Optimization design research for 89Sr production in China Experimental Fast Reactor.

As the first sodium cooled fast reactor in China, China Experimental Fast Reactor (CEFR) has many characteristics, such as high power rating, high neutron flux and high neutron leakage as its hard spectrum. These leakage neutrons can be used to produce 89Sr by fast neutrons (n, p) reaction. By means of some special designs, including designing optimized target assembly, choosing reasonable irradiation location and appropriate irradiation cycle length, in order to improve specific activity of 89Sr. The MNCP code was used to the calculations coupled ORIGRN2 procedure. The higher activity of 89Sr can be obtained by these optimization designs, so it is feasible to produce 89Sr in the fuel region of CEFR.