Parametric studies on heterogeneous cores for fast breeder reactors: The Pre-Racine and Racine experimental programs

Journal Article · Sun Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984 · Nucl. Sci. Eng.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6062284

Humbert, G; Kappler, F; Martini, M; Norvez, G; Rimpault, G; Ruelle, B; Scholtyssek, W; Stanculescu, A

The Pre-Racine and Racine experimental programs, which have been performed on the Masurca critical assembly at Cadarache since 1976, were designed for the study of the neutron physics characteristics of heterogeneous fast reactor cores. Geometrically simple configurations were chosen in which parameters, being typical for heterogeneous cores, were varied in a systematic manner while the basic fissile composition was kept the same. Measurements were made especially of the critical mass, the distributions of reaction rates and the spectral indices, the reactivity of sodium voiding, and control rod worths. Analyses were made independently by Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA) and DEBENE using their own calculational techniques and cross sections. No bias for core heterogeneity was found on critical mass predictions. The CEA calculations for void reactivities are consistent in heterogeneous and homogeneous configurations. For the calculation of local parameters, e.g., reaction rates and spectral indices, more sophisticated methods must be applied in heterogeneous cores, as transport effects also become more important in fissile zones with increasing fertile volume fraction. It was found at CEA that the ratio of the calculated reactivity of a central control rod to the experimental value does not change with the core size or with the presence of internal breeder zones.

• Research Organization: Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires de Cadarache, St. Paul lez Durance
• OSTI ID: 6062284
• Journal Information: Nucl. Sci. Eng.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Sci. Eng.; (United States) Vol. 87:3; ISSN NSENA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210500* -- Power Reactors
Breeding
220600 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors
AIR COOLED REACTORS
ALKALI METALS
BREEDER REACTORS
CEA
CONFIGURATION
CONTROL ROD WORTHS
CRITICAL MASS
CROSS SECTIONS
ELEMENTS
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
EXPERIMENTAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
FERTILE MATERIALS
FISSILE MATERIALS
FISSIONABLE MATERIALS
FRENCH ORGANIZATIONS
GAS COOLED REACTORS
GEOMETRY
HETEROGENEOUS REACTOR CORES
KINETICS
MASS
MASURCA REACTOR
MATERIALS
MATHEMATICS
METALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR REACTION KINETICS
PARAMETRIC ANALYSIS
PLUTONIUM REACTORS
REACTION KINETICS
REACTIVITY COEFFICIENTS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CORES
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SIZE
SODIUM
VOID COEFFICIENT
ZERO POWER REACTORS