Neutronics analysis of JSI TRIGA Mark II reactor benchmark experiments with SuperMC3.3

Wanbin Tan; Pengcheng Long; Guangyao Sun; Jun Zou; Lijuan Hao

Nuclear Engineering and Technology (Oct 2019)

Neutronics analysis of JSI TRIGA Mark II reactor benchmark experiments with SuperMC3.3

Wanbin Tan,
Pengcheng Long,
Guangyao Sun,
Jun Zou,
Lijuan Hao

Affiliations

Wanbin Tan: Key Laboratory of Neutronics and Radiation Safety, Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
Pengcheng Long: Key Laboratory of Neutronics and Radiation Safety, Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
Guangyao Sun: Key Laboratory of Neutronics and Radiation Safety, Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
Jun Zou: Key Laboratory of Neutronics and Radiation Safety, Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
Lijuan Hao: Key Laboratory of Neutronics and Radiation Safety, Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China; Corresponding author.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 51, no. 7
pp. 1715 – 1720

Abstract

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Jozef Stefan Institute (JSI), TRIGA Mark II reactor employs the homogeneous mixture of uranium and zirconium hydride fuel type. Since its upgrade, a series of fresh fuel steady state experimental benchmarks have been conducted. The benchmark results have provided data for testing computational neutronics codes which are important for reactor design and safety analysis. In this work, we investigated the JSI TRIGA Mark II reactor neutronics characteristics: the effective multiplication factor and two safety parameters, namely the control rod worth and the fuel temperature reactivity coefficient using SuperMC. The modeling and real-time cross section generation methods of SuperMC were evaluated in the investigation. The calculation analysis indicated the following: the effective multiplication factor was influenced by the different cross section data libraries; the control rod worth evaluation was better with Monte Carlo codes; the experimental fuel temperature reactivity coefficient was smaller than calculated results due to change in water temperature. All the results were in good agreement with the experimental values. Hence, SuperMC could be used for the designing and benchmarking of other TRIGA Mark II reactors. Keywords: TRIGA Mark II, Effective multiplication factor, Control rod worth, Fuel temperature reactivity coefficient, SuperMC

Published in Nuclear Engineering and Technology

ISSN: 1738-5733 (Print)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Korea, Republic of
LCC subjects: Technology: Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering: Nuclear engineering. Atomic power
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/nuclear-engineering-and-technology

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