Initial Criticality Analysis of Malaysia’s TRIGA Research Reactor Using TRIGLAV Computer Code

Abstract

Malaysian Nuclear Agency hosts the 1MW Thermal TRIGA MARK II research reactor since 1982. It first initial criticality was achieved on 28th June 1982 with loading of solid fuel elements like Uranium Zirconium Hydride. TRIGA MARK II started its operation of the research reactor on the same year with a 1MW power generation. Training, Research, Isotope Production and General Atomic (TRIGA) is designed to successfully actualize the variety fields of fundamental nuclear research, the manpower training and the production of radioisotopes. This study deals with the initial criticality analysis of the TRIGA research reactor using TRIGLAV reactor physics computer program. For this purpose, a model of its initial core will be developed and simulated using the software and the results will be validated against the experimental result as mentioned in the final safety analysis report (FSAR). The TRIGLAV computer code solves the neutron diffusion equation by using a finite differences method with iteration of fission density. TRIGLAV is based on four group time independent diffusion equation in two dimensional cylindrical (r, θ) geometry. TRIGLAV can also be applied for criticality of reactor, fuel burn-up calculations, and power distribution and flux distributions calculations of the core and also the reactivity predictions of the reactor.