Operation of VVR-SM with 36% Enrichment Uranium-Dioxide Fuel

Abstract

VVR-SM after conversion to IRT-3M fuel assemblies with 36% fuel enrichment is operating at 10 MW with a core load of 18 fuel assemblies. The safety of the operation is ensured by neutrons and thermohydraulic calculations of the operating regimes of the core after each reloading of fuel assemblies. The experimental channels of nine fuel assemblies with flux density of neutrons with energy >0.821 MeV up to 1.1⋅1014 sec−1⋅cm−2 are used for producing 32P and 33P. The flux density of thermal neutrons in the channels of the beryllium reflector reaches 1.6⋅1014 sec−1⋅cm−2. Nine of the horizontal channels and the channel of the thermal column are used for fundamental and applied studies and for neutron-activation analysis.