LAUSR

Abstract The paper describes the development, validation, and use of UWB1 code intended for fast calculation of nuclear fuel depletion in burnable absorber research. The degree of effectiveness of burnable absorbers in the form of natural abundance elements, nuclides, and their combinations are compared on metric evaluating characteristic properties of burnable absorbers; namely the initial reactivity compensation, residual poisoning minimization, and the influence of the fuel reactivity for higher fuel burnups. The following materials suitable for burnable absorbers are recommended: Li, Pa, Ir, In and Re, as well as perspective of Li-6 enrichment; beside previously commonly studied boron and rare earth metals. The research results are intended for the application in other technical-economical analyses of the selection of added materials in the nuclear fuel for increasing the fuel efficiency and nuclear safety.