The Power Distribution and Neutron Fluence Measurements and Calculations in the VVER-1000 Mock-Up on the LR-0 Research Reactor

Abstract

The power density distribution in a reactor has significant influence on core structures and pressure vessel mechanical resistance, as well as on the physical characteristics of nuclear fuel. This quantity also has an effect on the leakage neutron and photon field. This issue has become of increasing importance, as it touches on actual questions of the VVER nuclear power plant life time extension. This paper shows the comparison of calculated and experimentally determined pin by pin power distributions. The calculation has been performed with deterministic and Monte Carlo approaches. This quantity is accompanied by the neutron and photon flux density calculation and measurements at different points of the light water zero-power (LR-0) research reactor mock-up core, reactor built-in component (core barrel), and reactor pressure vessel and model. The effect of the different data libraries used for calculation is discussed.