Dependence of the Parameters of an Electronuclear System on the Composition of Mixed Uranium–Plutonium Fuel

Mathematical simulation is used to study the dependence of the parameters of an electronuclear system with uranium–plutonium mixed fuel on the amount of plutonium and ²⁴⁰Pu admixture in the fuel. As an example, a 10–20 kW(t) experimental system built at Dubna on the basis of a synchrocyclotron with 660 MeV protons is examined. A 2% admixture of ²⁴⁰Pu decreases the neutron multiplication factor from 0.95 to 0.9 and decreases the neutron yield and heat released by almost a factor of 2. This decrease can be compensated by increasing the plutonium content in the mixed fuel from 25 to 27%.