Evaluation of B&W UO2/ThO2 VIII experimental core: criticality and thermal disadvantage factor analysis

Conference · Wed Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2017

OSTI ID:1349198

Parisi, Carlo; Negrenti, Emanuele

In the framework of the OECD/NEA International Reactor Physics Experiment (IRPHE) Project, an evaluation of core VIII of the Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) Spectral Shift Control Reactor (SSCR) critical experiment program was performed. The SSCR concept, moderated and cooled by a variable mixture of heavy and light water, envisaged changing of the thermal neutron spectrum during the operation to encourage breeding and to sustain the core criticality. Core VIII contained 2188 fuel rods with 93% enriched UO2-ThO2 fuel in a moderator mixture of heavy and light water. The criticality experiment and measurements of the thermal disadvantage factor were evaluated.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-05ID14517
• OSTI ID: 1349198
• Report Number(s): INL/CON-16-37848
• Resource Relation: Conference: 2016 ANS Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, 6/12/2016 - 6/16/2016
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

Criticality
MCNP
Thermal Disadvantage Factor
Thorium