Computational investigation of Tehran research reactor graphite reflector replacement with Be, BeO or D₂O and its impacts on thermal neutron flux enhancement
by Zohreh Gholamzadeh; Farrokh Khoshahval; Masoud Amin Mozafari; Atieh Joze-Vaziri
International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology (IJNEST), Vol. 13, No. 4, 2019

Abstract: Thermal neutron flux enhancement is an essential objective to achieve more radioisotope production in the research reactors. Here, the effect of graphite reflector replacement with other customary reflectors on thermal neutron flux enhancement of Tehran Research Reactor (TRR) core has been investigated. The core is modelled using Monte Carlo-based code with the graphite routine reflector and with Be, BeO, and D₂O reflectors. The calculations showed that the reflector replacement could result in a little enhancement of thermal neutron flux while beryllium oxide is suggested as the most efficient material (about 2.78% on average per channel). In addition, instead of total reflector conversion, application of some dimensionally optimised BeO blocks located around the irradiation boxes increases the thermal neutron flux up to 2.62%. Moreover, this study demonstrates that compacting the core could significantly enhance the thermal neutron flux up to 58% that is noticeably more than the reflector conversion effect.

Online publication date: Thu, 26-Mar-2020

The full text of this article is only available to individual subscribers or to users at subscribing institutions.

 
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.

Pay per view:
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.

Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology (IJNEST):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:

Username:        Password:          Forgotten your password?

Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.

If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com