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Swiss nuclear power and the case for long-term operation
Designed for 40 years but built to last far longer, Switzerland’s nuclear power plants have all entered long-term operation. Yet age alone says little about safety or performance. Through continuous upgrades, strict regulatory oversight, and extensive aging management, the country’s reactors are being prepared for decades of continued operation, in line with international practice.
Alex Galperin, Yigal Ronen
Nuclear Technology | Volume 62 | Number 2 | August 1983 | Pages 238-242
Technical Note | Fuel Cycle | doi.org/10.13182/NT83-A33221
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A method for reactivity control through variation of the moderator content in the reactor core was proposed. The main idea is to adjust the amount of water in the core from a low value at beginning of cycle to a high value at end of cycle, so as to compensate for fissile material burnup and buildup of fission products. The possible implementation of this idea may be carried out by introducing a number of hollow tubes into the fuel assembly between the fuel rods. Then variation of the moderator content in the core may be managed through a change of the water level in these tubes. A preliminary neutronic and economic analysis indicated a potential savings in the fuel cycle requirements and costs. Preliminary steady-state thermal-hydraulic calculations indicate the possibility of implementing the proposed method in the existing pressurized water reactor plants. Feasibility of the proposed design may be finally established after rigorous thermal hydraulics as well as safety analysis calculations. Furthermore, there is need to elaborate the mechanical design of the pressure vessel internals together with cost benefit analysis.