Dynamics of subcritical reactor driven by proton linac - 15492

In this paper the dynamics of processes in accelerator-driven subcritical reactor (ADSR) is considered. The proposed ADSR concept is based on the proton linac with the following characteristics: E=300 MeV, I=5 mA, duty factor: 10%, W=1.5 MW, different types of core (traditional, coupled) are analyzed. The ADSR control strategy should differ from the one for a classical critical reactor. In classical reactors, reactivity effects are compensated by neutron absorbers that guarantee the reactor maintenance in the critical condition while in ADSR the system is regulated only by the accelerator. So it is necessary to analyze possible schemes of ADSR power regulation. It is shown that the ADSR control should preferably be carried out through the linac pulse repetition rate change. Calculation results of transient processes in the traditional reactor core taking into account fuel feedback are given. The two point kinetics model is proposed to describe the dynamics of coupled subcritical reactor. (authors)