Determination of the relative power density distribution in a heterogeneous reactor from the results of measurements of the reactivity effects and the neutron importance function

A method for experimental determination of the relative power density distribution in a heterogeneous reactor based on measurements of fuel reactivity effects and importance of neutrons from a californium source is proposed. The method was perfected on two critical assembly configurations at the NARCISS facility of the Kurchatov Institute, which simulated a small-size heterogeneous nuclear reactor. The neutron importance measurements were performed on subcritical and critical assemblies. It is shown that, along with traditionally used activation methods, the developed method can be applied to experimental studies of special features of the power density distribution in critical assemblies and reactors.     

Experiments on small-size fast critical fuel assemblies at the AKSAMIT facility and their use for development of computational models

Small-size fast critical assemblies with highly enriched fuel at the AKSAMIT facility are described in detail. Computational models of the critical assemblies at room temperature are given. The calculation results for the critical parameters are compared with the experimental data. A good agreement between the calculations and the experimental data is shown. The physical models developed for the critical assemblies, as well as the experimental results, can be applied to verify various codes intended for calculation of the neutronic characteristics of small-size fast nuclear reactors. For these experiments, the results computed using the codes of the MCU family show a high quality of the neutron data and of the physical models used.     

ICM-界面流方法二维组件计算

本文介绍了ICM-界面流方法两维组件的计算。本计算不仅可以给出组件的临界值K_eff和平均通量,而且能够给出组件均匀化的能谱参数。用ICM方法验算了两个基准问题和几个工程实际问题,其结果与国外发表的以及国内蒙特卡罗方法计算的结果相比,均符合得很好。该程序可用于轻水堆两维组件的计算。     

On Measurement of Subcriticality of Reactors with Statistical Methods

The possibility of measurement of subcriticality of reactors of nuclear power plants by statistical methods in the performance of requirements of Regulations NP-082-07 is discussed. The statistical methods, in particular, the Feynman method, make it possible to measure the subcriticality of shutdown reactors and at initial start-ups within the required range of 0.01–0.02 at the level of neutron detector counting of about one pulse per second. The Feynman method was perfected at the critical assembly of the high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor PROTEUS at the Paul Scherrer Institute (Switzerland). The measurement results of subcriticality are presented. The conditions which should be ensured to obtain an acceptable result of experiment are formulated.     

铅冷快堆M2LFR-1000堆芯燃料管理方案设计

堆芯燃料管理是反应堆设计中极为重要而且复杂的工作,直接影响着堆芯的经济性。目前国内外对于压水堆等传统热堆已有了较为丰富和成熟的燃料管理计算方法,但对于快堆,由于其中子能谱硬,与传统热堆相比有着不同的控制方式和功率分布,快堆的堆芯燃料管理缺乏系统研究。针对中国科学技术大学自主研发的强迫循环冷却的铅基快堆M2LFR-1000,应用SRAC/COREBN软件包进行堆芯燃耗计算,根据燃耗深度提取核素核子密度,计算伪平衡循环参数进行燃料管理预估,然后进行首循环装料、过渡循环和平衡循环燃料管理方案设计。结果表明:对M2LFR-1000堆芯外区燃料换料组件Pu的富集度进行优化,可以延长换料周期到540 d,提高平均卸料燃耗深度;伪平衡循环结果与平衡循环基本一致,伪平衡循环可以用于燃料管理预估。     

AC losses in high-temperature superconductors: revisiting the fundamentals of the loss modelling

The fundamentals of the electromagnetic modelling of high-temperature superconductors are discussed. Special attention is paid to intrinsic features of high-temperature superconductors different to those of low-temperature superconductors. Examples of those features are strong thermal fluctuations, which results in enhanced flux creep and slanted E(J)-characteristics, anisotropy of critical current density and material resistivity, and the granularity of the material. Having established the fundamental principles for the loss modelling, the influence of thermal fluctuations, anisotropy and granularity on the AC losses are considered.     

