Page 5 - PR 2014 2016 09 Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycle

Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycle | Progress Report 249

chanical Analysis, Accident Analysis, Nuclear STAR Test Section for of loss of coolant
Fuel, among others. The foreseen schedule is experiments in IEA-R1 Research Reactor
that this new core will be in operation at the
end of 2018. Among the several challenges STAR Test Section was designed to simulate
of this project, it resides the fixation and the loss of coolant experiments using the Instru-
geometry preservation of the RMB burnable mented Fuel Assembly EC-208 of the IEA-R1
poison (Cadmium wire 0.4mm diameter) in Research Reactor. STAR has received financial
the fuel element. The reactor physics experi- support of the Nuclear Engineering Center of
ments to be performed will have a dual pur- the IPEN-CNEN/SP. The STAR was designed to
pose: to support of RMB licensing needs and conduct experiments of partial and complete
at the same time to be benchmarks for the uncovering. The proposed experiments aim is
international nuclear community. In this re- the reproduction of heat transfer conditions
search project under consideration, part of the similar to those expected in loss of coolant
experiments will be performed in the actual accident in researches reactors, with safe
core of the IPEN/MB-01 reactor and part will and controlled way. Experimental data can
be performed during the commissioning of be used to validation or development of com-
the new core. The experimental results will putational tools for LOCA analysis. STAR Test
be evaluated and submitted to ICSBEP and to Section comprises a base, a cylindrical stain-
IRPhE. Parallel to that, modernizations in the less steel vessel, and the instrumentation. It
control and in the interlock systems of the uses the compressed air system of the IEA-R1
IPEN/MB-01 reactor will be performed. Figure reactor for uncovering process. In addition to
1 shows a schematic layout of the new core. the fourteen thermocouples of the EC-208,
This is an array of 4 x 5 fuel elements with a STAR has more four thermocouples and one
massive aluminum block at its center. Also, differential pressure transducer to the water
heavy water reflector is employed in order to level measurement inside the vessel. Figure
have some RMB similarities. 2 shows the base, with a “dummy” fuel as-
sembly, representing the EC-208, and the Fig.
3 shows the STAR with the vessel mounted
on the base.

Figure 2. Test Section for Refrigerant Loss Ac-
Figure 1: Plate Type Core of the IPEN/MB-01 Reactor cident Simulation (STAR).