Abstract
A systematic reactor physics validation roadmap has been developed to support conversion of HFIR to LEU fuel. The multistep approach includes (1) validating selected tools with HEU core-based fuel and irradiation experiment data, (2) performing detailed HEU-to-LEU performance comparison studies, (3) performing sensitivity analysis and uncertainty quantification studies, (4) developing and executing an exhaustive set of LEU LTC low-power CEs, and (5) validating tools with the LEU-obtained data. Successful execution will ultimately provide the necessary high confidence in the proposed LEU design's ability to operate at an exceptionally high performance level safely and reliably. To ensure that HFIR safety and performance are maintained following conversion, parameters for nuclear criticality safety and reactor physics of the new fuel must be determined and validated to enable operations and benchmark predictive analyses. The proposed LEU core design's reactivity worth and sensitivity to as-built fuel characteristics will be critical for storage, handling, transportation, and operations. Furthermore, direct measurement of fission rate distributions, reactivity coefficients, control element differential and integral worth data, kinetics data, and other results will be highly advantageous to ensure nuclear safety. These data could be used in the safety basis and directly entered into accident analysis calculations.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 700-703 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Transactions of the American Nuclear Society |
| Volume | 128 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2023 |
| Event | 2023 Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Annual Meeting and Technology Expo, ANS 2023 - Indianapolis, United States Duration: Jun 11 2023 → Jun 14 2023 |
Funding
1 Notice: This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the US Department of Energy (DOE). The US government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for US government purposes. DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan (http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan). This material is based on work supported and funded by the DOE National Nuclear Security Administration Office of Material Management and Minimization. This research was performed on HFIR, a DOE SC User Facility operated by ORNL under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725.