Nuclear Engineering ETDs

Douglas Bowen

Publication Date

6-23-2015

Abstract

A series of experimental measurements were performed on the AGN- 201M reactor (AGN) at the University of New Mexico. Steady-state measurements were made with the AGN in various delayed critical configurations. These delayed critical configurations are defined by moving the coarse and fine control rods to unique positions in the core. These experiments also provided data for control rod integral and differential reactivity worth estimates. Thermal flux measurments taken radially in the glory hole region of the AGN reactor were also compiled for this work. A series of time-dependent experiments were performed in conjunction with the steady-state measurements that involved prompt jump measurements, operations at delayed critical, and prompt drop measurements. A total of 36 steady-state and 11 time-dependent configurations were compiled for this work. The EVENT (EVEn parity Neutron Transport) radiation transport code was chosen to analyze and verify the steady-state and time-dependent experimental configurations on the AGN. Complex AGN models were developed to test the EVENT code and the case-dependent multigroup cross- sections. The neutron cross-section libraries used are based on the ENDF/B- VII.1 library. The AGN EVENT model results compared well to the steady-state and time-dependent experimental configurations. The EVENT analysis for the AGN delayed critical configurations resulted in an average computational bias of -0.0048% for P11 calculations and +0.0119% for P13 calculations utilizing 2-group neutron cross sections. The AGN EVENT thermal flux calculations also compare well to the experimental data, although the magnitude of the maximum thermal and total flux results calculated by EVENT are somewhat greater than expected. The EVENT transient calculation results using the diffusion theory approximation (P1) and 2-group cross sections compare well with the 11 AGN time-dependent experimental configurations. Rod drop configurations with EVENT indicate six-group Keepin and Brady data are consistent with the AGN experimental data. The EVENT radiation transport code has proven to be an excellent tool for AGN research reactor analysis. More experiments are recommended to provide additional data for more rigorous analyses using the EVENT code. It is recommended these analyses consider AGN geometric and material uncertainties to allow for more complex analyses to be peformed on the AGN research reactor.

Keywords

AGN-201, Research Reactor, critical, transient, EVENT

Sponsors

Not Applicable

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Nuclear Engineering

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Nuclear Engineering

First Committee Member (Chair)

Prinja, Anil

Second Committee Member

Busch, Robert

Third Committee Member

Goluoglu, Sedat

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