Main results of the first phase of the upgrade of the SM core |
| |
Authors: | V A Tsykanov A V Klinov V A Starkov M N Svyatkin Z I Chechetkina E F Kartashev V A Lukichev A V Morozov V S Volkov |
| |
Affiliation: | (1) State Science Center of the Russian Federation, Russia;(2) Research Institute of Nuclear Reactors, Russia;(3) Research and Design Institute of Electric Technology, Russia;(4) A. V. Bochvar Research Institute of Standardization in Machine Engineering, Russia |
| |
Abstract: | The first phase of the work on checking the main assumptions of the concept for upgrading the core of the SM reactor has been
completed. A full-scale reactor experiment has been performed for the purpose of creating in the reactor the conditions necessary
for accelerated high-dose irradiation of materials, meeting the requirements for the fast-neutron flux density, water temperature,
pressure, and composition, and making it possible to install large-diameter experimental channels and apparatus for regulating
the temperature and neutron spectrum. The decrease of the fuel volume and excess reactivity are compensated by a 20% increase
of the uranium content in a fuel element and by replacing the corrosion-resistant steel fuel-assembly jackets with zirconium-alloy
jackets. The results of the calculations and experiments performed during the first phase have shown that the objective has
been achieved-the reactor can be operated efficiently with the new arrangement of the core.
The objective and problems of the second phase are formulated: increase of the neutron flux density in the experimental channels
by a factor of 1.5 by increasing the power density in the core, using a fuel element with a low harmful absorption of neutrons,
and equalizing the power-release distribution by using a consumable absorber.
__________
Translated from Atomnaya énergiya, Vol. 102, No. 2, pp. 86–92, February, 2007. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|