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Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors
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Abstracts and Available Papers Presented at the
2000 International RERTR Meeting

A Neutronic Feasibility Study for LEU Conversion of the WWR–M reactor at Gatchina

Yu. V. Petrov, A. N. Erykalov and M. S. Onegin

Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute of RAS
 188350, Gatchina, Leningrad district, Russia
[email protected]

ABSTRACT

In this report we present the results of computations of the full scale reactor core with HEU (90%), MEU (36%) and LEU (19.75%) fuel. The reactor computer model for the MCU RFFI Monte Carlo code includes all peculiarities of the core. Calculations show that a uranium density of 3.3gU/cm3 of MEU (36%) fuel and 8.25gU/cm3 of LEU (19.75%) in WWR–M5 fuel assembly (FA) geometry is required to match the fuel cycle length of the HEU (90%) case with the same end of cycle (EOEC) excess reactivity. For the equilibrium fuel cycle the fuel burnup and poisoning, the fast and thermal neutron fluxes, the reactivity worth of control rods were calculated for the reference case with HEU (90%) FA and for the MEU and LEU FA. The relative accuracy of this neutronic feasibility study of fuel enrichment reduction of the WWR–M reactor in Gatchina is sufficient to start the fabrication feasibility study of MEU (36%) WWR–M5 fuel assemblies. At the present stage of technology it seems hardly possible to manufacture LEU (19.75%) fuel elements in WWR–M5 geometry due to too high uranium density. Only a future R&D can solve the problem.


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Contact:
Mr. Yuri V. Petrov
Professor, Principal Researcher
Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute
188350 Gatchina
St. Petersburg, Russia
Phone:  7 (812) 714-6096
Fax:      7 (812) 713-1963
E-mail:  [email protected]

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Last modified on July 29, 2008 11:33 +0200