Confirmation of Nuclear Heating Rate for Installation of Cold Neutron Source at HANARO

Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute

^* M. S. Kim is with the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daedeok-daero 989-111, Yuseong, Daejeon, 34057, Korea (e-mail: mskim@kaeri.re.kr)
B. G. Park is with the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daedeok-daero 989-111, Yuseong, Daejeon, 34057, Korea (e-mail: bgpark@kaeri.re.kr)

Published online: 20 January 2020

Abstract

In order to determine the capacity of the cold neutron source refrigerator of HANARO, the nuclear heating rate at CN vertical hole is measured by using the heat-flow calorimetric method and confirmed by the calculation. The heating rate measurement device of HANARO was composed of a calorimeter sensor, an air containing aluminum sleeve for fitting the sensor to the CN hole, aluminum weight and a lead wire assembly. The calorimeter sensor consists of a cylindrical Al sample and container, two thermocouples and the electric heater for the calibration of the calorimeter. The sample is separated by an air gap from the Al container surrounded by an air containing Al sleeve. After installation of the calorimeter at a measurement position of HANARO, the heat transfer inside the calorimeter was simulated by the electric heating for the sample. The nuclear heating rates at the CN hole were determined at three reactor powers of 1, 4 and 8 MW by using the calibration curve and the temperature measurements at each reactor power. The measured nuclear heating rate per unit mass of Al sample at 8 MW reactor power is 0.143 W/g and it is equivalent to the 0.494 W/g at 30 MW. The nuclear heating rate was calculated by using the MCNP code. The calculation model for the whole facility including the reactor core and the reflector tank were established. In the calculation procedure, the heat generations by various radiations were evaluated with considering the prompt, delayed and activation effects. The measured heating rate was reasonably well supported by the calculation using the cold neutron facility design code. It will be very useful for the moderator cell of cold neutron source of HANARO.