Lowering the enrichment of the Syrian miniature neutron source reactor

An investigation of lowering the fuel enrichment of MNSR was realized. A 3- D neutronic model was developed for the analysis of the reactor. It was fou nd that lower number of fuel elements is needed when UO2 is used with 5.45 g of U-235 content in each fuel rod. Sensitivity of the reactor to the puri ty of the beryllium reflector proved to be an important factor in determini ng the reactor neutronics as well as the weight of loaded fuel in the core. Inherent safety features of low excess reactivity and shutdown margins are preserved and enhanced. Average thermal fluxes over different zones of the core are kept very much unchanged. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All righ ts reserved.