Thermal-hydraulic analysis for the upgraded MIT Nuclear Research Reactor

Author

Hu, Lin Wen ; Bernard, John A.

Author_Institution

MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA

Volume

45

Issue

3

fYear

1998

fDate

6/1/1998 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1040

Lastpage

1044

Abstract

The thermal-hydraulic analysis performed for a planned upgrade of the MIT Research Reactor from 5 to 6-7 MW using the existing heat removal equipment is reported. This upgrade is one of several options under consideration for the relicensing of the MIT Research Reactor in 1999. Included in this paper is a description of the calculations of thermal-hydraulic limits which include limiting safety system settings (LSSS) and safety limits (SL). The LSSS and SL were respectively chosen to avoid onset of nucleate boiling and flow instability during steady-state operation. These analyses were performed using the MULti-CHannel-II or MULCH-II code which was developed and benchmarked at MIT for design and safety analysis of the MIT Research Reactor

Keywords

boiling; fission reactor cooling; fission reactor safety; fission research reactors; flow instability; 6 to 7 MW; MIT Nuclear Research Reactor; MIT Research Reactor; MULCH-II code; flow instability; heat removal; limiting safety system settings; nucleate boiling; safety limits; thermal-hydraulic analysis; Aluminum; Educational technology; Fuels; Inductors; Licenses; Performance analysis; Safety; Steady-state; Transient analysis; Valves;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9499

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/23.682703

Filename

682703