Nuclear Decay Heat Curves: standard_PWR
Decay heat power fraction vs time after shutdown for nuclear reactor design and spent fuel management. Covers U-235 thermal fission, U-238 fast fission, Pu-239 thermal fission, standard PWR (45 GWd/tHM), standard BWR (45 GWd/tHM), and MOX fuel per ANSI/ANS-5.1-2014. Time range: 1 second to 10 years. Includes dominant isotope contributors and 2-sigma uncertainty.
| fuel type | time after shutdown s | burnup GWd per tHM (GWd/tHM) | decay heat fraction of operating power (dimensionless) | dominant isotope contributors | enrichment pct (%) | notes | standard | uncertainty pct 2sigma (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| standard_PWR | 1 | 45 | 0.065 | Ba-140+La-140+Y-91+Zr-95+Ce-141 | 4.2 | Standard PWR UO2 fuel; 45 GWd/tHM burnup; 4.2% initial enrichment; composite of U235+U238+Pu239 fission in typical proportions (90% U-235 thermal; 8% U-238 fast; 2% Pu-239 thermal by end-of-cycle); initial fraction per Todreas & Kazimi Table 3-3 | ANS_5.1_2014 | 3 |
| standard_PWR | 10 | 45 | 0.0531 | Kr-88+Rb-88+Y-91+Zr-97 | 4.2 | 10 s; short-lived noble gas and early chain FPs (Kr-88 t1/2=2.84h; Rb-88 t1/2=17.8min); 45 GWd/tHM PWR composite decay curve | ANS_5.1_2014 | 3 |
| standard_PWR | 100 | 45 | 0.0385 | I-135+Xe-138+Y-90+Zr-97 | 4.2 | 100 s; I-135 t1/2=6.6h building; noble gas daughters still significant; Way-Wigner for LWR composite: ~0.066*t^-0.2 | ANS_5.1_2014 | 3 |
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