Atomic Energy of Canada Limited

Abstract

CANDU © natural uranium fuel is an outstanding product that is simple in its design and manufacture, low cost, extremely neutron efficient, and excellent in its performance. Nonetheless, advanced CANDU fuels and fuel cycles offer many benefits. The CANFLEX © fuel bundle with natural uranium fuel reduces peak linear element ratings and improves thermalhydraulic performance, enhancing operating and safety margins. When CANFLEX is used as the carrier for slightly enriched uranium (SEU) fuel, operating margins are even further improved, uranium utilization is increased, and fuel cycle costs and the quantity of spent fuel per unit energy are lowered. Uranium recycled from the reprocessing of spent LWR fuel may be a particularly attractive source of enrichment, as it can be used as-is in CANDU, without reenrichment. The CANDU reactor offers several options for the use of MOX fuel with plutonium recycled from spent LWR fuel, which again extends uranium utilization, and reduces the spent fuel burden. Alternatively, the high neutron economy of the CANDU reactor, and the simple fuel bundle design, can be exploited in advanced recycle options such as DUPIC (Direct Use of Spen

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