Neutron Balance

B. Rouben McMaster University EP 4D03/6D03 Nuclear Reactor Analysis 2008 Sept-Dec

2008 September

Contents
  

The Neutron-Transport Equation The Neutron-Diffusion Equation Stages of practical neutronics calculations:
 

lattice calculations full-core calculations

2008 September

Reactor Statics: Neutron Balance

 

In reactor statics we study time-independent phenomena Independence of time means that there is (or is assumed to be) neutron balance everywhere. Therefore, all phenomena which involve neutrons must result altogether in equality between neutron production and neutron loss (i.e., between neutron sources and sinks) at every position r in the reactor and for every neutron energy E. These phenomena are:
    

Production of neutrons by induced fission Production of neutrons by sources independent of the neutron flux Loss of neutrons by absorption Scattering of neutrons to other energies or directions of motion Leakage of neutrons into or out of each location in the reactor
2008 September 3

Neutron-Balance Equations


Neutron balance is expressed:  essentially exactly, by the time-independent neutron-transport (Boltzmann) equation, and  to some degree of approximation, by the neutron-diffusion equation

2008 September

Co-Ordinate System


In reactor physics we usually use the coordinate system shown in the figure. The components of ; are: ;x = sinU cosN ;y = sinU sinN ;z = cosU Instead of U, we often use Q | cosU.
2008 September 5

Integrals Over Angle



Using the co-ordinate system above for angles, integrals over all angles can then be written

2T

dN sin U dU ! dN d cos U ! dN dQ
0 0
1

2T

2T

1

2008 September

Neutron-Transport Equation


The neutron-transport equation is derived in Duderstadt and Hamilton, p.111-117. Reading assignment: read and understand these pages. This is the integro-differential form of the equation, and it includes the time variable. Here we will first look at the time-independent transport equation, therefore the time variable and time derivatives will not be included for now.
2008 September 7

Neutron-Transport Equation


From Eq. (4.43) in Duderstadt & Hamilton, I write the time-independent balance equation (I use the neutron energy E rather than speed v as a variable):
 7 s r , E ' p E , ;' p ; r , E ' , ;' dE ' d;' J
;' E '

; J r , E , ; ! s r , E , ;  7t r , E r, E , ; J (1)

where s(r,E,;) is the total source of new neutrons appearing at r with energy E and in direction ;. What is the meaning of all the terms?

; r , , ; gives the leakage of neutrons of energy moving in direction ; out of an in initesimal volume at r. The derivation of this is shown in the following 2 slides.
2008 September 8

Derivation of Expression for Leakage



T J r , E , ; dS , where dS is the outgoing nor al to the surface ( si ilar to efficacy of heat flux fro

The leakage of neutrons moving in direction ; out of a differential area dS on a surface is given by:
the sun hitting the earth at an angle).

contd
2008 September 9

Derivation of Expression for Leakage



The total leakage of neutrons moving in direction ; out of the volume V bounded by the surface is then the integral
T J r, E , ; dS ! J r, E , ; ; dS , and b y Gauss ' theore ,
S S

we can rewrite this as the volu e int egral J r, E , ; ; dV ! ; J r, E , ; dV

Since the volu e V is arbitrary , the leakage out of a " po int" is then ; J r, ;

2008 September

10

Neutron-Transport Equation
For the source term, we can write 1 s r, , ; ! S r, , ;  S f r, 4T where S is an external neutron source (independen t of the neutron flux ) and S f is the fission source : S f r , G

! G  R  ' 7 f r, ' J r, ' d

'

'

(2)

fission  neutron spectrum, i.e., the fraction of neutrons which are born with energy . The factor 1 appears because the fission source is (assumed ) isotropic. 4T

is the

2008 September

11

Neutron-Transport Equation


I therefore rewrite the time-independent transport equation as

1 ; J r, E , ; ! S r, E , ;  S f r, E  7t r, E r, E , ; J 4T

 7 s r, E ' p E , ;' p ; r, E ' , ;' dE ' d;' J

;' E '

(1)'

  

It is important to understand each term of the equation. Explain the other 2 terms which I havent covered yet. We can then see that the equation, at each position r and for each energy E, equates the summed loss of neutrons to the summed production of neutrons.
2008 September 12

Neutron-Transport Equation (cont.)



