Flux flattening in a graphite-moderated core

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7179922

Burnside, R J; Skeen, D R; Finfrock, S H; Robinson, A H; Toffer, H

The N Reactor is a 4000-MW(th), graphite-moderated, pressurized water reactor operated by UNC Nuclear Industries for the US Department of Energy. A flux flattening program was instituted to lower the peak-to-average flux from 1.45 to the 1.25 to 1.30 range. The N Reactor fuel is metallic uranium with discrete enrichment for each element. Element enrichment ranges from 0.71 to 1.15 wt% /sup 238/U and lengths from 15 to 26 in. Axially varying fuel element enrichments in a process tube are being used to accomplish the reduced peaking. Development of numerical methods and computer models to provide design information was key to the program's success. The program objectives are to improve operational constraints, safety margins, nuclear material production, and to homogenize fluence impacts over the graphite for the rest of the reactor's life.

• Research Organization: UNC Nuclear Industries, Richland, WA
• OSTI ID: 7179922
• Report Number(s): CONF-861102-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States) Journal Volume: 53
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210400* -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Otherwise Moderated or Unmoderated
ACTINIDES
ALLOYS
CHROMIUM ADDITIONS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
COMPUTER CODES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DESIGN
ELEMENTS
ENRICHED URANIUM
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
FUEL ELEMENTS
GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTORS
IRON ADDITIONS
IRON ALLOYS
ISOTOPE ENRICHED MATERIALS
KINETICS
LWGR TYPE REACTORS
MATERIALS
METALS
N-REACTOR
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEUTRON FLUX
NUMBER CODES
PLUTONIUM PRODUCTION REACTORS
POWER REACTORS
PRODUCTION REACTORS
RADIATION FLUX
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR KINETICS
REACTORS
SIMULATION
SLIGHTLY ENRICHED URANIUM
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
TIN ALLOYS
URANIUM
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
ZIRCALOY
ZIRCALOY 2
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM BASE ALLOYS