Results of the reactor dosimetry experiments performed for verification of the neutron transport calculations at the Hungarian Paks Nuclear Power Plant

Institute of Nuclear Techniques, Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) Műegyetem rkp. 3. H-1111 Budapest, Hungary

^* Corresponding author: zsolnay@reak.bme.hu

Published online: 11 November 2024

Abstract

The operational lifespan of all four units at the Hungarian Paks Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) has been extended by 20 years beyond the original 30-year term. This extension has been implemented gradually, in one- to two-year increments, since 2013. The Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority, responsible for granting approval for these life extensions, has prescribed the continuous and rigorous monitoring of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) throughout the plant’s extended service life. Among the key requirements is the validation of the neutron transport calculations, with specific attention to the large Lead Factor (LF), which reaches around 12 at the reactor core’s center. To meet these regulatory requirements, neutron transport calculations and reactor dosimetry measurements using neutron activation detectors (neutron monitors) have been conducted both inside and outside the RPV. Inside measurements were taken in the RPV surveillance channel, while outside measurements were conducted in the cavity adjacent to the outer wall of the RPV. These efforts aim to determine the key parameters of the neutron irradiation and validation is achieved if the experimental results agree with the neutron transport calculations at both the surveillance position and the RPV's outer wall (in the cavity), ensuring that the calculations are also valid for the inner wall of the RPV. This paper presents the validation of experimental data used to confirm the accuracy of the neutron transport calculations. The results of irradiations conducted over one- and four-year periods are compared and analyzed to demonstrate the authenticity of the experimental data for validation of the calculation results.