Feasibility Study on the Initial Kartini Reactor Core Using Plate Type Fuel Elements

Abstract

The plate type fuel element conversion is proposed to solve a supply problem of TRIGA standard rod type fresh fuel in the long term and to extend the lifetime by reducing the dependence of buying imported elements. The plate type fuel is an alternative since the Indonesian industry has been able to produce such fuel elements. The change of core configuration is expected to improve the reactor performance for irradiation facilities and fuel element lifetime. The SRAC2006 is used to perform neutronic calculations while the nuclear fuel lifetime is calculated by SWAT. This study begins with performing a core properties comparison of UZrH1.6 as the current fuel material and U3Si2-Al as the fuel material candidate. The results show that the Kartini reactor core is possible to load U3Si2-Al as the fuel material and makes higher excess reactivity compared to the current fuel material. Furthermore, U3Si2-Al in the plate type element geometry is variedly arranged in the new reactor core configuration to optimize the neutronic core parameters. The new core configuration is composed of 10 standard fuel elements, 4 fuel control elements, and the graphite material baffle that is located between the active core and annular reflector for serves as an additional reflector. The configuration produced sufficient core excess reactivity and adequate shutdown margin. It also produced negative temperature feedback reactivity and power peaking factor that fulfilled the safety requirements. Improvement of new reactor core performance was obtained by more irradiation facilities, higher thermal neutron flux, and longer maximum estimated burn up compared to the current core configuration.