Measurement of large negative reactivity of an accelerator-driven system in the Kyoto University Critical Assembly

Large negative reactivity of a subcritical system driven by a pulsed 14 MeV neutron source has been measured in the Kyoto University Critical Assembly. The subcriticality of the accelerator-driven system (ADS) ranged in effective multiplication factor roughly from 0.98 to 0.92, which corresponded to an operational range of an actual ADS proposed by Japan Atomic Energy Agency. As the measurement technique, pulsed neutron method, power spectral analysis for pulsed neutron source, accelerator-beam trip method were employed. From neutron count decay data obtained by the pulsed neutron experiment, not only the prompt-neutron decay constant of fundamental mode but also a higher spatial mode could be derived. The subcriticality was also determined from the fundamental decay constant. The measured cross-power spectral density consisted of a familiar correlated reactor-noise component and many uncorrelated delta-function-like peaks at the integral multiple of pulse repetition frequency. The fundamental prompt-neutron decay constant, i.e., the subcriticality determined from the latter uncorrelated peaks was consistent with that obtained by the above pulsed neutron experiment. However, the magnitude of the former correlated component was reduced with an increase in the subcriticality and eventually this component became almost white at deeply subcritical state ranging in the multiplication factor under 0.95. Consequently, the determination of the decay constant from the correlated component was impossible under such a subcritical state. As data analysis method for the beam trip experiment, both the conventional integral count method and the least-squares inverse kinetics method (LSIKM) were employed. The LSIKM analysis led to the consistent subcriticality with that obtained by the pulsed neutron experiment, while the integral count method significantly underestimated the subcriticality. This underestimation originated from a residual background count, which was maintained after the beam trip. The LSIKM was mostly not influenced by such a slight count rate.     

Measurement of the subcriticality of power-stressed reactors with an analog reactimeter

Conclusions A technique has been developed for measuring the effects of reactivity in a subcritical reactor with an analog reactimeter. It is based on the compensation of the current applied to the reactimeter input from the neutron detector. The compensation of current produced by neutrons of the subcritical multiplying assembly formalizes the algorithm for reactivity calculation, making it an adequate model of a reactor with a source and making it possible to determine the subcriticality without prior entry into the critical state. In this case the measurements are made in the presence of neutron sources characteristic of power-stressed reactors. The regular devices of the control and safety system could be used to produce unsteady variation of the neutron flux.All of this permits the proposed method to be extended to zero-power reactors and to power-stressed reactors. Once the subcriticality has been measured an analog of the neutron source is introduced into the reactimeter. This instrument measures the effects of reactivity in the subcritical state without the reactor being previously put into the critical state, monitors the entry of the reactor into the critical state by checking the reactivity, and makes all the measurements usually made with analog reactimeters. If the intensity of the source does not change during measurements (5–10 min) when chambers sensitive to rays (e.g., KNK-56 chambers) are used as neutron-flux detectors, then the accuracy of -ray compensation does not affect the results of the measurements.Translated from Atomnaya Énergiya, Vol. 45, No. 5, pp. 375–376, November, 1978.     

On-line subcriticality measurement using a pulsed spallation neutron source

To investigate the applicability of the pulsed neutron source method using a pulsed spallation neutron source for an on-line subcriticality monitoring system of an accelerator-driven system, a subcritical experiment is conducted using the Kyoto University Critical Assembly in combination with the fixed-field alternating gradient accelerator. Reactivity values obtained from different traditional techniques, the area-ratio method and the α-fitting method, are discussed with respect to the applicability to on-line subcriticality monitoring. The results show that the area-ratio method robustly and accurately monitors subcriticality in shallow subcritical states with negative reactivity of up to a few dollars; however, this method faces problems with temporal fluctuations, spatial dispersion, and sensitivity to the proton-beam current with increasing depth of subcriticality. On the other hand, it is shown that the α-fitting method alleviates such problems in deep subcritical states. Moreover, a proposed fitting technique using the maximum-likelihood estimation method based on the Poisson distribution is robust enough to be applicable to on-line subcriticality monitoring for negative reactivity levels of up to roughly nine dollars.     

Basic study on neutronics of future neutron source based on accelerator driven subcritical reactor concept in Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute (KURRI)

A basic study on the nuclear characteristics in the accelerator driven subcritical reactor (ADSR) was performed through a series of neutronics design calculations and reactor physics experiments. Calculations were executed mainly by the MCNPX code, and experiments were performed at the Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA). Some nuclear features of the research reactor type ADSR were revealed through the present study. The following facts were found: 1) Further studies are necessary concerning the nuclear data in the high energy region and the generated neutrons through the spallation reactions especially by the light nuclei and the lower energy protons. 2) The adjustment of subcriticality by the control rod significantly affects the reactor power of ADSR because of the distortion in the neutron flux distribution caused by the control rod insertion. 3) An accurate calculation is essential to evaluate the neutron multiplication in the ADSR. 4) The neutronics behavior after a pulse injection can be approximately simulated by the calculation.     

