Improved analysis on multiple recycling of fuel in prototype fast breeder reactor in a closed fuel cycle

An FBR closed fuel cycle involves recycling of the discharge fuel, after reprocessing and refabrication, to utilize the unburnt fuel remains and the freshly bred fissile material. Our previous study in this regard for the PFBR indicated a comfortable feasibility of multiple recycling with selfsufficiency. In the present work, more refined estimations are done using the most recent nuclear data, viz. ENDF/B-VII.0, and with the most recent specification of the fuel composition. Among others, this paper brings out the importance of taking into account the energy self-shielding effects in the cross-section averages used in the study. While self-shielded averages lead to realistic predictions, unshielded averages significantly overpredict breeding in the blankets and underpredict loss in the cores.