Scenario analysis of future nuclear energy use in Japan, 3; Promotion of Plutonium utilization by RBWR-Backfit

Nishihara, Kenji ; Oizumi, Akito   ; Hino, Tetsushi*; Soneda, Hideo*

Hitachi-GE is conducting research and development of new fuel design named resource-renewable boiling water reactor-backfit (RBWR-BF) to enhance plutonium utilization in BWRs. In this study, the effects of installing RBWR-BF were estimated using the NMB code, a nuclear fuel cycle simulator, under the assumption of a future nuclear energy utilization scenario based on light water reactor (LWR) in Japan. As a result, it was shown that burden of MOX loading to LWRs can be minimized and fissionability of remaining plutonium in 2100 was improved by RBWR-BF introduction from 2040.