Experimental study of neutron counting in a zero-power reactor driven by a neutron source inherent in highly enriched uranium fuels

Even a zero-power reactor core containing highly enriched uranium has a weak neutron source inherent in uranium 235, and consequently, a neutron counter placed closely to the core without external neutron source registers a certain counting rate. The study of the counting is very important for zero-power reactor physics experiments with a high precision. In this experimental study, first, at a shutdown state of the UTR-Kinki reactor without start-up neutron source, a pulse height distribution of output signals from a neutron proportional counter was measured to confirm that these signals resulted from neutron detections. At several subcritical states of the UTR, then, the Feynman-α analysis was carried out to confirm that the neutrons detected by the counter must be fission neutrons multiplied by fission chain reactions. The correlation amplitude measured in the Feynman-α analysis was much higher than that measured in a previous drive by start-up source. Further, it was also confirmed that the subcriticality dependence of neutron counting rate followed the source multiplication formula. This feature indicated that the one-point model was very successful in the subcritical range including the shutdown state.     

Subcriticality measurement using time-domain decomposition-based integral method for simultaneous reactivity and source changes

ABSTRACT

To estimate the subcriticality in dollar units for an arbitrary state-change, the time-domain decomposition-based integral method (TDDI) is proposed using the point kinetics theory based on the fundamental mode approximation. In a general transient subcritical system, reactivity, neutron source intensity, and point kinetics parameters can vary simultaneously. Furthermore, the state-change may not necessarily be a stepwise change. For such a transient, the TDDI method can estimate the subcriticality after the transient using only the time variation of the neutron count rate. Therefore, the proposed method is useful to approximately estimate the subcriticality in a system where a detailed core configuration is unknown. To investigate the applicability of the TDDI method, transient experiments with simultaneous reactivity and source changes or to two successive safety rods dropping were performed at the Kindai University Training and Research Reactor (UTR-KINKI). By comparing with reference values using excess reactivity and control rod worth, it was validated that the subcriticality values obtained by the TDDI method better agree with the reference values than the previous integral method.     

Subcriticality Measurement by Neutron Source Multiplication Method with a Fundamental Mode Extraction

A new neutron multiplication method has been proposed for an accurate measurement of subcriticality. The proposed method consists of two correction processes for (1) extraction of the fundamental mode from measuring data of a neutron detector that contains higher modes as well as the fundamental mode feeding from an external neutron source and (2) spatial corrections for perturbations induced by a reactivity addition in the distributions of the fundamental mode and a neutron importance field. Feasibility of the proposed method has been verified from a numerical study, although under some limitations such that the neutron multiplying system to be analyzed is small-sized and a reactivity change takes place homogeneously in a fuel loaded region. With extraction of the fundamental mode and the spatial corrections, the subcriticality can be estimated accurately even with measuring data highly contaminated with higher modes due to a detector position near to an external point neutron source. For a future application to measurement of control rod bank worth of a nuclear power plant from measuring data during a reactor physical testing, some useful guidelines have been obtained.     

基于OpenMC的瞬发中子衰减常数计算模块开发与验证

瞬发中子基波衰减常数α可定量描述反应堆内中子随时间的变化,是计算绝对反应性所需的中子动力学参数之一,对次临界（特别是较深次临界）绝对反应性的精确测量具有重要意义。本文在开源程序OpenMC基础上,基于k α迭代方法,以中子径迹长度上的平均时间吸收权重修正作为k α迭代参数因子,在输运过程中对瞬发、缓发中子分别考虑,开发了具有瞬发α本征值问题计算功能的OpenMC PA模块。以Godiva衍生基准题和MUSE 4次临界实验装置为计算对象,对程序计算瞬发α本征值问题能力进行验证。结果表明,该计算模块有优于MCNP4C的计算速度与计算范围,计算值与参考值的相对误差小于05%。OpenMC PA能满足次临界系统瞬发α本征值和中子动力学参数计算需求。     

Kinetics of Periodic Cascade Boosters from the Standpoint of Their Speed of Operation and Safety

A system of equations is formulated governing the kinetics of a reactor that is adequate for the purpose of describing transient neutron phenomena in a periodic cascade booster and includes all groups of delayed neutrons. An analytical solution of these equations for the case of constant neutron multiplication coefficient k _eff (booster with no reactivity modulation) is used. The calculations show that periodic cascade boosters have substantial advantages over single-section boosters. The main advantage is that cascade boosters make it possible to increase the depth of subcriticality of the setup, intensify the fast pulse sharply, and decrease the background fission intensity manyfold. In principle, pulse parameters acceptable for practice can be achieved in a cascade periodic booster even without including the reactivity modulation factor. This means that using the cascade principle in periodic boosters will make them safer and improve their pulse parameters.     

