_2$ density = 10.4 g/cm$^3$, UC$_2$ density = 13.6 g/cm$^3$
Atomic masses: M(U235) = 235.04, M(U238) = 238.05, M(O) = 16, M(C) =12.