TRIGA Mark II Benchmark Experiment, Part I: Steady-State Operation

The experimental results of startup tests after reconstruction and modification of the TRIGA Mark II reactor in Ljubljana are presented. The experiments were performed with a completely fresh, compact, and uniform core. The operating conditions were well defined and controlled, so that the results can be used as a benchmark test case for TRIGA reactor calculations. Both steady-state and pulse mode operation were tested. In this paper, the following steady-state experiments are treated: critical core and excess reactivity, control rod worths, fuel element reactivity worth distribution, fuel temperature distribution, and fuel temperature reactivity coefficient.