HTGR Knowledge Base

IAEA-TECDOC--1249: Critical experiments and reactor physics calculations for low-enriched HTGRs

International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)

Abstract

Advanced gas cooled reactor designs currently under development are predicted to achieve a high degree of safety through reliance on innovative features and passive systems. The IAEA's activities in this field during the 1990’s focused on three technical areas that are essential to providing this high degree of safety, but which must be proven. These technical areas are:

the neutron physics behavior of the reactor core
the ability of ceramic coated fuel particles to retain the fission products, even under extreme accident conditions
the ability of the designs to dissipate decay heat by natural transport mechanisms

To enhance confidence in predictions of neutron physics behavior, the IAEA established a Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on Validation of Safety Related Physics Calculations for Low Enriched HTGRs. Countries participating in this CRP include China, France, Japan, Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, the USA and the Russian Federation. Its objective was to fill gaps in validation data for physics methods used for core design of gas-cooled reactors fueled with low enriched uranium. Within this CRP, an international team of researchers was assembled at the PROTEUS critical experiment facility of the Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland, to plan, conduct and analyze a new series of critical experiments focused on the needs of participating countries. In this CRP, experience from critical experiment programs in the Russian Federation and Japan was also utilized.

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