Present situations and perspectives on the advanced utilization of HANARO

摘要

Since HANARO reached its initial criticality on the 8th of February, 1995. this facility has been improved and enhanced continuously in two ways, The first way is to check and review every function of its systems in order for the reactor to be operated with more improved performance as well as with the design values of the reactor. The second one is to equip most suitable instruments with convenient facilities to enhance the utilization program of the reactor. In the first case. we are starting the research work for the improvement of fuel performance and developing aluminum plugging in vertical holes of reflector tank for the reduction of thermal neutron loss due to light water. For the development of fuel. tubular type of fuel is considered to maximize the thermal margin, and a uranium-molybdenum (U-Mo) fuel specimen is planned for irradiation test in the HANARO. U-Mo fuel is proved to accommodate higher uranium loading density in the fuel meat and thus the use of the U-Mo fuel brings about the room for the on-site spent fuel storage pool in the HANARO. In the second case. Neutron Spectrometers are in scheduled installation according to users' requirements. A new pool cover is being designed to accommodate driving mechanisms for the neutron transmutation doping facility and capsule facility on the cover. In addition to these, a special research fund is allocated from the government to encourage researchers. who utilize the reactor for their research purposes. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. [References: 9]