Neutronics analysis of the initial core of the TRIGA Mark II reactor

The Atominstitute (ATI) of Vienna University of Technology (VUT) operates a TRIGA Mark II research reactor since March 1962. Its initial criticality was achieved on 7th March 1962 when 57th Fuel Element (FE) was loaded to the core. This paper describes the development of the MCNP model of the TRIGA reactor and its validation through three different experiments i.e. initial criticality, reactivity distribution and a thermal flux mapping experiment in the reactor core. All these experiments were performed on the initial core configuration. The MCNP model includes all necessary core components i.e. FE, Graphite Element GE, neutron Source Element (SE), Central IRradiation channel (CIR) etc. Outside the core, this model simulates the annular grooved graphite reflector, the thermal and thermalizing column, four beam tubes and the reactor water tank up to 100 cm in radial and +60 and -60 cm in axial direction. Each grid position at its exact location is modeled. This model employs the ENDF/B-VI data library except for the Sm-isotopes which are taken from JEFF 3.1 because ENDF/B-VI lacks samarium (Sm) cross sections. For the first experiment, the model predicts an effective multiplication factor (K-eff) of 1.00183 with an estimated standard deviation 0.00031 which is very close to the experimental value 1.00114. The second experiment measures the reactivity values of four FE and one GE. In comparison to the MCNP results, the percent difference ranges from 4 to 22. The third experiment verifies the model at a local level with the radial and axial thermal flux density distribution in the core. Though the trends are similar, the MCNP model overestimates the radial thermal flux density in the core and underestimates these results at the core periphery. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.