The upgrade and conversion of the ET-RR-1 research reactor using plate type fuel elements

N. Ashoub; H. G. Saleh

doi:10.1515/kern-2001-0106

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The upgrade and conversion of the ET-RR-1 research reactor using plate type fuel elements

N. Ashoub and H. G. Saleh

Published/Copyright: March 17, 2022

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From the journal Kerntechnik Volume 66 Issue 5-6

Abstract

The ET-RR-1 research reactor has been operated at 2 MW since 1961 using EK-10 fuel elements with 10% enriched uranium. The reactor has been used for nuclear applied research and isotope production. In order to upgrade the reactor power to a reasonable limit facing up-to-date uses, core conversion by a new type of fuel element available is necessary. Two fuel elements in plate type are suggested in this study to be used in the ET-RR-1 reactor core rather than the utilized ones. The first element has a dimension of 8×8×50 cm and consists of 19.7% enriched uranium, which is typical for that utilized in the ET RR-2 reactor, but with a different length. The other element is proposed with a dimension of 7×7×50 cm and has the same uranium enrichment. To accomplish safety requirements for these fuel elements, thermal-hydraulic evaluation has been carried out using the PARET code. To reach a core conversion of the ET-RR-1 reactor with the above two types of fuel elements, neutronic calculations have been performed using WIMSD4, DIXY2 and EREBUS codes. Some important nuclear parameters needed in the physical design of the reactor were calculated and included in this study.

Abstract

Der ET-RR-1 Forschungsreaktor wird seit 1961 unter Verwendung von EK-10 Brennelementen mit einer Leistung von 2 MW betrieben. Der Reaktor wird in der angewandten Forschung und zur Isotopenherstellung eingesetzt. Um die Reaktorleistung im Hinblick auf eine zeitgemäße Nutzung der Anlage in einem vernünftigen Maß zu erhöhen, ist eine Umwandlung des Kerns durch Verwendung neuartiger Brennelemente nötig. In der vorliegenden Untersuchung wird vorgeschlagen, anstelle der z. Z. verwendeten Elemente zwei neue, plattenförmige Brennelemente zu verwenden. Das erste Element hat eine Größe von 8x8x50 cm und besteht aus 19,7 % angereichertem Uran, was den im ET-RR-2 Reaktor verwendeten Elementen entspricht, allerdings mit einer anderen Größe. Das zweite Element hat die gleiche Urananreicherung und eine Größe von 7x7x50 cm. Um die Sicherheitsanforderungne für diese Brennelemente festzulegen, wurde eine thermohydraulische Bewertung mit Hilfe des PARET Codes durchgefährt. Um eine Kernumwandlung des ET-RR-1 Reaktors mit diesen beiden Brennelementen zu erreichen wurden Neutronenrechnungen durchgeführt mit Hilfe der Codes WIMSD4, DIXY2 und EREBUS. Einige für das physikalische Design des Reaktors wichtigen Parameter wurden berechnet und in diese Untersuchung miteinbezogen.

References

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Bücher • Books

Operational limits and conditions and operating procedures for nuclear power plants Safety Guide No. NS-G-2.2. Published by the IAEA 2000. ISBN 92-0-102000-7, 41 pages, 14,53 Euro.

This Safety Guide was prepared as part of the Agency’s programme for establishing safety standards relating to nuclear power plants. The present Safety Guide supersedes the IAEA Safety Guide on Operational Limits and Conditions for Nuclear Power Plants which was issued in 1979 as Safety Series No. 50-SG-03.

For a nuclear power plant to be operated in a safe manner, the provisions made in the final design and subsequent modifications shall be reflected in limitations on plant operating parameters and in the requirements on plant equipment and personnel. Under the responsibility of the operating organization, these shall be developed during the design safety evaluation as a set of operational limits and conditions (OLCs). A major contribution to compliance with the OLCs is made by the development and utilization of operating procedures (OPs) that are consistent with and fully implement the OLCs.

The requirements for the OLCs and OPs are established in Section 5 of the IAEA Safety Requirements publication Safety of Nuclear Power Plants: Operation, which this Safety Guide supplements.

The purpose of this Safety Guide is to provide guidance on the development, content and implementation of OLCs and OPs. The Safety Guide is directed at both regulators and owners/operators.

This Safety Guide covers the concept of OLCs, their content as applicable to land based stationary power plants with thermal neutron reactors, and the responsibilities of the operating organization regarding their establishment, modification, compliance and documentation. The OPs to support the implementation of the OLCs and to ensure their observance are also within the scope of this Safety Guide. The particular aspects of the procedures for maintenance, surveillance, inservice inspection and other safety related activities in connection with the safe operation of nuclear power plants are outside the scope of this Safety Guide but can be found in other IAEA Safety Guides.

Section 2 indicates the relation between the fundamental safety objective and the OLCs. The concept and development of OLCs are introduced in Section 3. Sections 4 to 7 describe in some detail the characteristics of the types of OLCs, safety limits, limits on safety system settings, limits and conditions for normal operation, and surveillance requirements. Sections 8 and 9 address the question of OPs, including their development. In Section 10 guidance is provided on how to ensure compliance with OLCs and procedures, including reference to the need to retain records of such compliance. Appendix I presents a sample list of the items for which limits and conditions are generally established and Appendix II gives outlines for the development of OPs. In the Annex an example is provided to explain some terms used in the Safety Guide. A Glossary is included at the end.

Received: 2001-09-18

Published Online: 2022-03-17

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https://doi.org/10.1515/kern-2001-0106