Solutions set #5

[6.2] Consider an infinite slab of nonfissionable material occupying the region

a x a contains a uniform source so and has properties D1 and a1 . A second
nonfissionable material, with D2 and a 2 contains no source and occupies the remaining
regions x a and a x . Find the flux distribution for 0 x .
For a uniform source, Eq. (6.27) gives the problem solution: ( L1 D1 / a1 )
1
( x) C1 exp x / L1 C2 exp x / L1
s0
0 xa
a1
while in the source free region Eq. (6.21) is the solution: ( L1 D1 / a1 )

( x) C1 exp x / L2 C2 exp x / L2
a x
We must now employ boundary and interface conditions to determine the four arbitary
constants. The problem is symmetric about x = 0 and thus we have a reflected boudary
condition at the origin:
d
C C
0 ( x) 1 2
dx
L1 L1
x 0
Thus C1 C2 and
1
( x) C1[exp x / L1 exp x / L1 ]
s0
a1
0 xa
1
C cosh x / L1
s0
a1
where C 2C1 . At x , we must have () 0 . Therefore C 0 and hence
( x) C2 exp x / L2
a x
Now we have the interface condition that the flux must be continuous (a ) (a ) . Thus
1
C cosh a / L1
s0 C2 exp a / L2
a1
d
d
D2 ( x)
and the current must be continuous: D1 ( x)
Thus
dx
dx
x a
x a
D1 L11C sinh a / L1 D2 L21C2 exp a / L2

We next solve these two equations for C and C2 : We obtain:

D L1
C cosh(a / L1 ) 1 11 sinh a / L1
D2 L2

so
a1

and

D L1
C2 cosh(a / L1 ) 1 11 sinh a / L1
D2 L2

Thus for the flux, we obtain

D1 L11
s
exp(a / L2 )sinh( a / L1 ) o
1
D2 L2
a1

cosh x / L1
1

( x) 1
s0

1
D1 L1
a1

cosh(a / L1 )
sinh a / L1

D2 L21

0 xa

and
sinh(a / L1 ) exp[( x a) / L2 ] D1 L11 so
( x)
a x
D L1
D L1
cosh(a / L1 ) 1 11 sinh a / L1 2 2 a1
D2 L2
[6.6] Neutrons impinge uniformly over the surface of a sphere made of graphite that has a
diameter of 1.0 m. For the graphite D = 0.84 cm and a = 2.1 x 10-4 cm-1.
a. Determine the albedo of the graphite sphere.
b. Determine the fraction of the impinging neutrons that are absorbed in the
sphere.
Part a: In source free spherical geometry the neutron flux is given by Eq. (6.51). Since in
this problem there is no source at the origin, the flux (0) must be finite. But from Eq.
(6.51) this condition can only hold if C2 C1 . Thus Eq. (6.51) reduces to
sinh(r / L)
(r ) C
r
where C 2C1 . Suppose that there are s neutrons/s/cm2 impinging on the surface of
the sphere. Then the incoming partial current will be
d
J ( R ) 14 ( R ) 12 D (r )
s
dr
rR
Inserting the flux distribution:
1 sinh( R / L) 1
cosh( R / L) 1
sinh( R / L)
C
DC
DC
s
4
R
2
LR
2
R2
Solving for C:
1
C (1 2 DR 1 )sinh( R / L) 2 DL1 cosh( R / L)
4 Rs
Yielding a flux distribution of
sinh(r / L)
R
4 s
1
(1 2 DR )sinh( R / L) 2 DL cosh( R / L) r
Part b: The fraction absorbed will be just one minus the fraction reflected. The fraction
reflected is just the albedo, or in this case
J ( R) / J ( R)
but we already know that J ( R ) s . Thus

(r )

1 1
d
1
(r )

4 ( R) 2 D
s
dr
r R

We first take the flux derivative

d
L1 cosh(r / L) r 1 sinh(r / L)
R
(r )
4 s :
1
1
dr
(1 2 DR ) sinh( R / L) 2 DL cosh( R / L) r
and insert the flux and its derivative to determine
sinh( R / L)

