Question Statement

A 360MWe PWR having thermal efficiency of 30% has 125 fuel assemblies in the core. Fuel pins in the fuel assemblies are arranged in
17 x 17 matrix whereas locations per fuel assembly for control and instrument channels are 29 per assembly. The active core height
is 3m whereas the core equivalent diameter is about 2.5m. One centimeter OD fuel pallets inserted in 12 mm OD fuel pins, have an
3

average density of 10.5 g/cm and an average fuel enrichment of 2.69 w/o. The clad thickness and density are 0.7mm and 6.49g/cm respecively.
o

The coolant having a specific heat of 5650 J/(Kg K) enters into RPV at 288 C and leaves at a temperature of 315 C.
One third of the core is refueled annually. Find the average core power density, average linear power rating, specific power, Average discharge fuel
burnup, Cladding mass per fuel assembly and tons of coolant flowing through the core per hour.
DATA:
(1) Reactor thermal Power:
(2) Number of Fuel Assemblies in the core:
(3) Fuel Element Array in Assembly: 17 x 17
( locations per assembly for control and instrumentation Channels):

(4) Active Core Height:

(5) Core Equivalent Diameter:
(6) Fuel Pellet Density:
(7) Average fuel enrichment:
(8) Fuel pallet outer diameter:
(9) Fuel Rod outer diameter:
(10) Clad Thickness:
(11) Clad Density:
(12) Coolant Inlet Temperature:
(13) Coolant Outlet Temperature:
(14) Coolant Specific Heat:
(15) Refueling Cycle:1/3 core per anum

1200
125
289
29
300
250
10.5
2.69
10.0
12.0
0.7
6.49
550.4
599
5.65E+03
0.333

MWth

cm
cm
g/cm3
w/o
mm
mm
mm
g/cm3
o
o
F
288.0 C
o
o
F
315.0 C
J/kg.K
core per anum

o
550.4 F
o
599 F

1. AVERAGE CORE POWER DENSITY:

ACPD=
ACPD=

TOTAL POWER

/ VOLUME OF THE CORE

1200 x10E6/

ACPD=

1.20E+09

ACPD=

1.20E+09

ACPD=

81.45 W/cm3

(22/7 x R2 x L)
(22/7 x

14732142.86

250 /2 x

250 /2 x

300 )

288 oC
315 oC

2. AVERAGE LINEAR POWER RATING:

ALPR=

TOTAL POWER

TOTAL LENGTH OF THE FUEL RODS

ALPR=

TOTAL POWER

(# FUEL RODS PER ASSEMBLY) x (# FUEL ASSEMBLIES) x (ACTIVE CORE LENGTH)

ALPR=

1200 x 10E6/[(

ALPR=

1.20E+09

ALPR=

1.20E+09

ALPR=

289

29

x (

125 ) x

300 )]

9750000

9750000

123.08 W/cm

3. SPECIFIC POWER:
SP=

TOTAL POWER (KW)

Kg of UO2 Fuel

SP=

TOTAL POWER (KW)

(# Total volume of Fuel Rods) x ( Density of UO2 Fuel)

SP=

TOTAL POWER (KW)

(# VOL OF EACH FUEL ROD) x (# FUEL RODS PER ASS) x (# FUEL ASS) x (# UO2 FUEL DNSTY)

SP=

TOTAL POWER (KW)

/ [(

22/7 x 1/4 x

SP=

1.20E+03 x10E3 KW/[(

SP=

SP=

1200000 KW

KW

1200000

SP=

1.0

235.7142857 )

1.0

x ( 260

) x(

125 ) x (

80437500 g

80437.5 Kg

1.49E+01 KW / Kg

4. AVERAGE DISCHARGE FUEL BURNUP:

ADFB=

ENERGY GENERATED (MWD) /

ADFB=

[(

ADFB=

[(

ADFB=

1200.00 x

MASS CONSUMED WHICH IS FINALLY DISCHARGED

365 )] / [(

438000

)]

[(

16.35201635

MWD / Kg

5. CLADDING MASS PER FUEL ASSEMBLY:

26785.6875 )]

80437.5

0.333 )]

300 ) x (

10.5 )]

289

29

x ( 125 ) x (

10.5 )

CM/FA=

(# Total volume of Cladding per Fuel Rod) x ( Density of Cladding) x ( # of fuel rods per fuel assembly)

CM/FA=

22/7 x 1/4 x [ (Fuel Pin O.D.) - (Cladding O.D.) ] x [ Active core Height] x [ Density of Cladding] x [ # of fuel rods per FA]

CM/FA=

22/7 x 1/4 x [

CM/FA=

1.2

1.20

0.2486

] x [

300.0

CM/FA=

125846.292 g

CM/FA=

125.846292 Kg

1.06

]x[

1.06

6.49 ] x [

260 ]

6. COOLANT FLOW RATE THROUGH THE CORE:

Q =

(T2 - T1)

Dividing by time (t)

Q/t =

m/t

(T2 - T1)

m/t =

Q/t

/ [

5.65E+03

X(

m/t =

1200 x10E6 / [

m/t =
m/t =
m/t =

1200.00 x10E6 / [
7866.27335

152550
Kg / s

28318584.1 Kg / hr
m/t =

2.83E+04 Ton / hr

T2

315.0

T1)

]
-

288.0

] x [

)]

300.0

] x [ 6.49 ] x [

289

29