COPROD: A Computer Program for the Calculation of Cobalt-60 Isotope Production in the Big Rock Point Power Reactor

Abstract

Consumers Power Company (Jackson, Michigan) produces well over 106 Curies per year of the isotope cobalt-60 at its Big Rock Point Power Reactor in Charlevoix, Michigan. A computer program (COPROD - for CObalt PRODuction program) was developed to calculate cobalt production as a function of physical parameters describing the cobalt-bearing fuel assemblies and reactor operation parameters. COPROD represents a "state of the art" program that has significant value both as a means of calculating actual cobalt production and for predicting future cobalt production. The program has been tested and found to give excellent agreement with measured values.