2007 International RERTR Meeting

Abstracts and Available Papers Presented at the Meeting

Reactor Core Design and Modeling of the MIT Research Reactor for Conversion to LEU

Thomas H. Newton, Jr.
Nuclear Reactor Laboratory,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
138 Albany St.
Cambridge, MA, USA 02139

Arne P. Olson, and John A. Stillman
RERTR Program
Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne, IL USA 60439

ABSTRACT

Feasibility design studies for conversion of the MIT Research Reactor (MITR) to LEU are described. Because the reactor fuel has a rhombic cross section, a special input processor was created in order to model the reactor in great detail with the REBUS-PC diffusion theory code, in 3D (triangular-z) geometry. Comparisons are made of fuel assembly power distributions and control blade worth vs. axial position, between REBUS-PC results and Monte Carlo predictions from the MCNP code. Results for the original HEU core at zero burnup are also compared with measurement. These two analysis methods showed remarkable agreement. Ongoing fuel cycle studies are summarized. A status report will be given as to results thus far that affect key design decisions. Future work plans and schedules to achieve completion of the conversion are presented.

 

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