Subcritical reactors(SCRs)or subcritical assemblies(SCAs)are the main infrastructure for designing power reactors.These reactors are widely used for training and research because of their high level of inherent safety...Subcritical reactors(SCRs)or subcritical assemblies(SCAs)are the main infrastructure for designing power reactors.These reactors are widely used for training and research because of their high level of inherent safety.The objective of this study is to design a subcritical reactor using a pressurized water reactor(PWR)conventional fuel following two safety points.In the first approach,deeply placed SCR cores with an infinite multiplication factor(k_(∞))of less than unity were identified using the DRAGON lattice code.In the second approach,subcritical reactor cores with an effective multiplication factor(k_(eff))of less than unity were determined by coupling the cell calculations of the DRAGON lattice code and core calculations of the DONJON code.For the deeply subcritical reactor design,it was found that the reactor would remain inherently subcritical while using fuel rods with ^(235)U enrichment of up to 0.9%,regardless of the pitch of the fuel rods.In the second approach,the optimal pitches(1.3 to 2.3 cm)were determined for different fuel enrichment values from 1 to 5%.Subsequently,the k_(eff) was obtained for a fuel rod arrangement of 8×8 to 80×80,and the states in which the reactor would be subcritical were determined for different fuel enrichments at the corresponding optimal pitch.To validate the models used in the DRAGON and DONJON codes,the k_(eff) of the Isfahan Light Water Subcritical Reactor(LWSCR)was experimentally measured and compared with the results of the calculations.Finally,the effects of fuel and moderator temperature changes were investigated to ensure that the designed assemblies remained in the subcritical state at all operational temperatures.展开更多
文摘Subcritical reactors(SCRs)or subcritical assemblies(SCAs)are the main infrastructure for designing power reactors.These reactors are widely used for training and research because of their high level of inherent safety.The objective of this study is to design a subcritical reactor using a pressurized water reactor(PWR)conventional fuel following two safety points.In the first approach,deeply placed SCR cores with an infinite multiplication factor(k_(∞))of less than unity were identified using the DRAGON lattice code.In the second approach,subcritical reactor cores with an effective multiplication factor(k_(eff))of less than unity were determined by coupling the cell calculations of the DRAGON lattice code and core calculations of the DONJON code.For the deeply subcritical reactor design,it was found that the reactor would remain inherently subcritical while using fuel rods with ^(235)U enrichment of up to 0.9%,regardless of the pitch of the fuel rods.In the second approach,the optimal pitches(1.3 to 2.3 cm)were determined for different fuel enrichment values from 1 to 5%.Subsequently,the k_(eff) was obtained for a fuel rod arrangement of 8×8 to 80×80,and the states in which the reactor would be subcritical were determined for different fuel enrichments at the corresponding optimal pitch.To validate the models used in the DRAGON and DONJON codes,the k_(eff) of the Isfahan Light Water Subcritical Reactor(LWSCR)was experimentally measured and compared with the results of the calculations.Finally,the effects of fuel and moderator temperature changes were investigated to ensure that the designed assemblies remained in the subcritical state at all operational temperatures.
