Possibility of obtaining the effect of self-quenching of power pulses from a pulsed fast reactor

Conclusions

When a reactivity modulator of heterogeneous structure is used [1], by an appropriate choice of modulator parameters we can appreciably enhance the self-quenching effect, thus expanding the range of allowable deviations of reactivity of a periodically acting pulsed fast reactor while, at the same time, increasing the nuclear safety of the plant. In the case of a reactor with the parameters of the IBR-2, when the harmonic component of the reactivity has an amplitude of 3·10⁻³ and the coefficient of the reactivity parabola is 4·10⁻⁵ cm⁻² the maximum deviation of reactivity which does not yet result in damage to the reactor core is ∼2·10⁻³, which is double that for a modulator of heterogeneous structure without a self-quenching effect and triple that when an ordinary movable reflector is used.