An Investigation of the Effect of the Upper Beryllium Reflector on the Moderator Temperature Coefficient of Reactivity of Miniature Neutron Source Reactors

In this paper, an investigation on the dependence of the effective multiplication factor, k(eff), on moderator temperature for various thicknesses of the upper beryllium reflector in reactor conditions with different fuel burnups for the Miniature Neutron Source Reactor is carried out. Based on the linear dependence of k(eff) on moderator temperature, an approach to calculate the moderator temperature coefficient of reactivity, (alpha) over bar (T), at different temperatures and its average value, (alpha) over bar (T), in a range of temperatures directly through the moderator temperature is developed. Calculations are performed to evaluate the effect of change in the upper reflector thickness on the moderator temperature coefficient of reactivity for the fresh core and reactor conditions with different fuel burnups. Calculated results indicate that (alpha) over bar (T) increases with the increased beryllium thickness, but decreases with the increasing fuel burnup. Analysis of calculated results provides an additional insight into the relation of the upper reflector thickness, the neutron energy spectrum in the reactor core, and the moderator temperature coefficient of reactivity.