Comparison Study on Plutonium Inventory and Self-Protecting of DUPIC Fuel Cycle

This study compares plutonium inventory and self-protecting of DUPIC (Direct Use of Spent PWR Fuel in CANDU) fuel cycle with other fuel cycle cases. The other fuel cycles are PWR of once-through mode (PWR-OT), PWR of reprocessing mode (PWR-MOX), in which spent PWR fuel is reprocessed and recovered plutonium for making MOX(Mixed Oxide), CANDU with once-through mode (CANDU-OT), PWR fuel and CANDU fuel in a once-through mode with reactor grid equivalent to DUPIC fuel cycle (PWR-CANDU-OT). It is indicated from plutonium analysis of each fuel cycle that the MOX spent fuel is containing the largest plutonium per MTHM but PWR-MOX option based on 1 GWe-yr has the best benefit in total plutonium consumption aspects. The DUPIC option is containing a little higher total plutonium based on 1GWe-yr than the PWR-MOX case, but the DUPIC option has the lowest fissile Pu content, which could be another measure for proliferation resistance. It is indicated from the radiation field analysis that fresh DUPIC fuel could play an important radiation barrier role, more than even CANDU spent fuels.