Studies of the Effect of Heavy Water in the Fast Reactor FR0

Core 9 of the FR0 fast critical assembly was diluted with heavy water to 24 vol. per cent, contained in thin walled copper cans. The report describes measurements of the critical mass and the reactivity coefficient of heavy water in this core. The effect of the heterogeneous core composition on these items is also dealt with. The results are compared with theoretical predictions using several computer codes. Criticality is accurately predicted, but the measured reactivity coefficient of heavy water is about 20 % lower than the value obtained with the best available methods, involving the SPENG and DTF-4 programmes. The result of bunching measurements, in which the degree of heterogeneity of core composition was changed, is compared with theoretical estimates of the resonance shielding, flux advantage and leakage components of the heterogeneity effect