Design Analyses for Full Core Conversion of The Dalat Nuclear Research Reactor

Abstract
The paper presents calculated results of neutronics, steady state thermal hydraulics and transient/accidents analyses for full core conversion from High Enriched Uranium (HEU) to Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) of the Dalat Nuclear Research Reactor (DNRR). In this work, the characteristics of working core using 92 LEU fuel assemblies and 12 beryllium rods were investigated by using many computer codes including MCNP, REBUS, VARI3D for neutronics, PLTEMP3.8 for steady state thermal hydraulics, RELAP/MOD3.2 for transient analyses and ORIGEN, MACCS2 for maximum hypothetical accident (MHA). Moreover, in neutronics calculation, neutron flux, power distribution, peaking factor, burn up distribution, feedback reactivity coefficients and kinetics parameters of the working core were calculated. In addition, cladding temperature, coolant temperature and ONB margin were estimated in steady state thermal hydraulics investigation. The working core was also analyzed under initiating events of uncontrolled withdrawal of a control rod, cooling pump failure, earthquake and MHA. Obtained results show that DNRR loaded with LEU fuel has all safety features as HEU and mixed HEU-LEU fuel cores and meets requirements in utilization as well.