The Electrodynamics of Granular High-Temperature Superconducting Media

The electrodynamic properties of granular high-temperature superconducting media are studied. Relations for the surface resistance and impedance of a high-temperature superconducting medium are derived. The temperature and frequency dependence of the phase velocity and group velocity and depth of penetration of the electromagnetic field into the Josephson medium are calculated. The possibility of using high-temperature superconducting films as high-efficiency shields is shown. The shielding properties are improved appreciably with increase in the critical current density of the high-temperature superconducting film. The shield thickness is several microns or several fractions of a micron for a critical current density of >10⁷ A/m². The results obtained can be used in designing superhigh-frequency shields, microstrip lines, and other devices based on high-temperature superconducting Josephson media.     

铍组件堆内长期服役后的尺寸测量

铍是核反应堆内的重要反射层材料,其辐照后的尺寸变化对反应堆的安全性具有重要的影响。为获得铍组件堆内长期服役后的尺寸变化,以对其堆内的服役性能评价提供基础数据,设计并加工了一套高放样品远程转运平台,使用三坐标测量机完成了绵阳SPRR-300堆内铍组件的尺寸变化测量实验。实验测量结果表明,SPRR-300堆的铍组件在服役29 a后,在最高中子通量高达6.78×1021 cm?2的辐照环境下,铍组件外形尺寸总体上保持良好,截面有微量的收缩变形,最大形变约0.13 mm,这表明在长期中子辐照环境下,辐照蠕变是导致铍组件尺寸变化的主要原因。     

Bragg Interaction of Surface Magnetostatic Waves with a Periodic Granular High-Temperature Superconducting Structure

Bragg interaction of surface magnetostatic waves with a periodic granular high-temperature superconducting structure is studied. A dispersion equation for coupled waves describing the characteristics of surface magnetostatic waves is derived. Resonance wave absorption near the critical temperature is revealed. The magnetostatic wave reflection coefficients of semi-infinite and finite periodic high-temperature superconducting structures are calculated. The results obtained can be used in designing tunable frequency selectors and transient bolometric photodetectors.     

加速器驱动嬗变研究装置中关键材料的辐照损伤分析

反应堆中各结构部件的抗辐照性能,对整个系统的使用寿命及安全性有较大的影响。本工作通过MCNPx2.70蒙特卡罗软件建立CiADS散裂靶次临界反应堆模型,结合NJOY2016核数据截面处理软件制作的材料原子离位截面,在堆芯组件数分别为30,42,72盒的情况下分别计算和分析了316L、15-15Ti、SIMP 3种不锈钢材料和ZTA陶瓷作为候选结构材料的中子辐照损伤情况。当用作CiADS燃料包壳时,3种不锈钢材料中SIMP制成的包壳的R_dpa值最小,在燃料组件数为30,42,72盒的情况下其年辐照损伤量分别约为1.16,1.61和12.0 dpa/a。而ZTA制成的燃料包壳的R_dpa值均大于不锈钢材料的辐照损伤。在散裂靶次临界反应堆耦合区域,轴向上CiADS中心管在束靶作用面附近所受到的辐照损伤最大。燃料组件数为30盒时,由316L制成的中心管的辐照损伤率峰值约为2.7 dpa/a。     

Comprehensive Experiments on Subcritical Assemblies of Cascade Reactor Systems

Cascade reactors attract particular attention because of their capability of improving the parameters of pulsed reactors and achieving the feasibility of electronuclear facilities. The paper presents the results of three series of experiments on uranium-neptunium cascade assemblies at the Institute of Nuclear and Radiation Physics of the All-Russian Research Institute of Experimental Physics conducted in 2003–2004. The experiments confirmed theoretical conclusions on positive properties of cascade blankets and effectiveness of using neptunium-237 as a means of creating a one-sided connection between the sections.     

Minimization of Entropy Generation Rate in Hydrogen Iodide Decomposition Reactor Heated by High-Temperature Helium

The thermochemical sulfur-iodine cycle is a potential method for hydrogen production, and the hydrogen iodide (HI) decomposition is the key step to determine the efficiency of hydrogen production in the cycle. To further reduce the irreversibility of various transmission processes in the HI decomposition reaction, a one-dimensional plug flow model of HI decomposition tubular reactor is established, and performance optimization with entropy generate rate minimization (EGRM) in the decomposition reaction system as an optimization goal based on finite-time thermodynamics is carried out. The reference reactor is heated counter-currently by high-temperature helium gas, the optimal reactor and the modified reactor are designed based on the reference reactor design parameters. With the EGRM as the optimization goal, the optimal control method is used to solve the optimal configuration of the reactor under the condition that both the reactant inlet state and hydrogen production rate are fixed, and the optimal value of total EGR in the reactor is reduced by 13.3% compared with the reference value. The reference reactor is improved on the basis of the total EGR in the optimal reactor, two modified reactors with increased length are designed under the condition of changing the helium inlet state. The total EGR of the two modified reactors are the same as that of the optimal reactor, which are realized by decreasing the helium inlet temperature and helium inlet flow rate, respectively. The results show that the EGR of heat transfer accounts for a large proportion, and the decrease of total EGR is mainly caused by reducing heat transfer irreversibility. The local total EGR of the optimal reactor distribution is more uniform, which approximately confirms the principle of equipartition of entropy production. The EGR distributions of the modified reactors are similar to that of the reference reactor, but the reactor length increases significantly, bringing a relatively large pressure drop. The research results have certain guiding significance to the optimum design of HI decomposition reactors.     

Helium-hydrogen synergistic effects on swelling in in-situ multiple-ion beams irradiated steels

The development of reliable fusion energy is one of the most important challenges in this century. The accelerated degradation of structural materials in fusion reactors caused by neutron irradiation would cause severe problems. Due to the lack of suitable fusion neutron testing facilities, we have to rely on ion irradiation experiments to test candidate materials in fusion reactors. Moreover, fusion neutron irradiation effects are accompanied by the simultaneous transmutation production of helium and hydrogen. One important method to study the He-H synergistic effects in materials is multiple simultaneous ion beams (MSIB) irradiation that has been studied for decades. To date, there is no convincing conclusion on these He-H synergistic effects among these experiments. Recently, a multiple ion beam in-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis facility was developed in Xiamen University (XIAMEN facility), which is the first triple beam system and the only in-running in-situ irradiation facility with TEM in China. In this work, we conducted the first high-temperature triple simultaneous ion beams irradiation experiment with TEM observation using the XIAMEN facility. The responses to in-situ triple-ion beams irradiation in austenitic steel 304L SS and ferritic/martensitic steel CLF-1 were studied and compared with the results in dual- and single-ion beam(s) irradiated steels. Synergistic effects were observed in MSIB irradiated steels. Helium was found to be critical for cavity formation, while hydrogen has strong synergistic effect on increasing swelling.     

Surface Acoustoelectric Waves in a Piezoelectric–High-Temperature Granular Superconductor Layered Structure

Interactions of surface acoustoelectric waves with a granular high-temperature superconducting medium are studied. Dispersion equations describing the characteristics of surface acoustoelectric waves are derived for piezoelectrics of 4 and 6mm and 3m symmetry. It is shown that at a temperature above the critical point an attenuation jump and a sudden change in the phase velocity of surface acoustoelectric waves are observed. This effect increases with increase in the electromechanical coupling coefficient and decrease in the thickness of the high-temperature superconducting film. The results obtained can be used in designing frequency selectors and transient photodetectors.     

The concept of the use of recycled uranium for increasing the degree of security of export deliveries of fuel for light-water reactors

The present paper deals with investigation of the possibilities for reducing the risk of proliferation of fissionable materials by means of increasing the degree of protection of fresh fuel intended for light-water reactors against unsanctioned use in the case of withdrawal of a recipient country of deliveries from IAEA safeguards. It is shown that the use of recycled uranium for manufacturing export nuclear fuel makes transfer of nuclear material removed from the fuel assemblies for weapons purposes difficult because of the presence of isotope ²³²U, whose content increases when one attempts to enrich uranium extracted from fresh fuel. In combination with restricted access to technologies for isotope separation by means of establishing international centers for uranium enrichment, this technical measure can significantly reduce the risk of proliferation associated with export deliveries of fuel made of low-enriched uranium. The assessment of a maximum level of contamination of nuclear material being transferred by isotope ²³²U for the given isotope composition of the initial fuel is obtained. The concept of further investigations of the degree of security of export deliveries of fuel assemblies with recycled uranium intended for light-water reactors is suggested.     

Prediction of compressive post-buckling behavior of single-walled carbon nanotubes in thermal environments

In the present investigation, the axial buckling and post-buckling configurations of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are studied including the thermal environment effect. For this purpose, Eringen’s nonlocal elasticity continuum theory is implemented into the classical Euler–Bernoulli beam theory to represent the SWCNTs as a nonlocal elastic beam model. A closed-form analytical solution is carried out to analyze the static response of SWCNTs in their post-buckling state in which the axial buckling load is assumed to be beyond the critical axial buckling load. Common sets of boundary conditions, named simply supported–simply supported (SS–SS), clamped–clamped (C–C), and clamped–simply supported (C–SS), are considered in the investigation. Selected numerical results are given to represent the variation of the carbon nanotube’s mid-span deflection with the applied axial load corresponding to various nonlocal parameters, length-to-diameter aspect ratios, temperature changes, and end supports. Moreover, a comparison between the post-buckling behaviors of SWCNTs at low- and high-temperature environments is presented. It is found that the size effect leads to a decrease of the axial buckling load especially for SWCNTs with C–C boundary conditions. Also, it is revealed that the value of the temperature change plays different roles in the post-buckling response of SWCNTs at low- and high-temperature environments.     

Experimental study of the ultrasound attenuation in chemical reactors

Ultrasound is used in different domains, and in sonochemistry particularly, for different purposes and in various flow configurations: monophasic, two-phase and polyphasic reactors. In order to optimize and to design sonochemical reactors, it is important to describe the ultrasonic intensity space and time distribution. In addition, it is important to study the different parameters influencing the intensity profiles of the ultrasonic wave. In this work, a thermoelectric probe has been used to measure the ultrasonic intensity. This procedure has shown that the ultrasound propagation is influenced by the presence of cavitation bubbles, the flow regime and the presence of solid particles.     

Entanglement of fermions at quantum criticality

The study of entanglement properties of quantum critical many-particle systems has become a subject of intense interest. While the basic features of entanglement scaling for critical spin-1/2 systems (coupled qubits) are by now fairly well understood, entanglement properties of critical fermions (or bosons) are less well studied. In an effort to contribute to this problem, we have analyzed the single-site entanglement of a generic spin-1/2 lattice fermion system and found that (under certain provisos) this measure can be used as a reliable marker to identify and partly characterize a quantum critical point. We illustrate our findings by exact analytical results for the single-site entanglement at the magnetic and Mott-Hubbard transitions of the 1D Hubbard model and at the Mott-Hubbard transitions of the 1D Hubbard model with long-range hopping. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Generation and evolution of partial misfit dislocations and stacking faults in thin-film heterostructures

An analysis is made of the specific features in the generation and evolution of partial misfit dislocations at the vertices of V-shaped configurations of stacking fault bands, which terminate in the bulk of the growing film at 90° partial Shockley dislocations. The critical thicknesses h _c of an epitaxial film, at which generation of such defect configurations becomes energetically favorable, are calculated. It is shown that at small misfits, the first to be generated are perfect misfit dislocations and at large misfits, partial ones, which are located at the vertices of V-shaped stacking-fault band configurations emerging onto the film surface. Possible further evolution of stacking-fault band configurations with increasing film thickness are studied.