Influence of the nearest environment of the core on the power pulse dynamics in the IBR-2 reactor

An analysis of the IBR-2 reactor power pulse shape measured over the entire dynamic range of neutron flux variation (10⁴), i.e. from the maximum pulse power to the background power between pulses, has been carried out. Three variants of the model describing the reactor dynamics during the power pulse have been investigated. The best approximation to the experimental data has been obtained by adding to six equations describing the effect of delayed neutrons on the power pulse of two analogous ones describing the effect of the neutrons reflected from the structural elements of the reactor. It is shown that the most probable source of additional groups of neutrons may be the neutron moderators enveloping the core as well as the elements of the biological concrete shielding that are the closest to the core. These additional groups of neutrons influence essentially the formation of the power pulse.