International Conference on Research Reactors:
Safe Management and Effective Utilization

14-18 November 2011, Rabat, Morocco

In brief, the design aims to have a facility which is quickly operational and profitable, safe and able to evolve over 40 or 60 years, taking into account both the evolution of the requirements for experiments or production yet to be realized and the safety practices. This paper presents the AREVA current design and safety practices (both cannot be realized without the other) for the neutronic design of the research reactor (RR) cores. It completes the paper [1] and presents the general methodology of neutronic design studies for the safety and performance aspects and only slightly focuses on the reactivity shutdown systems and the neutronic calculation schemes. The main points are illustrated with examples of the Jules Horowitz Reactor (core designer point of view). On this basis of our general methodology, certain problems are separated in order to permit rapid reiteration at an individual level before the final synthesis. For example: to carry out generic studies of fuel management strategies and core reactivity control in order to manage the power peak (need core depletion calculation) and to be able to reason step 0 for certain optimizations of the core geometry and characteristics. For the neutronic calculation scheme, our current practice is to combine the use of the deterministic and stochastic codes. The strong points of each type of code are used to reinforce the safety and the performance of our cores. In this field, AREVA has a R&D framework involving and coordinating the participants from the various sectors (power reactors, research reactor etc) in the development of the general calculation methods and associated tools, in particular for Monte Carlo core depletion calculations. The CEA (along with APOLLO, CRONOS and TRIPOLI codes) largely supports us in this field. Comparisons between MCNP and TRIPOLI and between the various libraries (ENDF, JEF, etc.) are also performed. That includes the recalculation of existing reactors (OSIRIS, ORPHEE, AZUR, TRIGA, etc.). This enables us to complete the qualification of the codes and to acquire a better comprehension of the physical phenomena and safety of these cores. Finally, because this point is regarded as very important for safety design, our management system has to drive our technical teams. Some people need to circulate within the various kinds of reactors (power reactors, research reactors, propulsion reactors, etc.) to maintain our level of technical skill.

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