Steady-State Thermal-Hydraulics Analyses for the Conversion of the BR2 Reactor to LEU

Technical Report · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1240155· OSTI ID:1240155

Licht, J. R. ^[1]; Bergeron, A. ^[1]; Dionne, B. ^[1]; Van den Branden, G. ^[2]; Kalcheva, S. ^[2]; Sikik, E. ^[2]; Koonen, E. ^[2]

---

1. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
2. SCK CEN (Belgium)

BR2 is a research reactor used for radioisotope production and materials testing. It’s a tank-in-pool type reactor cooled by light water and moderated by beryllium and light water (Figure 1). The reactor core consists of a beryllium moderator forming a matrix of 79 hexagonal prisms in a hyperboloid configuration; each having a central bore that can contain a variety of different components such as a fuel assembly, a control or regulating rod, an experimental device, or a beryllium or aluminum plug. Based on a series of tests, the BR2 operation is currently limited to a maximum allowable heat flux of 470 W/cm2 to ensure fuel plate integrity during steady-state operation and after a loss-of-flow/loss-of-pressure accident.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) - Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation - Office of Material Management and Minimization (M3)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-06CH11357
• OSTI ID: 1240155
• Report Number(s): ANL/GTRI/TM--14/8; 119801
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS