EXPLANATION, PURPOSE AND CONTENT OF THE PROJECT TO IMPROVE THE SPENT FUEL STORAGE POOL AT THE »RA« RESEARCH REACTOR
by Milena MATAUŠEK, Miroslav KOPEČNI, Zoran VUKADIN, Radojko PAVLOVIĆ , Valerije JOVIĆ

Abstract: The paper presents some basic data about the RA research reactor at the VINČA Institute. A short description of the spent fuel storage pool at this reactor is given. A program is proposed of the necessary actions for permanent or long-term solution of safe disposal of the spent nuclear fuel. It is particularly stressed that the proposed actions have to be performed independently of the decision about the future status of the research reactor itself. A description of the work, which has to be done in order to improve the safety and radiological characteristics of the spent fuel storage pool at the research reactor, is given. Explanation, purpose and content of the project to improve the spent fuel storage pool at the RA research reactor, are presented in details. Activities on realization of the project, and the results achieved, will be presented in the forthcoming issues of the "Nuklearna tehnologija" journal.

Key words: storage of spent nuclear fuel, research nuclear reactor, radiological and nuclear safety, minimization of corrosion processes

Note: Full text published in Serbian

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT
by Naim AFGAN, Darwish AL GOBAISI, Maria CARVALHO, Maurizio CUMO

Abstract: The paper presents an overview of the sustainable energy development and is aimed to emphasize the important aspects relevant to this activity. A short introduction, related to present energy outlook with a survey of available data, is presented. This gives the possibility to assess the motivation for a sustainable energy development.
Special attention is devoted to the definition of sustainability and its generic meaning. In this respect, particular attention is devoted to the discussion of different aspects of sustainability in the present world. In order to present an engineering approach to the sustainable development, attention is devoted to the review of sustainability criteria as they have to be introduced in the future products. The main emphasis is given to review a potential development in the energy engineering science which may lead to a sustainable energy development. Seven major areas are listed with specific problems and their relevance to the sustainable energy development. This includes the following areas: energy resources and development; efficiency assessment; clean air technologies; information technologies; new and renew able energy resources; environment capacity; mitigation of nuclear power impact to the environment.
The education system is the milestone for any economic development. In this respect, the sustainable energy development will require special attention to be devoted to the new development of education system. The distance learning education system is envisaged as the potential option for the knowledge dissemination of the new energy technologies.

Key words: energy, energy resources, new and renewable energy resources, environment, nuclear power

ON DETERMINATION OF NEUTRON ATTENUATION USING EXACT AND SIMPLIFIED SOLUTIONS OF THE NEUTRON DIFFUSION EQUATION
by Magda A. IBRAHIM

Abstract: The subject of neutron attenuation by some common shielding materials (water, ordinary concrete, heavy concrete, paraffin wax, graphite and marble) is treated in this work. The fast neutrons are expressed by the removal cross-section concept, while the other two groups (epithermal and thermal) are expressed in two ways; using an exact expression with two arbitrary constants for solving the diffusion equation and a simplified one in which the second arbitrary constant is neglected.
Calculations are carried out with increasing thicknesses up to 2.5 meter for each of the above materials expressing the group fluxes in the two ways (double and single arbitrary constants) for each of the considered thicknesses. The total neutron dose rate distributions of the three groups are also calculated by using exact and simplified solutions and are compared with each other for the given materials. These results are also compared with some available theoretical data.
The two solutions are found to be almost identical for certain characteristic thicknesses, which are determined for each of the given shield materials, at which the simplified solution can be applied without significant numerical errors in the calculations of the total neutron dose rate.

Key words: diffusion equation, exact and simplified solutions, shielding materials, removal cross-section, neutron dose rate

A REVIEW OF THE COMPUTER CODES FOR THE RESPONSE DETERMINATION OF PROTON RECOIL DETECTORS
by Dragana NIKOLIĆ

Abstract: The detector response function must be accurately known when it is used in spectrometry methods based on unfolding a pulse-height distribution to obtain an energy spectrum. Small errors in the response matrix can result in much larger errors in the unfolded energy spectrum. There are several (mostly unpublished) computer codes for response matrix calculation. Most of them were developed for the purpose of a particular unfolding code, though having limited application. Some of the commonly applied codes for the response matrix determination of proton recoil detectors are presented and discussed in this paper.

Key words: detector response function, pulse height distribution, proton recoil detectors, response matrix, unfolding