Publication: An investigation into the feasibility of thorium fuels utilization in seed-blanket configurations for TRIGA PUSPATI Reactor (RTP)
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Date
2018
Authors
Bin Damahuri A.H.
Mohamed H.
Mohamed A.A.
Idris F.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Institute of Physics Publishing
Abstract
Thorium is one of the elements that needs to be explored for nuclear fuel research and development. One of the popular core configurations of thorium fuel is seed-blanket configuration or also known as Radkowsky Thorium Fuel concept. The seed will act as a supplier of neutrons, which will be placed inside of the core. The blanket, on the other hand, is the consumer of neutrons that is located at outermost of the core. In this work, a neutronic analysis of seed-blanket configuration for the TRIGA PUSPATI Reactor (RTP) is carried out using Monte Carlo method. The reactor, which has been operated since 1982 use uranium zirconium hydride (U-ZrH1.6) as the fuel and have multiple uranium weight which are 8.5, 12 and 20 wt.%. The pool type reactor is one and only research reactor that located in Malaysia. The design of core included the Uranium Zirconium Hydride located at the centre of the core that will act as the seed to supply neutron. The thorium oxide that will act as blanket situated outside of seed region will receive neutron to transmute 232Th to 233U. The neutron multiplication factor or criticality of each configuration is estimated. Results show that the highest initial criticality achieved is 1.30153. � Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.
Description
Criticality (nuclear fission); Fuels; Hydrides; Monte Carlo methods; Neutrons; Thorium; Thorium compounds; Uranium; Uranium compounds; Core configuration; Fuel research; Neutron multiplication; Neutronic analysis; Seed-blanket; Thorium fuels; Thorium oxides; Zirconium hydride; Zirconium compounds