Determination of Subcritical Reactivity of a Thermal Accelerator-Driven System from Beam Trip and Restart Experiment

An experimental technique based on an accelerator-beam trip or restart operation is proposed to determine the subcritical reactivity of an accelerator-driven system (ADS). Applying the least-squares inverse kinetics method to the data analysis, the subcriticality can be inferred from time-sequence neutron count data after these operations. A series ofbeam trip and restart experiments with 14 MeV neutrons were carried out in a thermal ADS of Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA), to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed technique. The subcriticalities evaluated using neutroncounters far from the DT target were consistent with those obtained in a previous pulsed neutron experiment. However, a counter placed close to the target significantly overestimated the subcriticality. The present technique is expected to be available for subcriritcality measurement at startup and shutdown of various ADSs.     

On the multiplication factor and reactivity definitions for subcritical reactor systems

An analysis is made on the merit of different functions adopted for weighting neutron processes in subcritical nuclear reactor systems, as it appears in expressions of relevant integral quantities, such as reactivity worths, prompt neutron lifetimes, etc. All weight functions may be shown to depend on some sort of explicit or implicit, real or fictitious, system control. Associated with the importance function relevant to the reactor power control, the multiplication factor k_sub and generalized reactivity values ρ_gen are defined. The difference (1-k_sub)/k_sub is shown to be the more appropriate index for generally representing the ADS subcriticality. However, in certain circumstances, when an accidental event is studied in which the criticality condition may be surpassed during the transient, it appears more appropriate to take into account the standard multiplication factor (k_eff) and the reactivity values to which the transient is associated and for the definition of which the standard adjoint flux is adopted.     

Determination of Large Negative Reactivity by Integral Versions of Various Experimental Methods

The large negative reactivity is measured in Semi-Homogeneous Experimental facility (SHE). Experimental methods are Sjöstrand's pulsed neutron, source multiplication and rod drop methods beside revised King-Simmons' pulsed neutron methods. Neutron detectors are placed at various points in the core region for multi-points measurement.

Usual one-point reactor model analysis resulted in the reactivity values, strongly dependent on the detector position with the increase of subcriticality. In addition, disagreements between the used experimental methods are also pointed out.

In order to overcome these difficulties due to the spatial higher harmonics and the kinetic distortion in the neutron flux distribution, an integral version analysis is applied, in which use is made of multi-points reactor model. In the analysis, space integration of the neutron counts obtained throughout the core region is made with weights of the adjoint function of fast neutrons, calculated using the two- or three-dimensional diffusion code. The negative reactivity values determined by the integral version analysis agreed well with each other within the uncertainty of ～5% in the reactivity range down to ～50 dollars.

It is concluded that all the experimental methods are adequate for precise determination of the large negative reactivity of reactor provided that the integral version analysis is utilized or that correction is made for the change of the neutron generation time using precise calculation.     

脉冲中子源法测量铅基零功率反应堆Venus-Ⅱ次临界度

本文利用脉冲中子源法测量了铅基零功率反应堆Venus-Ⅱ在4种燃料棒装载情况下的次临界度,简要介绍了脉冲中子源法测量次临界度的原理、测量系统及实验结果等,通过面积比法分析了各探测器的计数率时间谱,确定了系统次临界度。测量结果表明,当系统有效增殖因数在0.94附近时,不同位置处的探测器测量结果之间呈明显差异。基于MCNP理论模拟计算,分别用空间修正因子和普适的微扰法对面积比测量结果进行必要修正,消除了空间效应对实验结果的影响。在系统有效增殖因数约0.94时,经修正的面积比法能精确给出系统的次临界度。本实验研究为ADS嬗变系统的次临界度精确测量提供了一种有效方法。     

Prediction of the neutrons subcritical multiplication using the diffusion hybrid equation with external neutron sources

We used the neutron diffusion hybrid equation, in cartesian geometry with external neutron sources to predict the subcritical multiplication of neutrons in a pressurized water reactor, using a 1/M curve to predict the criticality condition. A Coarse Mesh Finite Difference Method was developed for the adjoint flux calculation and to obtain the reactivity values of the reactor. The results obtained were compared with benchmark values in order to validate the methodology presented in this paper.     

