Low Enriched Uranium Dioxide: A Best Fuel for Miniature Neutron Source Reactor in Kinematic Parametric Calculation

Aliyu Umar Abubakar, Yamusa Abdullahi Yamusa

Abstract


The alarming rate of variation results obtained from the day-to-day analysis especially the once that involved point kinetic parameters (the kinematic behavior of the neutron) of the Nigeria research reactor-1. The inconsistencies in the end-marks of the analysis became a horrible issue of great concern that might give wrong information and lead to a mechanical problem in the reactor. This research seeks to find out the reliability of the kinematic behavior of the neutron of the Miniature Neutron Source Reactor (MNSR)  named Nigeria Research Reactor -1 (NIRR-1) using a simulation software named Serpent code 1.1.7 and Uranium dioxide as fuel of the reactor. The kinematic behavior of the neutron was observed through delayed neutron (ld) and its related factors such as neutron power, reactivity, multiplication factor, control rod movement and its lifetime. The Serpent code was used to iterate the fission probability in determining the delayed neutron parameters of this reactor under one averaged generation time and neutron population rate. The calculated values of prompt neutron lifetime (analogue and implicit), reduction and emission time of the delayed neutron were all within the range of  and have precision within the range of  In the near future, the results obtained on the delay neutron fraction and the time-based parameters would stand enough to guide for NIRR-1 modelling; hence the results described the dynamical and transient behavior of the delayed neutron in this reactor. In addition, results of this analysis spelled out the compatibility and relevance of low enriched uranium dioxide fuel in NIRR-1 due to the conformity of these results with the other results obtained on same reactor using Monte Carlo codes and high enriched uranium as fuel.

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References


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