Effective delayed neutron fraction and prompt neutron lifetime of Tehran research reactor mixed-core

• Published in: Annals of nuclear energy Vol. 55; no. 100; pp. 265 - 271
• Main Authors: Lashkari, A., Khalafi, H., Kazeminejad, H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2013; Pergamon Press
• Subjects: Burn-up; Enrichment; Fuel elements; Kinetic parameters; Mathematical analysis; Mixed core; Nuclear fuel elements; Nuclear reactors; Nuclear research reactors; Reaction kinetics; Research reactor; Safety analyses; Technical Note; Uranium; Iran, Tehran; Burn-up; Safety analyses; Kinetic parameters; Mixed core; Research reactor
• ISSN: 0306-4549; 1873-2100
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2012.12.001

► Kinetic parameters of Tehran research reactor mixed-core have been calculated. ► Burn-up effect on TRR kinetics parameters has been studied. ► Replacement of LEU-CFE with HEU-CFE in the TRR core has been investigated. ► Results of each mixed core were compared to the reference core. ► Calculation of kinetic parameters are necessary for reactivity and power excursion transient analysis. In this work, kinetic parameters of Tehran research reactor (TRR) mixed cores have been calculated. The mixed core configurations are made by replacement of the low enriched uranium control fuel elements with highly enriched uranium control fuel elements in the reference core. The MTR_PC package, a nuclear reactor analysis tool, is used to perform the analysis. Simulations were carried out to compute effective delayed neutron fraction and prompt neutron lifetime. Calculation of kinetic parameters is necessary for reactivity and power excursion transient analysis. The results of this research show that effective delayed neutron fraction decreases and prompt neutron lifetime increases with the fuels burn-up. Also, by increasing the number of highly enriched uranium control fuel elements in the reference core, the prompt neutron lifetime increases, but effective delayed neutron fraction does not show any considerable change.