Neutronic simulation of a research reactor core of (232Th, 235U)O 2 fuel using MCNPX2.6 code

The small reactor design for the remote and less developed areas of the user countries should have simple features in view of the lack of infra-structure and resources. Many researchers consider long core life with no on-site refuelling activity as a primary feature for the small reactor design. Long core life can be achieved by enhancing internal conversion rate of fertile to fissile materials. For that purpose, thorium cycle can be adopted because a high fissile production rate of ²³³U converted from ²³²Th can be expected in the thermal energy region. A simple nuclear reactor core arranged 19 assemblies in hexagonal structure, using thorium-based fuel and heavy water as coolant and moderator was simulated using MCNPX2.6 code, aiming an optimized critical assembly. Optimized reflector thickness and gap between assemblies were determined to achieve minimum neutron leakage and void reactivity. The result was a more compact core, where assemblies were designed having 19-fuel pins in 1.25 pitch-to-diameter ratio. Optimum reflector thickness of 15 cm resulted in minimal neutron leakage in view of economic limitations. A 0.5 cm gap between assembles achieved more safety and 2.2% enrichment requirements. The present feasibility study suggests a thermal core of acceptable neutronic parameters to achieve a simple and safe core.     

Free vibration of membrane/bounded incompressible fluid

Vibration of a circular membrane in contact with a fluid has extensive applications in industry.The natural vibration frequencies for the asymmetric free vibration of a circular membrane in contact with a bounded incompressible fluid are derived in this paper.Considering small oscillations induced by the membrane vibration in an incompressible and inviscid fluid,the velocity potential function is used to describe the fluid field.Two approaches are used to derive the free vibration frequencies of the system,which include a variational formulation and an approximate solution employing the Rayleigh quotient method.A good correlation is found between free vibration frequencies evaluated by these methods.Finally,the effects of the fluid depth,the mass density,and the radial tension on the free vibration frequencies of the coupled system are investigated.     

膜与不可压缩有界流体接触时的自由振动

圆形膜与流体接触时的振动被广泛应用于工业中．推导了圆形膜在与不可压缩有界流体接触时,非对称自由振动的自振频率．鉴于膜在不可压缩、非粘性流体中振动引起的小振幅,采用速度势函数来描述流体场．使用两种方法来推导系统的自由振动频率．它们包括变分法及一种近似解法——Rayleigh商法．在用两种方法求得的自由振动频率值之间具有良好的相关性．最后,研究了流体的深度、质量密度以及径向张力对耦合系统自由振动频率的影响．