JHR fuel storage pool critically safety analysis

Overview & Synopsis

The JHR Material Test Reactor project led by the CEA is a high-performance material testing reactor initially designed to generate up to 100 MWth. It will have the capacity to handle around 20 material and nuclear fuel experiments at the same time, as well as to produce radioisotopes for the medical industry. It is currently under construction at the CEA Cadarache site. JHR is a pool-type nuclear reactor, i.e. most of the reactor operations using the reactor or the experimental devices are performed under water. There are several pools, the reactor pool, storage pools for experimental devices, fuel storage pool, etc. The fuel storage pool is designed to store fuel assemblies. This paper presents the criticality safety analysis of the fuel storage pool, as presented in the preliminary safety report sent to the Nuclear Safety Authority for assessment. The JHR Material Test Reactor fuel assembly, composed of 3 sectors with 8 concentric plates each, is described and the calculation model that modelize the fuel assembly is explained. The plates consist of a fissile U3Si2 core in an aluminum matrix and gained with Al/Fe/Ni. The calculation methods used to determine the main safety parameters are detailed for normal operating situations such as storage and handling. Analysis of internal and external hazard are also presented. Calculations are performed using the CRISTAL V1.2 calculation route that comprises the CEA93 database library (CEA) based on the JEFF2.2 evaluation, procedure libraries (APROC and APROC_CRISTAL by the CEA) and neutronic software packages, i.e. APOLLO2 (CEA), MORET 4 (IRSN) and TRIPOLI-4 (CEA).