Steady-State Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis of the LEU-Fueled Dalat Nuclear Research Reactor

Table 1

Characteristics of the DNRR and its HEU and LEU VVR-M2 fuel types.

Parameter	Value
	HEU fuel used (3/1984–5/2011)	LEU fuel used (11/2011-present)
Open-pool type reactor:
Nominal thermal power (MW)	0.5
Moderator and coolant	Light water
Reflector material	Graphite, beryllium, and water
Convection mechanism	Natural
Active core height	60 cm
Core equivalent diameter	44.2 cm
Number of fuel elements in fuel bundle:	3
Hexagonal shape (outermost)	1
Cylindrical shape (two inner)	2
Fuel pitch of fuel bundle (mm)	35
Fuel thickness (mm):
Fuel element (fuel cladding and fuel meat)	2.5
Fuel meat	0.7	0.94
Fuel cladding (SAV1)	0.9	0.78
Coolant gap	2.5–3.0
Uranium density of fuel meat (%)	1.40	2.50
Fuel meat composition	U–Al alloy	UO2 + Al
Fuel height (mm):
Total	865
Fuel element	700
Fuel meat	600
U-235 in fuel bundle:
Enrichment (%)	36	19.75
Mass (g)	40.2	50