Publication: Neutronic peculiarities of the MTRR-SCW reactor as an experimental base for testing advanced light-water reactor technologies
Дата
2025
Авторы
Lapin, A. S.
Blandinsky, V. Yu.
Nevinitsa, V. A.
Pustovalov, S. B.
Sedov, A. A.
Subbotin, S. S.
Fomichenko, P. A.
Journal Title
Nuclear Energy and Technology (NUCET)
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Nuclear Energy and Technology (NUCET)
Издатель
НИЯУ МИФИ
Аннотация
The nuclear power system has faced a challenging issue of significantly improving the characteristics of nuclear fuel breeding while maximizing the advantages of the technology of vessel-type pressurized water reactors used extensively in nuclear power. This is possible via switching to supercritical coolant parameters. An increase in production of fissile nuclides, as compared with traditional pressurized water reactors, is achieved by switching to a harder neutron spectrum due to reducing greatly the coolant density and using a dense fuel lattice. A necessary condition for the VVER-SKD design development is the establishment of an experimental base. A multipurpose test research reactor, MTRR-SCW, is the potential testing ground for the reactor technology, and for new structural and fuel materials and fuel rods. The paper presents the key characteristics of the MTRR-SCW reactor, as well as the potential MTRR-SCW applications at different stages of its operation (testing and research). A concept is proposed at the initial stage for the reactor phased rise to power, which will make it possible to justify the efficiency of the MTRR-SCW fuel with increased linear loads through experiments in the independent central loop channel. This concept also involves phased validation and study of the joint operation of the reactor plant and the steam turbine plant as part of the MTRR-SCW nuclear power plant. At the research stage of operation, safe operating limits need to be determined, and the choice of normal operating modes for the VVER-SKD power reactor justified, and experimental studies need to be undertaken to investigate the behavior of structural materials and fuel compositions as part of experimental fuel rods for the advanced light-water reactor cores with different neutron spectra. Long-term irradiation of experimental fuel rods is planned to be carried out in the MTRR-SCW’s independent peripheral loop channel, and experimental simulation of emergency processes to be performed in the reactor’s central loop channel. This paper deals with the issues to be addressed prior to starting the VVER-SKD power reactor design. Issues have been identified that can be fully or partially solved at effective facilities, as well as the applications for the MTRR-SCW prototype reactor. The paper presents the key characteristics of the MTRR-SCW reactor, and describes in detail the concept for the phased development of the research reactor capabilities and phased rise to power.
Описание
Ключевые слова
Research reactor , Test reactor , Supercritical coolant parameters , Light-water reactor , MTRR-SCW , VVER-SCP
Цитирование
Lapin AS, Blandinsky VYu, Nevinitsa VA, Pustovalov SB, Sedov AA, Subbotin SA, Fomichenko PA (2025) Neutronic peculiarities of the MTRR-SCW reactor as an experimental base for testing advanced light-water reactor technologies. Nuclear Energy and Technology 11(1): 25–31. https://doi.org/10.3897/nucet.11.144671