Preliminary study for design core of nuclear research reactor of TRIGA Bandung using fuel element plate MTR

Abstract

The nuclear reactor has two types of power reactors based on the function that is used as electrical energy and research reactors and radioisotope used as a producer of nuclear science and technology research. Indonesia has three research reactors are two types of TRIGA research reactor in Bandung with a power of 2 MW and in Yogyakarta with a power of 100 kW and a research reactor in PUSPIPTEK Serpong with nominal power of 30 MW. For the second fuel elements TRIGA type reactor that is currently using elements of cylindrical material, while the fuel elements RSG-GAS reactor in Serpong-shaped plate. Reactor TRIGA Bandung is a reactor that can be used to predict the buffer reactor. However, this reactor has a problem because of the limited number of existing fuel element. Meanwhile, production of TRIGA fuel elements abroad already closed. Given that Indonesia has the ability to produce nuclear fuel elements for research reactors fueled plate it is proposed to modify the reactor core of TRIGA Bandung of the terrace patio made from a cylinder into fuel plates. In this research will be studied more deeply about aspects thermal-hydraulics TRIGA research reactor using fuel elements plate replacement to cylinder fuel element. The method used is the modeling and simulation of the fuel element plate using porous media and non-porous media with the program of CFD Code. Results of the simulation show that the phenomenon of flow and temperature distribution closer to the comparison of the design elements used fuel plate. So later this plate fuel elements can be used in a nuclear reactor core TRIGA research Bandung, Indonesia.