Publication

Comparative transient analysis of critical and subcritical 80-MW Pb-Bi eutectic-cooled reactor systems

Rakesh Chawla, Konstantin Mikityuk
2007
Journal Articles

Abstract

A consistent analytical comparison has been made of the transient behavior of critical and subcritical fast-spectrum reactor systems, the basic core design assumed in each case being that of the 80-MW(thermal) mixed-oxide-fueled, Pb-Bi-cooled, experimental accelerator driven system (XADS). The transient calculations were performed using the FAST code system developed at the Paul Scherrer Institute. The present study demonstrates a high level of self-protection of both the critical and subcritical systems over a wide range of postulated events, including transient overpower due to reactivity insertion, loss of flow, station blackout, loss of coolant, and core overcooling accidents. The relative advantages and shortcomings of the two system types, from the viewpoint of transient behavior, are discussed on the basis of the corresponding simulation results obtained.

Official source

https://infoscience.epfl.ch/entities/publication/1a320813-7248-4457-9444-e2b806bb84e5

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Rakesh Chawla, Konstantin Mikityuk
2007
Journal Articles

Abstract

Official source

https://infoscience.epfl.ch/entities/publication/1a320813-7248-4457-9444-e2b806bb84e5

About this result

Related concepts (21)

Subcritical reactor

A subcritical reactor is a nuclear fission reactor concept that produces fission without achieving criticality. Instead of sustaining a chain reaction, a subcritical reactor uses additional neutrons from an outside source. There are two general classes of such devices. One uses neutrons provided by a nuclear fusion machine, a concept known as a fusion–fission hybrid. The other uses neutrons created through spallation of heavy nuclei by charged particles such as protons accelerated by a particle accelerator, a concept known as an accelerator-driven system (ADS) or accelerator-driven sub-critical reactor.

MOX fuel

Mixed oxide fuel, commonly referred to as MOX fuel, is nuclear fuel that contains more than one oxide of fissile material, usually consisting of plutonium blended with natural uranium, reprocessed uranium, or depleted uranium. MOX fuel is an alternative to the low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel used in the light-water reactors that predominate nuclear power generation. For example, a mixture of 7% plutonium and 93% natural uranium reacts similarly, although not identically, to LEU fuel (3 to 5% uranium-235).

Fast-neutron reactor

A fast-neutron reactor (FNR) or fast-spectrum reactor or simply a fast reactor is a category of nuclear reactor in which the fission chain reaction is sustained by fast neutrons (carrying energies above 1 MeV or greater, on average), as opposed to slow thermal neutrons used in thermal-neutron reactors. Such a fast reactor needs no neutron moderator, but requires fuel that is relatively rich in fissile material when compared to that required for a thermal-neutron reactor.

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