Oscillation experiments techniques in CEA MINERVE experimental reactor

The objective of this study is to develop nuclear heating measurement methods in Zero Power experimental reactors. This paper presents the analysis of ThermoLuminescent Detector (TLD) and Optically Stimulated Luminescent Detectors (OSLD) experiments in the UO 2 core of the MINERVE research reactor at the CEA Cadarache.The experimental sources of uncertainties on the gamma dose have been reduced by improving the conditions, as well as the repeatability, of the calibration step for each individual TLD. The interpretation of these measurements needs to take into account calculation of cavity correction factors, related to calibration and irradiation configurations, as well as neutron corrections calculations. These calculations are based on Monte Carlo simulations of neutron-gamma and gamma-electron transport coupled particles. TLD and OSLD are positioned inside aluminum pillboxes.The comparison between calculated and measured integral gamma-ray absorbed doses using TLD, shows that calculation slightly overestimates the measurement with a C/E value equal to 1.05 ± 5.3 % (k = 2). By using OSLD, the calculation slightly underestimates the measurement with a C/E value equal to 0.96 ± 7.0% (k = 2).

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“…The MINERVE Facility [4] MINERVE is a zero power pool reactor dedicated to neutronics studies. MINERVE's core (cf.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis and recent advances in gamma heating measurements in MINERVE facility by using TLD and OSLD techniques

Amharrak

Salvo

Lyoussi

et al. 2011

2011 2nd International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and Their Applications

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“…On the contrary, it is called closed loop when a power control system is activated. Such pile oscillator experiments have long been held in the Minerve facility, operated by CEA at Cadarache [4]. A closed loop reactivity B. Geslot is with CEA DEN/Cad/DER/SPEx/LPE, Cadarache, Bat.238, F-13108, Saint Paul Lez Durance (e-mail: benoit.geslot@cea.fr).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Innovative Hybrid Pile Oscillator Technique in the Minerve Reactor: Open Loop Versus Closed Loop

Geslot

Gruel

Bréaud

et al. 2018

IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci.

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Pile oscillator techniques are powerful methods to measure small reactivity worth of isotopes of interest for nuclear data improvement. This kind of experiments has long been implemented in the Mineve experimental reactor, operated by CEA Cadarache. A hybrid technique, mixing reactivity worth estimation and measurement of small changes around test samples is presented here. It was made possible after the development of high sensitivity miniature fission chambers introduced next to the irradiation channel. A test campaign, called MAESTRO-SL, took place in 2015. Its objective was to assess the feasibility of the hybrid method and investigate the possibility to separate mixed neutron effects, such as fission/capture or scattering/capture. Experimental results are presented and discussed in this paper, which focus on comparing two measurements setups, one using a power control system (closed loop) and another one where the power is free to drift (open loop). First, it is demonstrated that open loop is equivalent to closed loop. Uncertainty management and methods reproducibility are discussed. Second, results show that measuring the flux depression around oscillated samples provides valuable information regarding partial neutron cross sections. The technique is found to be very sensitive to the capture cross section at the expense of scattering, making it very useful to measure small capture effects of highly scattering samples.

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“…The MINERVE facility using the oscillation technique provides accurate measurements of reactivity effect of samples: the relative precision is less than 1% by the mean of a calibrated control rod [5]. The VALMONT program [6] includes oscillations of samples of and UMo/Al with enrichments ranging from 0.2% to 20% and Uranium densities from 2.2 to 8 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neutronics Experimental Validation of the Jules Horowitz Reactor Fuel by Interpretation of the VALMONT Experimental Program—Transposition of the Uncertainties on the Reactivity of JHR With JEF2.2 and JEFF3.1.1

Leray

Hudelot

Antony

et al. 2012

IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci.

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The new European material testing Jules Horowitz Reactor (JHR), currently under construction in Cadarache center (CEA France), will use LEU (20% enrichment in 235 U) fuels (U 3 Si 2 for the start up and UMoAl in the future) which are quite different from the industrial oxide fuel, for which an extensive neutronics experimental validation database has been established.The HORUS3D/N neutronics calculation scheme, used for the design and safety studies of the JHR, is being developed within the framework of a rigorous verification-numerical validation-experimental validation methodology. In this framework, the experimental VALMONT (Validation of Aluminium Molybdenum uranium fuel for NeuTronics) program has been performed in the MINERVE facility of CEA Cadarache (France), in order to qualify the capability of HORUS3D/N to accurately calculate the reactivity of the JHR reactor.The MINERVE facility using the oscillation technique provides accurate measurements of reactivity effect of samples. The VAL- MONT program includes oscillations of samples of UAl Al andUMo/Al with enrichments ranging from 0.2% to 20% and Uranium densities from 2.2 to 8 g cm 3 . The geometry of the samples and the pitch of the experimental lattice ensure maximum representativeness with the neutron spectrum expected for JHR. By comparing the effect of the sample with the one of a known fuel specimen, the reactivity effect can be measured in absolute terms and be compared to computational results. Special attention was paid to the rigorous determination and reduction of the experimental uncertainties.The calculational analysis of the VALMONT results was performed with the French deterministic code APOLLO2. A comparison of the impact of the different calculation methods, data libraries and energy meshes that were tested is presented. The interpretation of the VALMONT experimental program allowed the experimental validation of JHR fuel UMoAl8 (with an enrichment of 19.75% 235 U) by the Minerve-dedicated interpretation tool:

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Oscillation experiments techniques in CEA MINERVE experimental reactor

Cited by 15 publications

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Analysis and recent advances in gamma heating measurements in MINERVE facility by using TLD and OSLD techniques

Analysis and recent advances in gamma heating measurements in MINERVE facility by using TLD and OSLD techniques

Innovative Hybrid Pile Oscillator Technique in the Minerve Reactor: Open Loop Versus Closed Loop

Neutronics Experimental Validation of the Jules Horowitz Reactor Fuel by Interpretation of the VALMONT Experimental Program—Transposition of the Uncertainties on the Reactivity of JHR With JEF2.2 and JEFF3.1.1

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