Evaluated benchmark experiments at critical assemblies simulating features of an HTHR at the ASTRA facility
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ted Benchmark Experiments at Critical Assemblies Simulating Features of an HTHR at the ASTRA Facility V. P. Garin, A. E. Glushkov, E. S. Glushkov, E. A. Gomin, M. I. Gurevich, A. A. Zimin, G. V. Kompaniets, N. E. Kukharkin, V. A. Lobyntsev, V. I. Nosov, D. N. Polyakov, N. N. PonomarevStepnoi, O. N. Smirnov, O. V. Tel’kovskaya, and E. I. Chunyaev Russian Research Center Kurchatov Institute, pl. Kurchatova 1, Moscow, 123182 Russia Received January 28, 2009
Abstract—The design of the ASTRA facility and critical assemblies that simulate physics features of modular hightemperature reactors (HTHRMs) with a graphite moderator and reflectors loaded with fuel particles having multilayer ceramic coatings is described in detail. Geometrical dimensions of the main elements and regions of the critical assemblies, composition of the materials used, and experimental results for various con figurations of the critical assemblies are presented. A detailed computational benchmark model allowing for the structural and compositional features of the critical assembly configurations in question is developed on the basis of all the above data. The results are to be used for verification of the neutronics codes used for cal culations of hightemperature heliumcooled reactors. DOI: 10.1134/S106377881014005X
1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE ASTRA FACILITY
INTRODUCTION In the future, nuclear energy is expected to be in wider use to produce not only electric power but also hightemperature heat for various industrial applica tions. Hightemperature heliumcooled reactors (HTHRs) are one of the appropriate solutions meeting those requirements [1–4]. The technology for imple mentation of this concept is based on long experience in designing, developing, and operating hightemper ature reactors in our country and abroad [2–5]. Now research and development is being carried out in the world on HTHRMs with a gas turbine, such as the GTMGT with prismatic fuel elements (United States, Russia, France, Japan) [4] and the PBMR with spherical fuel elements (FEs) (South Africa) [5]. These reactors have features that affect their neutron ics characteristics [6]: use of fuel in the form of parti cles with a multilayer coating accommodated in the graphite matrix of fuel elements, high temperature of the core and reflector materials, a large ratio between the height and diameter of the core (H/D = 1.5–3), annular core, etc.
The general view of the ASTRA critical facility is shown in Fig. 1 (page 1 of the color inset). The load carrying structure of the critical assembly of the ASTRA facility is a cylindrical body with a bottom of stainless steel. Inside the steel body of the assembly, there are a side (outer) reflector (SR) and a bottom reflector (BR), both of graphite, installed on the bot tom in such a way that a cavity intended for mounting a cylindrical or annular core is formed within the body in the middle part of its inside.
Experiments at critical assemblies are very impor tant for verification of codes designed for calculating neutron
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