2007 International RERTR Meeting

Abstracts and Available Papers Presented at the Meeting

Preliminary Study on New Configuration with LEU Fuel Assemblies for the Dalat Nuclear Research Reactor

PHAM Van Lam, LE Vinh Vinh, HUYNH Ton Nghiem
LUONG Ba Vien and NGUYEN Kien Cuong
Nuclear Research Institute
1 Nguyen Tu Luc Street, Dalat, Vietnam

ABSTRACT

The fuel conversion of the Dalat Nuclear Research Reactor (DNRR) is being realized. The DNRR is a pool type research reactor which was reconstructed from the 250 kW TRIGAMARK II reactor. The reconstructed reactor attained its nominal power of 500 kW in February 1984. According to the results of design and safety analyses performed by the joint study between RERTR Program at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and Vietnam Atomic Energy Commission (VAEC) the mixed core of irradiated HEU and new LEU WWR-M2 fuel assemblies will be created soon. This paper presents the results of preliminary study on new configuration with only LEU fuel assemblies for the DNRR. The codes MCNP, REBUS and VARI3D are used to calculate neutron flux performance in irradiation positions and kinetics parameters. The idea of change of Beryllium rod reloading enables to get working configuration assured shutdown margin, thermal-hydraulic safety and increase in thermal neutron flux in neutron trap at the center of DNRR active core.

 

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