Physical Analysis of Radioisotope Production in Research and Test Reactor

The physical analyses of radioisotope production in research and test reactor were carried out. Firstly, the influence of control rod withdrawing sequence on isotope production was analyzed, and the rod withdrawing factor was obtained. Then according to the point reactor model and the reactivity-burnup linearity equation, the equations of radioisotope conversion ratio and production were acquired. Finally, several parameters including cycle length, fuel assembly (FA) numbers, initial average burnup of FAs and power in HEU and LEU core of HFETR were analyzed with these equations. It is concluded from the results that the radioisotope production increases with the control rod withdrawing sequence from the smallest to the largest value rod, and with the increase of the fuel assembly number and power, while the cycle numbers (the inspection time between adjacent cycles is unchanged) and initial average burnup have opposite effects. The results are applied in the design of reactor loading patterns.