Published May 22, 1992 | Version v1
Miscellaneous Open

Contribution to the sensitivity study of a core to the dimensioning physical parameters and to the nature of fuel

Description

Since the most essential characteristics of fast breeder reactors must be safety as well as economy, a modular island core concept is proposed, to nullify the sodium voiding effect, while keeping neutronic performances of conventional homogeneous cores (high unitary power, high burn-up). In fact, very low or even negative sodium voiding effects are obtained, but mainly to the detriment of the core size, the length of the operating fuel cycle (about one year) and the fuel enrichment level. The two best modular island cores are composed of seven modules and 3 radially heterogeneous modules. The most efficient coupling zone is made up of 2 rows of fertile blankets and one row of highly concentrated boron shielding. (author)

Abstract (French)

Les reacteurs a neutrons rapides devant etre tout aussi bien surs qu'economiquement rentables, le concept de coeur modulaire est propose, afin d'obtenir des effets en reactivite lors d'une vidange incidentelle du caloporteur qui soient nuls, tout en conservant les caracteristiques des grands coeurs homogenes (forte puissance unitaire, forts taux de combustion). Des effets de vide sodium tres faibles voire negatifs sont effectivement obtenus, mais au detriment de la taille du coeur, de la duree du cycle de fonctionnement (voisin d'une annee) et du niveau d'enrichissement du combustible. Les deux meilleurs coeurs modulaires optimises comprennent respectivement 7 modules et 3 modules heterogenes radiaux. La zone de separation la plus performante decouple totalement les modules et est composee de 2 couronnes de couvertures fertiles et d'une couronne de protections fortement borees. (auteur)

Files

46133739.pdf

Files (7.2 MB)

Name Size Download all
md5:9a70f37970e100c9c479a0435d2a66ba
7.2 MB Preview Download

Additional details

Additional titles

Original title (French)
Contribution a l'etude de sensibilite d'un coeur aux parametres physiques de dimensionnement et a la nature du combustible

Publishing Information

Imprint Pagination
252 p.
Report number
FRCEA-TH--6637

Optional Information

Notes
17 refs.; Available from the INIS Liaison Officer for France, see the 'INIS contacts' section of the INIS website for current contact and E-mail addresses: http://www.iaea.org/inis/Contacts/