ISSN: 1546-962X
CODEN: JAIOAD
Published Online: 1 April 2012
Page Count: 7

Comparison of Attenuation Coefficients for VVER-440 and VVER-1000 Pressure Vessels

Marek, Milan
Reactor Physics Dept., Research Centre Rez, Husinec,

Rataj, Jan
Reactor Physics Dept., Research Centre Rez, Husinec,

Vandlik, Stanislav
Reactor Physics Dept., Research Centre Rez, Husinec,

(Received 7 June 2011; accepted 3 January 2012)

Abstract

The paper summarizes the attenuation coefficient of the neutron fluence with E > 0.5 MeV through a reactor pressure vessel for vodo-vodyanoi energetichesky reactor (VVER) reactor types measured and/or calculated for mock-up experiments, as well as for operated nuclear power plant (NPP) units. The attenuation coefficient is possible to evaluate directly only by using the retro-dosimetry, based on a combination of the measured activities from the weld sample and concurrent ex-vessel measurement. The available neutron fluence attenuation coefficients (E > 0.5 MeV), calculated and measured at a mock-up experiment simulating the VVER-440-unit conditions, vary from 3.5 to 6.15. A similar situation is used for the calculations and mock-up experiment measurements for the VVER-1000 RPV, where the attenuation coefficient of the neutron fluence varies from 5.99 to 8.85. Because of the difference in calculations for the real units and the mock-up experiments, the necessity to design and perform calculation benchmarks both for VVER-440 and VVER-1000 would be meaningful if the calculation model is designed adequately to a given unit.

Keywords:
reactor pressure vessel, VVER-440, VVER-1000, attenuation coefficient

Paper ID: JAI104055
DOI: 10.1520/JAI104055
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