Absorber pin development in Europe

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States)

OSTI ID:6672229

Languille, A; Escleine, J; Kryger, B ^[1]; Munroe, B ^[2]; Steinmetz, B ^[3]

---

1. Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Saint-Paul-les-Durance (France)
2. United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, Caithness (United Kingdom)
3. Siemens AG Group/KWU, Erlangen (Germany)

The neutron absorbing material chosen for the absorber elements of the European fast reactor (EFR) is boron carbide. Various pin designs are studied in Europe: (1) vented helium-bonded pins chosen for prototype fast reactor (PFR) control rods, (2) vented sodium-bonded pins chosen for the Phenix and Superphenix control rods, (3) vented shrouded sodium-bonded pins chosen for future loads of Superphenix control ros. There are three aspects to the research and development program to evaluate absorber pin performance: (1) experimental irradiation program dealing with basic studies and validation design experiments, (2) modeling of B[sub 4]C physical properties, descriptive laws, and code development, (3) design optimization and innovative studies (various B[sub 4]C enrichments and pellet densities, new absorber materials). The irradiation program is being performed in Phenix and PFR using either control rods or static rigs.

• OSTI ID: 6672229
• Report Number(s): CONF-921102--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States) Journal Volume: 66
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210500* -- Power Reactors
Breeding
BORON CARBIDES
BORON COMPOUNDS
BREEDER REACTORS
CARBIDES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CONTROL ELEMENTS
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
FUEL PELLETS
FUEL-CLADDING INTERACTIONS
IRRADIATION
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
LMFBR TYPE REACTORS
NEUTRON ABSORBERS
PELLETS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PFR REACTOR
PHENIX REACTOR
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLUTONIUM REACTORS
POWER REACTORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SODIUM COOLED REACTORS
SUPER PHENIX REACTOR
TESTING