Core parametric study for enhancing the radioisotope production in the IEA-R1 research reactor

In this work a parametric study was carried to increase the production of radioisotopes in the IEA-R1 research reactor. The changes proposed to implement in the IEA-R1 reactor core were the substitution of graphite reflectors by beryllium reflectors, the removal of 4 fuel elements to reduce the core...

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Main Authors: Giovanni Laranjo Stefani, Frederico Antônio Genezini, Thiago Augusto Santos, João Manoel de Losada Moreira
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Brazilian Radiation Protection Society (Sociedade Brasileira de Proteção Radiológica, SBPR) 2021-07-01
Series:Brazilian Journal of Radiation Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://bjrs.org.br/revista/index.php/REVISTA/article/view/1516
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author Giovanni Laranjo Stefani
Frederico Antônio Genezini
Thiago Augusto Santos
João Manoel de Losada Moreira
author_facet Giovanni Laranjo Stefani
Frederico Antônio Genezini
Thiago Augusto Santos
João Manoel de Losada Moreira
author_sort Giovanni Laranjo Stefani
collection DOAJ
description In this work a parametric study was carried to increase the production of radioisotopes in the IEA-R1 research reactor. The changes proposed to implement in the IEA-R1 reactor core were the substitution of graphite reflectors by beryllium reflectors, the removal of 4 fuel elements to reduce the core size and make available 4 additional locations to be occupied by radioisotope irradiation devices. The key variable analyzed is the thermal neutron flux in the irradiation devices.  The proposed configuration with 20 fuel elements in an approximately cylindrical geometry provided higher average neutron flux (average increment of 12.9 %) allowing higher radioisotope production capability. In addition, it provided 4 more positions to install  irradiation devices which allow a larger number of simultaneous irradiations practically doubling the capacity of radioisotope production in the IEA-R1 reactor. The insertion of Be reflector elements in the core has to be studied carefully since it tends to promote strong neutron flux redistribution in the core. A verification of design and safety parameters of the proposed  core was carried out. The annual fuel consumption will increase about 17 % and more storage space for spent fuel will be required.
format Article
id doaj-art-af011f2d47614824bf0cf8ccae1b09d9
institution Kabale University
issn 2319-0612
language English
publishDate 2021-07-01
publisher Brazilian Radiation Protection Society (Sociedade Brasileira de Proteção Radiológica, SBPR)
record_format Article
series Brazilian Journal of Radiation Sciences
spelling doaj-art-af011f2d47614824bf0cf8ccae1b09d92025-08-20T03:50:50ZengBrazilian Radiation Protection Society (Sociedade Brasileira de Proteção Radiológica, SBPR)Brazilian Journal of Radiation Sciences2319-06122021-07-0192B (Suppl.)10.15392/bjrs.v9i2B.15161173Core parametric study for enhancing the radioisotope production in the IEA-R1 research reactorGiovanni Laranjo Stefani0Frederico Antônio GeneziniThiago Augusto SantosJoão Manoel de Losada MoreiraUniversidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro - UFRJIn this work a parametric study was carried to increase the production of radioisotopes in the IEA-R1 research reactor. The changes proposed to implement in the IEA-R1 reactor core were the substitution of graphite reflectors by beryllium reflectors, the removal of 4 fuel elements to reduce the core size and make available 4 additional locations to be occupied by radioisotope irradiation devices. The key variable analyzed is the thermal neutron flux in the irradiation devices.  The proposed configuration with 20 fuel elements in an approximately cylindrical geometry provided higher average neutron flux (average increment of 12.9 %) allowing higher radioisotope production capability. In addition, it provided 4 more positions to install  irradiation devices which allow a larger number of simultaneous irradiations practically doubling the capacity of radioisotope production in the IEA-R1 reactor. The insertion of Be reflector elements in the core has to be studied carefully since it tends to promote strong neutron flux redistribution in the core. A verification of design and safety parameters of the proposed  core was carried out. The annual fuel consumption will increase about 17 % and more storage space for spent fuel will be required.https://bjrs.org.br/revista/index.php/REVISTA/article/view/1516iea-r1research reactorradioisotope production
spellingShingle Giovanni Laranjo Stefani
Frederico Antônio Genezini
Thiago Augusto Santos
João Manoel de Losada Moreira
Core parametric study for enhancing the radioisotope production in the IEA-R1 research reactor
Brazilian Journal of Radiation Sciences
iea-r1
research reactor
radioisotope production
title Core parametric study for enhancing the radioisotope production in the IEA-R1 research reactor
title_full Core parametric study for enhancing the radioisotope production in the IEA-R1 research reactor
title_fullStr Core parametric study for enhancing the radioisotope production in the IEA-R1 research reactor
title_full_unstemmed Core parametric study for enhancing the radioisotope production in the IEA-R1 research reactor
title_short Core parametric study for enhancing the radioisotope production in the IEA-R1 research reactor
title_sort core parametric study for enhancing the radioisotope production in the iea r1 research reactor
topic iea-r1
research reactor
radioisotope production
url https://bjrs.org.br/revista/index.php/REVISTA/article/view/1516
work_keys_str_mv AT giovannilaranjostefani coreparametricstudyforenhancingtheradioisotopeproductionintheiear1researchreactor
AT fredericoantoniogenezini coreparametricstudyforenhancingtheradioisotopeproductionintheiear1researchreactor
AT thiagoaugustosantos coreparametricstudyforenhancingtheradioisotopeproductionintheiear1researchreactor
AT joaomanoeldelosadamoreira coreparametricstudyforenhancingtheradioisotopeproductionintheiear1researchreactor