An Evaluation study of measures for prevention of Re-criticality in sodium-cooled large FBR with MOX fuel

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As an effort in the feasibility study on commercialized Fast Breeder Reactor cycle systems, an evaluation of the measures to prevent the energetic re-criticality in sodium-cooled large MOX core, which is one of the candidates for the commercialized reactor, has been performed. The core disruptive accident analysis of Demonstration FBR showed that the fuel compaction of the molten fuel by radial motion in a large molten core pool had a potential to drive the severe super-prompt re-criticality phenomena in ULOF sequence. ln order to prevent occurrence of the energetic re-criticality, a subassembly with an inner duct and the removal of a part of LAB are suggested based on CMR (Controlled Material Relocation) concept. The objective of this study is the comparison of the effectiveness of CMR among these measures by the analysis using SIMMER-III. The molten fuel in the subassembly with inner duct flows out faster than that from other measures. The subassembly with inner duct will work effectively in preventing energetic re-criticality. Though the molten fuel in the subassembly without a part of LAB flows out a little slower, it is still one of the promising measures. However, the UAB should be also removed from the same pin to prevent the fuel re-entries into the core region due to the pressurization by FCl below the core, unless it disturbs the core performance. The effect of the axial fuel length of the center pin to CMR behavior is small, compared to the effect of the existence of UAB.