Calculation of fuel burnup and radionuclide inventory in the Syrian miniature neutron source reactor using the GETERA code

Calculations of the fuel burnup and radionuclide inventory in the Syrian miniature neutron source reactor (MNSR) after 10 years (the reactor core expected life) of the reactor operation time are presented in this paper using the GETERA code. The code is used to calculate the fuel group constants and the infinite multiplication factor versus the reactor operating time for 10, 20, and 30 kW operating power levels. The amounts of uranium burntup and plutonium produced in the reactor core, the concentrations and radionuclides of the most important fission products and actinide radionuclides accumulated in the reactor core, and the total radioactivity of the reactor core were calculated using the GETERA code as well. It is found that the GETERA code is better than the WIMSD4 code for the fuel burnup calculation in the MNSR reactor since it is newer, has a bigger library of isotopes, and is more accurate.

► The final concentrations of the uranium-235 was calculated using the GETERA code. ► The results were compared with the WIMSD4 code results. ► The infinite multiplication factor versus time for 10, 20, and 30 kW power levels were estimated