Title: Understanding kinetic behaviour of TRIGA reactor core

Authors: Rashida Yasmeen; Mohammad Sayem Mahmood

Addresses: Institute of Nuclear Science & Technology, Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Ganakbari, Savar, Dhaka 1349, Bangladesh ' Institute of Nuclear Science & Technology, Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Ganakbari, Savar, Dhaka 1349, Bangladesh

Abstract: The kinetic parameters govern the transient behaviour of a nuclear reactor. Estimation of these parameters has great importance for the safe design and operation of a nuclear reactor. In order to understand the kinetic behaviour of TRIGA core, the influence of graphite dummy elements, absorber materials and beam ports on kinetic parameters has been studied. To do so, the effective delayed neutron fraction (β_eff), prompt removal lifetime (ℓ) and mean neutron generation time (Λ) have been calculated for an infinite system of LEU fuel cells. The investigation has been extended to four different cases of TRIGA reactor core. Monte Carlo simulation has been carried out to compute the kinetic parameters by Monte Carlo code MCNP5. The β_eff value remains unchanged but the ℓ and Λ values are found to be sensitive to the local perturbations of core components.

Keywords: kinetic parameters; effective delayed neutron fraction; prompt removal lifetime; mean neutron generation time; TRIGA; LEU; MCNP.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNEST.2017.088072

International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology, 2017 Vol.11 No.3, pp.265 - 271

Received: 13 May 2017
Accepted: 26 Jul 2017
Published online: 20 Nov 2017 *

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