Investigation of the influence of various reflector elements material types on the core nuclear parameters of the 2 MW Triga Mark-II research reactor using the Monte Carlo code

Abstract

The influence of variation in the kind of material of neutron reflector elements on the core neutronic parameters of the Moroccan Triga Mark-II research reactor was examined. The comparison was made between three kinds of reflector element materials: graphite, beryllium, and beryllium oxide. MCNP5 Monte Carlo computations of the effective neutron multiplication factor (keff) of the reactor according to the number of reflector material elements inserted in the reactor core for these three reflector elements materials families were carried out. The results found could be used in order to increase the keff parameter without changing the size of the reactor.