Neutronics analysis of a small PWR utilizing carbon coated fuel with diffusion theory code PRIDE

• TRISO based fuel with SiC matrix has the potential to be used in PWR's for enhanced safety.
• Comparison of a new diffusion theory based code PRIDE against CITATION code.
• Criticality and burn up analysis of modified design of compact PWR core using TRISO Fuel.

Tri-structural Isotropic (TRISO) based fuel with SiC matrix has the potential to be used in Light Water Reactors (LWRs) for enhancing its safety features in extreme scenarios. In this paper, neutronic analysis of a conceptual compact sized PWR core utilizing TRISO fuel has been carried out using diffusion theory based code PRIDE which was previously performed with CITATION code (Hussain and Xinrong, 2010). WIMS-D/4 code has been used for generation of group constants. Results obtained from PRIDE and CITATION have been compared. Analysis reveals that results of both codes are in excellent agreement which also validates PRIDE code. Additionally, practically achievable packing fraction which is 44% has been used and operating life of the core has been compared with the operating life of core utilizing TRISO fuel without SiC matrix. The effect of increase in enrichment and size of fuel kernel on operating cycle of core has also been studied.