Computations of fuel management in MARIA reactor with highly poisoned beryllium matrix

• Autorzy: Andrzejewski K. J. , Kulikowska T. A. , Marcinkowska Z. E.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

The high-flux research reactor MARIA has been operated in Poland since 1975. Its core consists of loop type fuel channels placed in a beryllium block matrix. Irradiation of beryllium by neutrons results in a build-up of 6Li, and 3He isotopes with large thermal neutron absorption cross-sections. In addition, tritium is formed and decays into 3He which complicates the transmutation chains. Thus, the fuel management of the reactor depends on the beryllium poisoning. The isotopic transmutations in beryllium have to be computed in parallel to the fuel depletion. In this paper a comparison of the measured and computed results is given during: reactor operation in the period up to January 2004, modernization break in the reactor operation from January 2004 to February 2005 and reactor operation from February 2005. The measured and computed effects comprise: reactivity effects due to the fuel burn-up and beryllium poisoning by 6Li, and 3He.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

criticality; excess reactivity; beryllium poisoning; isotope transmutation; nuclear reactor

• Wydawca: Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology
• Czasopismo: Nukleonika
• Rocznik: 2008
• Tom: Vol. 53, No. 4
• Strony: 173--179
• Opis fizyczny: Bibliogr. 6 poz., rys.

Twórcy

autor

Andrzejewski K. J.

autor

Kulikowska T. A.

autor

Marcinkowska Z. E.

• Institute of Atomic Energy, 05-400 Otwock/Świerk, Poland, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone],

Bibliografia

• 1. Andrzejewski K, Kulikowska T (2000) Beryllium blocks poisoning during the first period of reactor MARIA operation (1975–1985). Report IAE-69/A. Institute of Atomic Energy, Otwock/Świerk
• 2. Andrzejewski K, Kulikowska T (2002) Poisoning of reactor MARIA beryllium blocks in the period 1993–2000. Report IAE-81/A. Institute of Atomic Energy, Otwock/Świerk
• 3. Andrzejewski KJ, Kulikowska TA (2004) Isotopic transmutations in irradiated beryllium and their implications on reactor MARIA operation. Nucl Technol 146;1:72–82
• 4. Andrzejewski KJ, Kulikowska TA, Marcinkowska ZE,Pytel KM (2005) Reactivity of MARIA reactor with strongly poisoned beryllium matrix; experiment and computations. Report IAE-120/A. Institute of Atomic Energy, Otwock/Świerk
• 5. Deen JR, Woodruff WL, Costescu CI, Leopando LS (2004) WIMS-ANL user manual. Rev. 6. Report ANL/ TD/TM-99-07. Argonne National Laboratory, USA
• 6. Olson AP (2001) A user’s guide for the REBUS-PC code, version 1.4. Report ANL/RERTR/TM-32. Argonne National Laboratory, USA