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Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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New coolants, new fuels: A new generation of university reactors
Here’s an easy way to make aging U.S. power reactors look relatively youthful: Compare them (average age: 43) with the nation’s university research reactors. The 25 operating today have been licensed for an average of about 58 years.
Yigal Ronen, Yaakov Fahima
Nuclear Technology | Volume 67 | Number 1 | October 1984 | Pages 46-55
Technical Paper | Fission Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT84-A33528
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Two methods for spectral shift control have been proposed for pressurized water reactors. The first method is a mechanical spectral shift where the moderator-to-fuel volume is changed. The second method is a chemical one in which the D2O/H2O ratio is changed. Utilization of a combination of the two methods has been suggested and analyzed. It was found that the advantage of the combined method is better than the sum of the advantages of the two methods separately. Emphasis was on using the spectral shift controls for one-batch reloads in order to increase the fuel cycle’s length and thus the electricity production. It was found that it is possible to increase electricity production during the plant’s lifetime by ∼6 to 9% compared to three and four batches using a regular control.