1
(1 2 DR ) sinh( R / L) 2 DL1 cosh( R / L)
2D

L1 cosh( R / L) R 1 sinh( r / L)
(1 2 DR 1 ) sinh( R / L) 2 DL1 cosh( R / L)

Simplifying:
(1 2 DR 1 )sinh( R / L) 2 DL1 cosh( R / L)

(1 2 DR 1 ) sinh( R / L) 2 DL1 cosh( R / L)

(1 2 DR 1 )
tanh( R / L) 1
1
2 DL 1
(1 2 DR )
tanh( R / L) 1
2 DL1
For graphite D = 0.84 cm and a = 2.1 x 10-4 cm-1.
L D / a 0.84 / 0.00021 63.2 cm

and R=100 cm

Thus 2 DL1 2 0.84 / 63.2 0.0266 , 2 DR 1 2 0.84 /100 0.0168

(1 0.0168)
tanh(1.58) 1
38.2 0.919 1
0.0266

0.970
(1 0.0168)
37.0

0.919

1
tanh(1.58) 1
0.0266
Because graphite has a very small absorption cross section, 97% of the neutrons are
reflected from the sphere, while only
1 1 0.97 0.03 or 3% are absorbed in the slab.
Note that if the sphere had a very large radius ( R ), then
1
1
1
1
1
2 DL
0.0266
0.948
1
1
1
1
2 DL1
0.0266
and only about 5% of the incident neutrons would be absorbed in the graphite

[6.7] Verify Eq. (6.55)

In spherical geometry: dV 4 r 2 dr . Thus

all space

a (r )dV 4 a (r )r 2 dr
0

Inserting Eq. (6.54):

all space

a (r )dV 4 a
0

sp
L2

sp
4 D r

exp( r / L)r 2 dr

r exp(r / L)dr s z exp( z )dz s

p

2
where in the last two integrals we made the substitutions L D / a and z r / L , and
evaluated the integral in x using the formula in Appendix A.

[6.9] The point source of strength s p is located at the center of a sphere of

nonmultiplying medium with properties D and a , and an extrapolated radius R%, in an
infinite vacuum:
a. Find the flux distribution in the sphere
b. Determine the fraction of neutrons that escape from the sphere without being
absorbed if R% L .
Part a: Within the sphere ( except at the origin) the flux is given by Eq. (6.51). To obtain
the two arbitrary constants, we first set the flux to zero at the extrapolated boundary
( R%
)0
Thus C1 exp( 2 R%/ L)C2 and
C
(r ) exp[r / L] exp[(r 2 R%
) / L] 2
r
This expression can also be written in terms of hyperbolic functions as
C
(r ) sinh[( R% r ) / L]
r
where C is an arbitrary constant. We determine C by the condition of Eq. (6.53). The
current is
d
D
D

J (r ) D (r )
cosh[( R% r ) / L] 2 sinh[( R% r ) / L ] C
dr
r
Lr

Dr

s p lim 4 r 2 J ( r ) lim 4
cosh[( R% r ) / L] D sinh[( R% r ) / L ] C
r 0
r 0
L

D 0

4
cosh[ R%/ L] D sinh[ R%/ L ] C 4 D sinh( R%/ L)C
L

Thus C

sp

and
4 D sinh( R%/ L)

sinh[( R% r ) / L] s p
sinh( R%/ L) 4 Dr
Part b. The fraction escaping will be

(r )

2
sp
4 R%2 J ( R%
) 4 R%
D
D

%cosh[0] %2 sinh[0]
sp
s p LR
R
4 D sinh( R%/ L)

R%/ L
sinh( R%/ L)
Alternately, we may write the fraction leaking as one minus the fraction absorbed in the
sphere:

1
sinh[( R% r ) / L]
1 a ( r )4 r 2 dr 1 a
rdr
sp 0
D sinh( R%/ L)
0

1
r
1
sinh[( R% r ) / L] 2 dr

%
sinh( R / L) 0
L
Let x ( R% r ) / L then
R%

r
sinh[( R% r ) / L] 2 dr
L

( R%/ L)

R%/ L

R%/ L

sinh( x) R%/ L x dx

R%/ L

sinh( x)dx

x sinh( x)dx