A new fuel management plan for the pennsylvania state university triga reactor including supporting experiments and calculations

摘要

The Pennsylvania State university Breazeale (TRIGA) Re- actor (PSBR) has operated for 25 yr (440 MWd) using a mixed 12 wt/100 ZrH_x-U and 8.5 wt/100 ZrH_x-U fuel configuration (both enriched to 20 wt/100 ~235U, and x, the ratio of H to Zr, is nomi- nally 1.65). In this configuration, the most reactive 12 wt/100 ZrH_x-U fuel is always in the B-ring. The bring is the inner- Most hexagonal ring, incorporating 6 fuel elements, and the C-ring is the next outward ring, having 12 fuel elements. PSBR Experience during pulsing and steady-state operation indi- Cates that with these configurations the maximum fuel temper- Atures should be reduced in order to extend to useful life of The 12 wt/100 ZrH_x-U fuel.