Assessment of fuel conversion from HEU to LEU in the Syrian MNSR reactor using the MCNP code |
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| Authors: | K. Khattab I. Sulieman |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Laboratory of Applied Nuclear Energy, LENA, University of Pavia, Via Aselli 41, 27100 Pavia, Italy;2. Department of Physics, DF, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy;3. National Institute of Nuclear Physics, INFN, Pavia, Italy;4. Department of Chemistry – Radiochemistry Area, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy;1. Nuclear Science And Technology, School Of Nuclear And Allied Sciences, P.O. Box AE1, Atomic-Accra, Ghana;2. Radiation Protection Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, P.O. Box LG 80, Legon, Accra, Ghana;3. National Nuclear Research Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, P.O. Box LG 80, Legon, Accra, Ghana |
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| Abstract: | Assessment of fuel conversion from high enriched uranium (HEU) to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel in the Syrian MNSR reactor was conducted in this paper. Three 3-D neutronic models for the Syrian MNSR reactor using the MCNP-4C code were developed to assess the possibility of fuel conversion from 89.87% HEU fuel (UAl4–Al) to 19.75% LEU fuel (UO2). The first model showed that 347 fuel rods with HEU fuel were required to obtain a reactor core with 5.17 mk unadjusted excess reactivity. The second model showed that only 200 LEU fuel rods distributed in the reactor core like the David star figure were required to obtain a reactor core with 4.85 mk unadjusted excess reactivity. The control rod worth using the LEU fuel was enhanced. Finally, the third model showed that distribution of 200 LEU fuel rods isotropically in the 10 circles of the reactor core failed to convert the fuel since the calculated core unadjusted excess reactivity for this model was 10.45 mk. This value was far beyond the reactor operation limits and highly exceeded the current MNSR core unadjusted excess reactivity (5.17 mk). |
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