Neutronics Characteristics of Cermet and Ceramic Driver Fuels for the Fast Test Reactor (FTR)

The neutronics characteristics of four possible driver fuels for the Fast Test Reactor (FTR) are compared. The fuels investigated are PuO₂-SS and UO₂-SS cermets and PuO₂-²³⁸UO₂ and UO₂-²³⁸UO₂ ceramics. Since a high flux is of paramount importance in a test reactor, low-inventory plutonium-fueled cores are found to be quite attractive for use in the FTR. For core volumes of approximately 600 liters, cermet fuels offer a higher neutron flux and a larger shutdown coefficient than oxide ceramic fuels. If the latter fuels are used, BeO could be added to enhance the Doppler coefficient.