Mokhtari J, Faghihi F, Dastjerdi M H Choopan, Khorsandi J
Reactor and Nuclear Safety Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, AEOI, Isfahan, Iran.
Department of Nuclear Engineering, School of Mechanical Eng., Shiraz University, 71936-16548, Shiraz, Iran; Radiation Research Center, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran; Ionizing and Non-ionizing Radiation Protection Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
Appl Radiat Isot. 2020 Jul;161:109147. doi: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2020.109147. Epub 2020 Mar 26.
In this study, the conceptual design of a multipurpose research reactor for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), neutron radiography (NR) and neutron activation analysis (NAA) applications has been performed. Specifically, a suitable epithermal neutron flux (φ) of about 1×10 (n.cm.s) for BNCT and high quality thermal neutron flux (φ) of above 1×10 (n.cm.s)for NR are carried out based on our LEU reactor core designing. The UO fuel with density of 10.5 g/cm and enrichment of 12.4% is applied as an appropriate LEU fuel. The reactor safety is assured by designing the safety control rod system with two banks. A fission converter facility (FCF) consists of 19 fuel rods of UO is used to increase φ for BNCT treatment. Furthermore, a unique thermal column of heavy water is used to increase φ for NR purpose. Four internal irradiation sites, two external irradiation sites, and one large thermal column irradiation site are considered at the reactor which can be used for NAA application. The results of neutronic calculations show that the reactor meets the neutronic design limits for a low power research reactor.
在本研究中，已开展了用于硼中子俘获疗法（BNCT）、中子射线照相术（NR）和中子活化分析（NAA）应用的多用途研究堆的概念设计。具体而言，基于我们的低浓铀反应堆堆芯设计，实现了适用于BNCT的约1×10⁹（n·cm⁻²·s⁻¹）的超热中子通量（φ）以及适用于NR的高于1×10¹³（n·cm⁻²·s⁻¹）的高质量热中子通量（φ）。密度为10.5 g/cm³且富集度为12.4%的UO₂燃料被用作合适的低浓铀燃料。通过设计具有两组的安全控制棒系统来确保反应堆安全。一个由19根UO₂燃料棒组成的裂变转换装置（FCF）用于增加BNCT治疗的φ。此外，一个独特的重水热柱用于增加NR用途的φ。反应堆设有四个内部辐照位置、两个外部辐照位置以及一个大型热柱辐照位置，可用于NAA应用。中子学计算结果表明，该反应堆满足低功率研究堆的中子学设计限值。
