Depletion analysis of control absorber in a small research reactor

A depletion analysis for three different control absorbers, Hf, Ag-In-Cd, and B4C, has been carried out for a conceptual small research reactor. Nine square fuel assemblies are loaded and four square tubular control absorbers are installed to adjust the reactor power. Neutron flux distribution and reactivity losses are calculated with the MCNP code for the depleted control absorbers. The ORIGEN-S code is used to obtain inventories of depleted control absorbers due to flux irradiation.