Representability evaluation of fuel debris nuclear characteristics by heterogeneous core of Stacy - 14581

Decommissioning is underway in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (1FNPS). Criticality control is one of the important safety issues in the decommissioning, especially during fuel debris removal. In 1FNPS, part of fuel debris might be in the form of molten-core-concrete-interaction (MCCI) product. It has been shown that the MCCI product can be critical not only under water but even with water bound in concrete. Further study of criticality characteristics by computation is being conducted to clarify its criticality risk. Furthermore, the risk assessment by computation needs validation by experiment. Japan Atomic Energy Agency is preparing critical experiments with simulated fuel debris in the Static Experiment Critical Facility (STACY), whose solution core will be converted into a new core using fuel rods and light-water moderator. It is difficult to build core configurations composed of water and fuel rods which contain homogeneous mixtures of uranium dioxide (UO₂) and structural materials of boiling light water reactors. In the modified STACY, it is being planned to simulate fuel debris by arranging UO₂ fuel rods and structural material rods in water. In this study, difference in heterogeneity between the experimental core and possible fuel debris conditions is evaluated by comparing infinite multiplication factors and neutron energy spectra. (authors)