28 research outputs found
Correction methods for pulsed neutron source reactivity measurement in accelerator driven systems
Important issue in the perspective of nuclear energy development in the near future is the partitioning and
transmutation (P&T) of spent nuclear fuel. For years the European Commission (EC) has sponsored this scientific
activity through the Framework Programmes (FP). One of the milestones for P&T is the development of accelerator
driven systems (ADS). Extensive research in this field was carried out within the EUROTRANS project of 6th FP of
EURATOM. Part of this research was devoted to testing and development of reactivity monitoring techniques in ADS.
This paper concerns the methods of the reactivity measurement using the pulsed neutron source (PNS). Due to the fact
that basic methods devoted to determine the core reactivity are derived from point kinetics, while real subcritical core
kinetics differs from this model, there is a need to improve these methods in order to deal with the observed spatial
effects. There are several ways to make these methods work properly and finally it should be possible to achieve this.
However, they still need a validation which is supposed to be done within next FP project FREYA
Assessment of the control rods shadow effect in the VENUS-F core
The partitioning and transmutation (P&T) of spent nuclear fuel is an important fi eld of present
development of nuclear energy technologies. One of the possible ways to carry out the P&T process is to use
the accelerator driven systems (ADS). This technology has been developed within the EURATOM Framework
Programmes for several years now. Current research in this fi eld is carried out within the scope of 7th FP project
FREYA. Important parts of the project are experiments performed in the GUINEVERE facility devoted to
characterising the subcritical core kinetics and development of reactivity monitoring techniques. The present
paper considers the effects of control rods use on the core reactivity. In order to carry out the evaluation of the
experimental results, it is important to have detailed core characteristics at hand and to take into consideration
the differences in the effect of control rods acting separately or together (the so-called shadow effect) on both
the reactivity value and the measured neutron fl ux. Also any core asymmetry should be revealed. This goal was
achieved by both MCNP simulations and the experimental results. However, in the case of experimental results,
the need for calculating respective correction factors was unavoidable
Assessment of the control rods shadow effect in the VENUS-F core
The partitioning and transmutation (P&T) of spent nuclear fuel is an important fi eld of present
development of nuclear energy technologies. One of the possible ways to carry out the P&T process is to use
the accelerator driven systems (ADS). This technology has been developed within the EURATOM Framework
Programmes for several years now. Current research in this fi eld is carried out within the scope of 7th FP project
FREYA. Important parts of the project are experiments performed in the GUINEVERE facility devoted to
characterising the subcritical core kinetics and development of reactivity monitoring techniques. The present
paper considers the effects of control rods use on the core reactivity. In order to carry out the evaluation of the
experimental results, it is important to have detailed core characteristics at hand and to take into consideration
the differences in the effect of control rods acting separately or together (the so-called shadow effect) on both
the reactivity value and the measured neutron fl ux. Also any core asymmetry should be revealed. This goal was
achieved by both MCNP simulations and the experimental results. However, in the case of experimental results,
the need for calculating respective correction factors was unavoidable