Abstract
The work is focused on the influence of investigation of some core heterogeneities and construction materials on the space power (fission rate) distribution in WWER-1000-type cores, especially from viewpoint of the values and gradient occurrence that could result in static loads with some consequences, for example, fuel pin (FP) or fuel assembly (FA) bowing and possible contribution to the FP failure root causes. For this purpose, experimental data and their analysis from two earlier performed measurements on light water, zero-power reactor LR-0 were used, concerning the relative radial power distribution determined by measurements in a WWER-1000-type core containing single FPs with homogeneous gadolinium admixture () and the relative radial power distribution determined by measurements in FA situated on the periphery of a WWER-1000-type core neighbouring the baffle (thermal shielding).
Highlights
The LR-0 reactor in the Nuclear Research Institute Rezplc is an experimental facility for determination of the neutronphysical characteristics of the WWER- and PWR-type lattices and shielding with UO2 or MOX fuel
In the frame of their modernization, a set of experiments has been performed on the LR-0 reactor, for example, with new type fuel assembly (FA) with various burnable absorbers arranged in appropriate configurations and cores of the both WWER-440 and WWER-1000 types including a number of experiments with FAs containing single fuel pin (FP) with Gd (Gd FPs) burnable absorber (Gd2O3) integrated into fuel (e.g., [1, 2])
The power distribution was determined by means of gamma scanning of irradiated FPs, measuring their gamma radiation in the energy range of 600 to 900 keV
Summary
The LR-0 reactor in the Nuclear Research Institute Rezplc is an experimental facility for determination of the neutronphysical characteristics of the WWER- and PWR-type lattices and shielding with UO2 or MOX fuel. Exploitation of this facility is determined by maximum power of 5 kW and maximum thermal neutron flux density of 1013 m−2s−1, atmospheric pressure, and room temperature (or heating up to 70◦C). Experiments concerned the reactor pressure vessel dosimetry and they included measurements of the power (fission rate) distribution in periphery FAs neighbouring the baffle in WWER-1000-type cores (e.g., [3]). Results of power (fission rate) distribution measurements presented in [1–3] are used and analysed in this work
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call