基于CORCA的带固定中子源堆芯求解与共轭计算的软件实现

深度次临界状态下,传统源倍增法在核反应堆反应性测量上具有精度低的特点,为提高测量精度,本文对CORCA软件进行扩充,开发了具备固定源问题求解和带不连续因子中子价值求解功能的CORCAFIX软件,并采用对照程序和实堆数据对CORCA-FIX软件进行了计算验证。验证结果证实,CORCA-FIX在求解带固定源堆芯的深度次临界状态时有着较高的精度,输出的结果应用于实堆数据后获得了更好的次临界度测量结果,且满足工程应用中反应性测量的偏差准则。     

Determination Error of Reactor Subcriticality from Sensor Indications

The simplest approximations (1D and 2D reactor, one-group diffusion model of neutron transport) are used to study the insensitivity, due to undetermined local perturbations of the multiplication power, of neutron-flux sensor indications to reactor subcriticality. The analysis is based on the conservative assumption that such perturbations can combine with one another in an adverse manner. A 1D model is used to establish the quantitative dependence of the error resulting from this phenomenon in the subcriticality recorded on a determining complex formed by the geometric characteristics and material parameter of the reactor. It is shown for a commercial uranium–graphite reactor that this error can be substantial in physically large reactors.     

聚变-裂变混合能源堆一维计算模型燃耗分析

聚变-裂变混合能源堆包括聚变中子源和以天然铀为燃料、水为冷却剂的次临界包层,主要目标是生产电力。利用输运燃耗耦合程序系统MCORGS计算了混合能源堆一维模型的燃耗,给出了中子有效增殖因数k_eff、能量放大倍数M、氚增殖比TBR等物理量随时间的变化。通过分析能谱和重要核素随燃耗时间的变化,说明混合能源堆与核燃料增殖、核废料嬗变混合堆的不同特点。本文给出的结果可作为混合堆中子输运、燃耗分析程序校验的参考数据,为混合堆概念研究提供了基础数据。     

Feasibility Study on Subcriticality Monitoring with a Digital Reactivity Meter

A conventional digital reactivity meter is based on a simple principle to solve inverse point reactor kinetics equations and it can monitor reactivity continuously on a real time basis. Then, feasibility was studied for a conventional digital reactivity meter to be used as a subcriticality monitor. It was necessary to overcome some problems; for example, the applicability of the point reactor kinetics equations must be verified for the system where neutron distribution is dependent on the subcriticality. We showed that the problems can be solved or can be taken into account. The subcriticality calculated by the reactivity meter might not be accurate for the measurement of the actual value of the subcriticality itself, however, it is accurate enough for the purpose of subcriticality monitoring. We believe that the monitoring on a real time basis is more important for subcriticality monitoring than the accuracy of the value of the monitored subcriticality. Based on the study, we proposed that a digital reactivity meter can be used as a subcriticality monitor.     

Monitoring the reactivity of extremely subcritical reactors by means of reactivity meters,corrections being made to the analog of the source

Conclusions The advantage of the instrumental methods here described lies in the fact that no additional apparatus is required for determining subcriticality; it is sufficient simply to use an analog reactivity meter allowing the source component in the solving part to be varied. By using these methods we may determine the bias voltage (constituting the analog of a steady-state source in the reactor) in the subcritical state. If the intensity of the source does not alter very sharply over the period of measurement (5–10 min), the introduction of the source function into the instrument is an on-off operation, after which the reactivity meter is able to monitor any changes in K_eff continuously without first bringing the reactor into the critical state. This offers the possibility of making quite accurate measurements to ensure nuclear safety. In cases in which it is required to secure especially accurate and reliable results, these measurements may be repeated as from the critical state as part of a total monitoring operation. The safety of operations requiring passage into the critical state is also increased, since the passage into the critical state is monitored completely.Instrumental methods of measuring subcriticality are universal; they embrace not only critical assemblies but also any energy-stressed reactors in the subcritical state, and enable us to measure temperature effects, effects of poisoning, and so on, i. e., effects characteristic of energy-stressed reactors. In addition to this, these methods may be applied both in the presence and in the absence of a strong neutron background in the reactor.Translated from Atomnaya Énergiya, Vol. 41, No. 4, pp. 238–241, October, 1976.     

一种测量缓发中子有效份额β_(eff)的方法

本工作通过实验与理论计算相结合,给出了测定缓发中子有效份额βeff的新方法。用实验方法确定反应堆临界状态,并测量次临界状态时以βeff为单位的次临界反应性,应用理论程序计算临界时的中子有效增殖因数keff,确定keff的计算偏差,然后理论计算次临界状态下的keff,并用确定keff的计算偏差对次临界状态下计算的keff进行修正,给出次临界状态的反应性。将实验测量结果与理论计算结果相比较,从而给出βeff。这种方法由于是实验确定的反应堆状态,因此,按实验结果计算的keff与理论描述反应堆状态的计算模型关系不大。分析表明,βeff测量结果的精度高于以往测量方法的精度。