Abstracts and Available Papers Presented at the
2005 International RERTR Meeting
PROGRESS IN CONVERSION FROM HEU TO LEU FUEL AT IRT, SOFIA
T. Apostolov, S.
Belousov
Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy of
Bulgarian Academy of Science
Tsarigradsko 72, Sofia 1784, Bulgaria
P. Egorenkov
RRC “Kurchatov Institute”
Kurchatov square 1, Moscow 123182, Russian Federation
and
N. A. Hanan, J. E.
Matos
RERTR Program
Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne, IL 60439-4842 USA
ABSTRACT
The new 200 kW IRT-Sofia research reactor of the Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy (INRNE) of the Bulgarian Academy of Science, Sofia, Bulgaria is jointly studied with the RERTR Program at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) to realize its conversion from the use of fuel containing highly enriched uranium (HEU, 36% 235U) to use of fuel containing low enriched uranium (LEU, 19.75% 235U). After the applicability of IRT-4M LEU fuel for conversion was approved, further activities related to modification of the Safety Analyses Report were initiated. An initial core configuration was selected and its neutronic calculation was performed. The initial LEU core configuration uses 16 IRT-4M fuel assemblies (four 8-tubes and twelve 6-tubes). Results of detailed calculations of this initial core configuration and the neutronics properties that are important for preparation of the Safety Analyses Report are presented. These results provide information for thermal-hydraulic and accident analyses that are needed to demonstrate that the safety margin requirements are satisfied for the selected configuration.
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Contact:
Dr. Jordi Roglans-Ribas
Technical Director, RERTR Department
Nuclear Engineering Division – 362
Argonne National Laboratory
9700 South Cass Avenue
Argonne, IL 60439
Fax: +1 630-252-5161