Neutronic safety and transient analyses for potential LEU conversion of the IR-8 research reactor.

Conference · Mon Sep 27 04:00:00 EDT 1999

OSTI ID:750512

Deen, J R; Hanan, N A; Smith, R S; Matos, J E; Egorenkov, P M; Nasonov, V A

Kinetic parameters, isothermal reactivity feedback coefficients and three transients for the IR-8 research reactor cores loaded with either HEU(90%), HEU(36%), or LEU (19.75%) fuel assemblies (FA) were calculated using three dimensional diffusion theory flux solutions, RELAP5/MOD3.2 and PARET. The prompt neutron generation time and effective delayed neutron fractions were calculated for fresh and beginning-of-equilibrium-cycle cores. Isothermal reactivity feedback coefficients were calculated for changes in coolant density, coolant temperature and fuel temperature in fresh and equilibrium cores. These kinetic parameters and reactivity coefficients were used in transient analysis models to predict power histories, and peak fuel, clad and coolant temperatures. The transients modeled were a rapid and slow loss-of-flow, a slow reactivity insertion, and a fast reactivity insertion.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 750512
• Report Number(s): ANL/TD/CP-100107
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
COOLANTS
DELAYED NEUTRON FRACTION
DIFFUSION
FEEDBACK
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
KINETICS
LOSS OF FLOW
PROMPT NEUTRONS
REACTIVITY COEFFICIENTS
REACTIVITY INSERTIONS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
RESEARCH REACTORS
SAFETY
TRANSIENTS