15: Subcritical Multiplication & Approach to Criticality

B. Rouben
McMaster University
Course EP 4D03/6D03
Nuclear Reactor Analysis
(Reactor Physics)
2015 Sept.-Dec.

2015 September 1
 Contents
We study subcritical multiplication and its
application in estimating reactivity in the
approach of a reactor to criticality.

2015 September 2
 Reactor Startup
Starting up the reactor is a significant procedure
in running a nuclear plant, and being able to have
an estimate of how far the reactor is from
criticality at any time is very important.
Subcritical multiplication provides a way to
estimate how far the reactor is from criticality at
any time during the startup.

2015 September 3
 The Reactor Equation
Let us write the diffusion equation in 1 energy group for
a configuration with an external neutron source, which
could be an independent source used to get a measurable
flux during reactor startup, or could even simply be the
spontaneous-fission source in the uranium fuel.
D2 r a r f r S 0 (1)
which can also be written in operator form as
M F S ( 2)
where
M D2 a (3)
F f ( 4)
2015 September 4
 Subcritical Reactor
Now, during the approach to critical, the reactor is
subcritical. So, without the external source S we would
have M F (5)
where 1 (6)
We can use this information to rewrite Eq. (2) as
M F (1 )F S ( 7)
and , u sin g Eq.(5), this becomes
0 (1 )F S, i.e., 1F S (8)
We recognize that 1 (9),
S
therefore F (10)

2015 September 5
 Subcritical Multiplication
Eq. (10) says that the fission source is larger than the external
source by a factor of (-1/). It is as if the external source has
been multiplied by this factor in the subcritical reactor.
The flux is proportional to S and inversely proportional to :
S
(11)
f
The smaller the subcriticality, i.e., the smaller the (negative)
value of , the larger is the subcritical multiplication.

2015 September 6
 Interactive Discussion/Exercise
Can the foregoing analysis be applied to a supercritical
reactor? Explain why or why not.
What happens physically when an external source is
placed in a supercritical reactor?
Can a time-independent situation occur for a
supercritical reactor?

2015 September 7
 Supercritical Configurations
The analysis of subcritical multiplication depends on
subcriticality, i.e., on the reactivity having a negative
value:
From a mathematical point of view, a positive
reactivity would result in negative values for the
fission source and for the flux (Eqs. 10, 11), which is
not logical.
Physically, a supercritical reactor cannot give rise to a
time-independent situation, even by itself, much less
with an external source present.
A reactor can be in steady state only for a zero or negative
core reactivity (i.e., only in criticality or subcriticality).
2015 September 8
 Applying Subcritical Multiplication
The approach to critical most often involves starting
from a highly subcritical configuration (a state of
guaranteed shutdown) and approaching criticality by
removing absorption, e.g., withdrawing poison from the
moderator.
The fact that the subcritical multiplication increases as
the reactor gets closer to critical and that the flux is
inversely proportional to can be applied by plotting
the inverse flux at (a) detector position(s) against time.
This should give a straight line (assuming a constant
rate of change in reactivity), and the time of criticality
can be estimated by interpolating to a zero flux.

2015 September 9
 But How Far Are We?
The method in the previous slide is in traditional
use to estimate the time of criticality.
But it does not give an estimate of reactivity at
any given time.
The method explained in the following slides
can provide a concrete estimate of the core
reactivity in a subcritical situation, or at any
given time in an approach to critical.

2015 September 10
 Estimate of Reactivity
We start with Eq. (11):
S
(11)
f

We may not know the exact value of S, or of f, but

well see that thats O.K. We rewrite Eq. (11) as
KS
(12), where K is a cons tan t

( we kept S to show proportionality to the source).

K and S are not known, but we want to know .

2015 September 11
 Estimate of Reactivity (cont.)
Now suppose we add a known (or fairly well known)
reactivity to the reactor. This can be the reactivity of a
control rod, which we may know from a previous
exercise, e.g., add (or subtract) a certain amount of
known reactivity, rod.
For instance, in CANDU, we can add/remove water
from the liquid zone controllers. It is known that 10% of
water is worth about 0.7 mk, 0.7 mk can be
added/subtracted by reducing (increasing) the zone-
controller fill by 10%. With the new system reactivity,
the new flux would be: KS
' (13)
rod
2015 September 12
 Estimating the Reactivity
Dividing Eq. (12) by Eq. (13):
rod
1 rod
' '
rod
(14)

1
'
So, for instance, if the flux doubles upon a +0.7-mk reactivity
insertion, we can calculate:
0.0007
0.0014 1.4 mk
1
1
2
This method can be applied if we have a known reactivity that
we can insert or remove.

2015 September 13
 Determining a Rods Reactivity Worth
Subcritical multiplication can also be used to determine the
reactivity worth of a device or rod. This does require having a
calibrated rod whose reactivity worth is known.
Steps:
Measure the flux 0 in a subcritical assembly, without either rod inserted:
KS
0 [ Note : Neither S nor is assumed known] (15)
0
Now insert rod with known worth 1 into the core, and measure the flux 1:
KS
1 (16)
0 1

Then insert the rod whose reactivity 2 is to be determined, and measure 2:

KS
2 (17)
0 2

2015 September 14
 Interactive Discussion/Exercise
Manipulate Eqs. (15)-(17) to isolate the unknown
reactivity 2 in terms of known quantities.
The method of determining the system reactivity or a
rods reactivity worth by means of subcritical
multiplication relies on a certain assumption regarding
the effect of the various rods. Can you explain what
assumption that is?

2015 September 15
 Determining a Rods Reactivity Worth
Divide Eq. (15) by Eq. (16):
1 0 0
1 0 1 (18)
0 1 0 1
And similarly we find
2 0
1 (19)
0 2
Now dividing Eq.(19) by Eq. (18) :
0 0
1 1
2 2
2 1 2 ( 20)
1 0 1 0
1
1 1
In this procedure, the measurement can be of the total flux, or
of the flux at any point, as long as the devices do not
(significantly) perturb the flux shape, i.e., the ratio of local flux at
the measurement point to the total flux.
2015 September 16
 END

2015 September 17