微型反应堆低浓化技术研究

Technical Research for Prototype Miniature Neutron Source Reactor LEU Conversion

20世纪80年代以来,中国原子能科学研究院在国内外设计、建造了9座微型反应堆(微堆),这些微堆均采用高浓铀为燃料。随着全球防止核扩散的形势要求,微堆低浓化工作受到了国际社会的高度关注。在保持微堆功率和堆芯几何尺寸不变的情况下,通过原型微堆燃料从高浓铀向低浓铀转化的研究,针对堆芯设计、装卸料和实验技术,开展了物理计算、结构设计、安全分析和实验测量等工作,采用235 U富集度12.5%UO 2燃料替代235 U富集度约90%U-Al合金燃料,微堆低浓化后调试结果满足应用要求,并保持了很好的固有安全特性。

Since the 1980s,China Institute of Atomic Energy has designed and built nine miniature neutron source reactors(MNSR)at home and abroad,which has high enrichment uranium(HEU)as fuel.With the international situation of nuclear non-proliferation,the conversion of MNSR from HEU to low enrichment uranium(LEU)is highly concerned by the international community.While the MNSR power and core size are unchanged,physical calculation,structural design,safety analysis and experimental measurement were carried out for LEU core design,HEU unloading,LEU loading and experimental technology.UO 2 with 235 U enrichment of 12.5%was used to replace U-Al with 235 U enrichment of 90%in prototype MNSR LEU conversion.MNSR with the LEU core can meet the application requirements,and it still has good inherent safety characteristics.