Conceptual design and safety characteristics of a new multi-mission high flux research reactor

Research reactors with neutron fluxes higher than 10^(14) n cm^(−2) s^(−1) are widely used in nuclear fuel and material irradiation,neutron-based scientific research,and medical and industrial isotope production.Such high flux research reactors are not only important scientific research facilities for the development of nuclear energy but also represent the national comprehensive technical capability.China has several high flux research reactors that do not satisfy the requirements of nuclear energy development.A high flux research reactor has the following features:a compact core arrangement,high power density,plate-type fuel elements,a short refueling cycle,and high coolant velocity in the core.These characteristics make it difficult to simultaneously realize high neutron flux and optimal safety margin.A new multi-mission high flux research reactor was designed by the Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology at Tsinghua University in China;the reactor can simul-taneously realize an average neutron flux higher than 2.0×10^(15) n cm^(−2) s^(−1) and fulfill the current safety criterion.This high flux research reactor features advanced design concepts and has sufficient safety margins according to the preliminary safety analysis.Based on the analysis of the station blackout accident,loss of coolant accident,and reactivity accident of a single-control drum rotating out accidently,the maximum temperature of the cladding surface,minimum departure from nucleate boiling ratio,and temperature difference to the onset of nucleate boiling temperature satisfy the design limits.

A Data Analysis Study on the Evolution of the EI Nino/ La Nina Cycle

The curved surface of the maximum sea temperature anomaly (MSTA) was created from the JEDAC subsurface sea temperature anomaly data at the tropical Pacific between 1955 and 2000. It is quite similar to the depth distribution of the 20℃ isotherm, which is usually the replacement of thermocline. From the distribution and moving trajectory of positive or negative sea temperature anomalies (STA) on the curved surface we analyzed all the El Nino and La Nina events since the later 1960s. Based on the analyses we found that, using the subsurface warm pool as the beginning point, the warm or cold signal propagates initially eastward and upward along the equatorial curved surface of MSTA to the eastern Pacific and stays there several months and then to (urn north, usually moving westward near 10°N to western Pacific and finally propagates southward to return to warm pool to form an off-equator closed circuit. It takes about 2 to 4 years for the temperature anomaly to move around the cycle. If the STA of warm (cold) water is strong enough, there will be two successive El Nino (La Nina) events during the period of 2 to 4 years. Sometime, it becomes weak in motion due to the unsuitable oceanic or atmospheric condition. This kind process may not be considered as an El Nino ( La Nina) event, but the moving trajectory of warm (cold) water can still be recognized. Because of the alternate between warm and cold water around the circuits, the positive (negative) anomaly signal in equatorial western Pacific coexists with negative (positive) anomaly signal near 10°N in eastern Pacific before the outbreak of El Nino (La Nina) event. The signals move in the opposite directions. So it appears as El Nino (La Nina) in equator at 2-4 years intervals. The paper also analyzed several exceptional cases and discussed the effect and importance of oceanic circulation in the evolution of El Nino/ La Nina event.