Variation of multiplication factor with enrichment for an enriched-uranium reactor

The criticality of a nuclear power reactor is one of the most important factors to be considered in any nuclear world. Multiplication factor, k, sometimes called as survival factor f, is the crucial parameter for achieving the criticality. There are many factors affecting the criticality and in the calculation of k: The thermal fission factor (η), the resonance escape probability (p), and the thermal utilization factor (ƒ) are some of them. Implicitly, the Moderator (graphite) to Fuel ratio (NMF) and the uranium-235 enrichment percent are what all these factors depend on. In order to determine the effects of these various parameters and to illustrate the relationship between these implicit factors and their impact on nuclear reactor criticality a computational method is applied, and the uranium-235 enrichment from 0.7 percent (uranium percent in nature) to 5.0 percent by weight (the maximum allowable in LEU) are examined to calculate the multiplication factor with the corresponding size and volume of the system under investigation. The minimum enrichment for a range of NMF as well as the minimum NMF ratio for a range of enrichment has been considered for the criticality as an optimization problem. Results are presented in Tables and Graphs, and the optimum conditions for the criticality have been discussed. Key