Abstracts and Available Papers Presented at the
2004 International RERTR Meeting

Core Configuration of the Syrian reduced enrichment fuel MNSR

M. Albarhoum
Department of Nuclear Engineering, Atomic Energy Comisión P. O. Box, 6091, Damascus- Syria

ABSTRACT
 

The possibility of substituting the actual HEU by a LEU or MEU in the Syrian MNSR is investigated through a pre-constructed 3-D detailed model of the reactor. Core configuration does not change if a reduced enrichment fuel (20% u-235, with the same percentages of impurity and eliminating aluminum) is used. The required density for the reactor to be critical in this case would be 7.29 g/cm2. If a specific fuel is used (20 w/o U235, 72 w/o U ), the reactor may not go critical at all. When a MEU fuel is used (45 w/o U235, 40 w/o U ), the reactor will restore the same actual initial excess reactivity if 2 standard fuel rods are added to each fuel circle.

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