Enhanced feedback effects in sodium cooled fast reactors using moderating material – the effect of the plutonium content in the fuel

The use of fine distributed moderating material to enhance the negative feedback effects and to reduce the sodium void effecting sodium cooled fast reactor cores is described. The influence of the moderating material on the neutron spectrum is given and evaluated in comparison with the capture cross sections of major materials (U-238, Pu-239, and Pu-240). The influence of the variation of the Pu content on the efficiency of the enhancement of the Doppler effect and on the reduction of the positive coolant and sodium void effect in a representative SFR fuel assembly configuration is analyzed. Additionally the influence of the moderating material combined with the variation of the Pu content on the infinite multiplication factor is studied.