scholarly journals Investigative study of the radiation damage on fuel clad of miniature neutron source reactor using computational tools

2021 ◽  
Vol 2064 (1) ◽  
pp. 012103
Author(s):  
S Alhassan ◽  
S V Beliavskii ◽  
V N Nesterov

Abstract Core conversion requires some evaluation of the reactor safety. Changes to the reactivity worth, shutdown margin, power density and material properties are crucial to the proper functioning of the reactor. The focus of this article is to study the neutron flux distribution in the reactor core and radiation damage on candidate clads. The Ghana Research Reactor-1 (GHARR-1) operates at maximum power of 30 kW in order to attain a flux of 1.0× 1012 n·cm–2·s for the high enriched uranium core. Using the GHARR-1 core geometry, considering 348 fuel pins, the multiplication factor (Keff) is calculated at enrichments of 10%, 12.5%, 16%, 20%, 30% and 90.2%. The spectrum of neutron flux generated in the 26 group is also calculated at the specified enrichments. The ion/particle interactions with the targets (clad) were studied in the Stopping and Range of Ion in Matter code to establish the best clad material based on recorded defects and vacancies generated. From the calculations and simulations, the best choice from the candidate clads based on the assessment is SiC. The calculation of the fuel campaign length gives 7.5 years. The defects sustained by the prospective clad showed low susceptibility to swelling and other forms of deformation.

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Epung Saepul Bahrum ◽  
Wawan Handiaga ◽  
Yudi Setiadi ◽  
Henky Wibowo ◽  
Prasetyo Basuki ◽  
...  

One of the results from Plate Type Research Reactor Bandung (PTRRB) research program is PTRRB core design. Previous study on PTRRB has not calculated neutron flux distribution at its central irradiation position (CIP). Distribution of neutron flux at CIP is of high importance especially in radioisotope production. In this study, CIP was modeled as a stack of four to five aluminum tubes (AT), each filled by four aluminum irradiation capsules (AIC). Considering AIC dimension and geometry, there are three possibilities of AT configuration. For irradiation sample, 1.45 gr of molybdenum (Mo) was put into AIC. Neutron flux distribution at Mo sample was calculated using TRIGA MCNP and MCNP software. The calculation was simulated at condition when fresh fuel is loaded into reactor core. Analyses of excess reactivity show that, after installing irradiation AT and Mo sample was put into each configuration, the excess reactivity is less than 10.9 %. The highest calculated thermal neutron flux at Mo sample is 5.08×1013 n/cm2.s at configuration 1. Meanwhile, the highest total neutron flux at Mo sample is located at capsule no. II and III. Thermal neutron flux profile is the same for all configurations. This result will be used as a basic data for PTRRB utilization.Keywords: Central Irradiation Position, Neutron Flux Distribution, MCNP, PTRRB


Author(s):  
Aimin Zhang ◽  
Yalun Kang

China Advanced Research Reactor (CARR), which will be critical in China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE) in 2010, is a multipurpose, high neutron flux and tank-type (inverse neutron trap) reactor with compact core. Its nominal reactor power is 60MW and the maximum thermal neutron flux is about 8.0×1014n/cm2·s in heavy water tank. It has a cylindrical core having a diameter of about 450mm and a height of 850mm. The CARR’s core consists of seventeen plate-type standard fuel elements and four follower fuel elements, initially loaded with 10.97 kg of 235U. The fuel element has been designed with U3S2-Al dispersion containing 235U of (19.75±0.20)wt.% low enriched uranium (LEU) and having a density of 4.3gU/cm3. The aluminum alloy is used as the cladding. There are twenty-one and seventeen fuel plates in the standard and follower fuel element, respectively. There are specific requirements for design of the fuel element and strict limitation for the operation parameters due to the high heat flux and high velocity of coolant in CARR. Irradiation test of fuel element had been carried out at fuel element power of 3.1±20%MW at Russia MIR reactor. Average burnup of fuel element is up to 40%. This paper deals with the detailed design of fuel element for CARR, out-pile and in-pile test projects, including selection of fuel and structure material, description of element structure, miniplates and fuel element irradiation experiment, measurement of properties of fuel plate, fabrication of fuel element and test results.


2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-75
Author(s):  
D. Vu C. ◽  
Q. Thien T. ◽  
V. Doanh H. ◽  
D. Quyet P. ◽  
T. Anh T.T. ◽  
...  

In the framework of the program on Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return (RRRFR) and the program on Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactor (RERTR), the full core conversion of the Dalat Nuclear Research Reactor (DNRR) to low enriched uranium (LEU, 19.75% 235U) fuel was performed from November 24, 2011 to January 13, 2012. The reactor is now operated with a working core consisting of 92 WWR-M2 LEU. After the full core conversion, the neutron spectrum parameters which are used in k0-NAA such as thermal neutron flux (fth), fast neutron flux (ffast), f factor, alpha factor (a), and neutron temperature (Tn) have been re-characterized at four different irradiated channels in the core. Based on the experimental results, it can be seen that the thermal neutron flux decreases by 6÷9% whereas fast neutron flux increases by 2÷6%. The neutron spectrum becomes‘harder’ at most of irradiated positions. The obtained neutron spectrum parameters from this research are used to re-establish the procedures for Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) according to ISO/IEC 17025:2005 standard at NuclearResearch Institute.


2011 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 762-767 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.R. Yavar ◽  
S.B. Sarmani ◽  
A.K. Wood ◽  
S.M. Fadzil ◽  
M.H. Radir ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 25
Author(s):  
Epung Saepul Bahrum ◽  
Prasetyo Basuki ◽  
Alan Maulana ◽  
Jupiter Sitorus Pane

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2B) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Laranjo Stefani ◽  
Frederico Antônio Genezini ◽  
Thiago Augusto Santos ◽  
João Manoel de Losada Moreira

In this work a parametric study was carried to increase the production of radioisotopes in the IEA-R1 research reactor. The changes proposed to implement in the IEA-R1 reactor core were the substitution of graphite reflectors by beryllium reflectors, the removal of 4 fuel elements to reduce the core size and make available 4 additional locations to be occupied by radioisotope irradiation devices. The key variable analyzed is the thermal neutron flux in the irradiation devices.  The proposed configuration with 20 fuel elements in an approximately cylindrical geometry provided higher average neutron flux (average increment of 12.9 %) allowing higher radioisotope production capability. In addition, it provided 4 more positions to install  irradiation devices which allow a larger number of simultaneous irradiations practically doubling the capacity of radioisotope production in the IEA-R1 reactor. The insertion of Be reflector elements in the core has to be studied carefully since it tends to promote strong neutron flux redistribution in the core. A verification of design and safety parameters of the proposed  core was carried out. The annual fuel consumption will increase about 17 % and more storage space for spent fuel will be required.   


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