Preliminary Work in the Verification of Reactor Kinetics Parameters of Small Modular Reactors Through Subcritical Test Assemblies

Abstract

The dynamic actions of fission reactors are governed by their kinetics parameters. For new Small Modular Reactor (SMR) designs, the determination of these parameters is essential to safety and certification. A source-driven subcritical assembly may potentially be used to understand the kinetics parameters of a novel reactor design without needing a critical prototype. This idea could provide regulatory, economic, safety, and logistical benefits. This paper presents the preliminary research conducted to gauge the merits and challenges involved in this proposal.