A time evolution model was developed to study fuel burnup for the TRIGA Mark II reactor at the University of Pavia. The results were used to predict the effects of a complete core reconfiguration and the accuracy of this prediction was tested experimentally. We used the Monte Carlo code MCNP5 to reproduce system neutronics in different operating conditions and to analyze neutron fluxes in the reactor core. The software that took care of time evolution, completely designed in-house, used the neutron fluxes obtained by MCNP5 to evaluate fuel consumption. This software was developed specifically to keep into account some features that differentiate low power experimental reactors from those used for power production, such as the daily ON/OFF cycle and the long fuel lifetime. These effects can not be neglected to properly account for neutron poison accumulation. We evaluated the effect of 48 years of reactor operation and predicted a possible new configuration for the reactor core: the objective was to remove some of the fuel elements from the core and to obtain a substantial increase in the Core Excess reactivity value. The evaluation of fuel burnup and the reconfiguration results are presented in this paper.

Chiesa, D., Clemenza, M., Pozzi, S., Previtali, E., Sisti, M., Alloni, D., et al. (2016). Fuel burnup analysis of the TRIGA Mark II reactor at the University of Pavia. ANNALS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY, 96, 270-276 [10.1016/j.anucene.2016.06.008].

Fuel burnup analysis of the TRIGA Mark II reactor at the University of Pavia

CHIESA, DAVIDE
Primo
;
CLEMENZA, MASSIMILIANO
Secondo
;
POZZI, STEFANO
;
PREVITALI, EZIO;SISTI, MONICA;
2016

Abstract

A time evolution model was developed to study fuel burnup for the TRIGA Mark II reactor at the University of Pavia. The results were used to predict the effects of a complete core reconfiguration and the accuracy of this prediction was tested experimentally. We used the Monte Carlo code MCNP5 to reproduce system neutronics in different operating conditions and to analyze neutron fluxes in the reactor core. The software that took care of time evolution, completely designed in-house, used the neutron fluxes obtained by MCNP5 to evaluate fuel consumption. This software was developed specifically to keep into account some features that differentiate low power experimental reactors from those used for power production, such as the daily ON/OFF cycle and the long fuel lifetime. These effects can not be neglected to properly account for neutron poison accumulation. We evaluated the effect of 48 years of reactor operation and predicted a possible new configuration for the reactor core: the objective was to remove some of the fuel elements from the core and to obtain a substantial increase in the Core Excess reactivity value. The evaluation of fuel burnup and the reconfiguration results are presented in this paper.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
Benchmark analysis; Core reconfiguration; Fuel burnup; MCNP5 simulations; TRIGA Mark II reactor;
Benchmark analysis; Core reconfiguration; Fuel burnup; MCNP5 simulations; TRIGA Mark II reactor; Nuclear Energy and Engineering
English
2016
96
270
276
reserved
Chiesa, D., Clemenza, M., Pozzi, S., Previtali, E., Sisti, M., Alloni, D., et al. (2016). Fuel burnup analysis of the TRIGA Mark II reactor at the University of Pavia. ANNALS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY, 96, 270-276 [10.1016/j.anucene.2016.06.008].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/134665
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