空间气冷堆堆芯初步物理特性分析

Preliminary Physics Analysis of Space Gas-cooled Nuclear Reactor

为满足未来空间探测活动的大功率用电及轻质量载荷需求,以美国、俄罗斯空间气冷反应堆方案为基础,提出一个亚MW级空间气冷堆堆芯初步设计方案,并使用蒙特卡罗程序对该方案进行堆芯物理计算与分析,给出几种典型工况下的堆芯反应性以及中子分布特征。计算结果表明,该设计方案可满足反应堆的安全性要求,能实现紧急停堆,并可保证在堆芯被水淹没等设计基准事故条件下维持反应堆次临界,确保反应堆安全。此外,通过在堆芯局部燃料棒中添加热中子吸收材料,对堆芯径向功率分布进行优化,以展平径向功率分布。

In order to satisfy the large electricity and light payload need for future space missions,a sub-megawatt-class space gas-cooled nuclear reactor design was proposed based on the American and Russian space gas-cooled nuclear reactor design.Reactivity and neutron flux distribution characteristics of the reactor under some typical conditions were calculated using Monte Carlo code.It is indicated that the operation and safety requirements of the preliminary reactor design can be satisfied.The reactor has the ability to be shut down properly when necessary and remain sub-critical under water flooding scenarios for safety insurance.Additionally,it can be concluded from the power profile results that the radial power distribution can be flattened by adding neutron absorption materials.