Note how complicated the transport equation is:  It involves both derivatives (first-order) and integrals of the angular flux  It involves integrals over very large ranges in energy (from several MeV to small fractions of 1 eV), with quantities (cross sections) which are very complex functions, especially in the resonance range  It involves 6 independent variables: 3 for space (r), 2 for the neutrons direction of motion (;), and 1 for energy. Because the rates of absorption and induced fission do not depend on ;, it would be nice if ; could be removed as a variable.
2008 September 13

Neutron-Diffusion Equation


The neutron-diffusion equation is an approximation to the neutron-transport equation. It is much simpler than the transport equation, because  it removes the neutron direction of motion from consideration, i.e., the dependent variable is the total flux at each energy rather than the angular flux, and  it is based on an approximate relationship between the neutron current and the total (not the angular) neutron flux for any given energy E; this relationship is called Ficks Law:
T J r, E !  D r , E J r , E
2008 September

(3)
14

Diffusion Coefficient


In Eq. (3), under the proportionality constant between the current and the gradient of the flux is called the diffusion constant D(r,E). Under the approximations that the angular flux J(;) is only weakly dependent on angle, i.e., at most linear in Q, and that the neutron sources are isotropic, D can be shown to be (see derivation in Duderstadt & Hamilton in the 1-speed approximation, pages 133-136):
1 1 D r , E ! | 37t r , E  Q07 s r , E 37tr r , E and 7tr r , E is called the transport cross sec tion.
2008 September

( 4)

where Q0 is the average value of the cos ine of the scattering angle,
15

Neutron-Diffusion Equation (cont.)



Note: Ficks Law expresses the fact that in regions of totally free neutron motion the net neutron current will be along the direction of greatest decrease in the neutron density (or, equivalently, of flux), i.e., it will be proportional to the negative of the gradient of the flux. This is a consequence of the random nature of collisions in all directions, and the greater number of collisions in regions of greater density. The approximation inherent in Ficks Law breaks down near regions of strong sources or strong absorption, or near boundaries between regions with large differences in properties, or external boundaries, because the motion and collisions of neutrons are biased in or near such regions. This is why diffusion theory cannot be used in lattice physics, as the fuel itself is a strong neutron absorber. Transport theory must be used to homogenize properties (and therefore weaken absorption, on the average) over (relatively large) lattice cells.
2008 September 16

Neutron-Diffusion Equation (cont.)



The neutron-diffusion equation is derived in Duderstadt & Hamilton on pages 124-140. Assignment: Read, or at least scan, this derivation, and ensure you understand the final result, Eq. (4162). The equation can also be derived simply by writing down the neutron balance at any given energy E within a differential volume at r, and applying Ficks Law for the relationship between the current and the flux. The neutron balance (neutron-diffusion equation) then has the following form, where I have left out the time dependence:  D r, E J r, E  7t r, E r , E  7 s r, E ' p E r, E ' dE ' J J
E'

! G E R 7 f r, E ' r , E ' dE ' J

E'

 S r , E

(5)

Exercise: identify the meaning and structure of each term in the diffusion equation.
2008 September 17

Application of Transport & Diffusion Equations



The transport equation is the most accurate (essentially exact) representation of neutronics in the reactor. Therefore, ideally, it should be the equation to solve for all problems in reactor physics. However, because of its complexity, it is very difficult, or extremely time-consuming, to apply the transport equation to full-core calculations. So the neutronics problem is divided into stages, taking advantage of the modular (or nearly modular) geometry of the reactor lattice, as explained in the next slides. contd
2008 September 18

Basic CANDU Lattice Cell with 37-Element Fuel

D2O Primary Coolant

Gas Annulus Fuel Elements Pressure Tube Calandria Tube Moderator

2008 September

19

Application of Transport & Diffusion Equations



For practicality, the transport equation is applied to small regions of the reactor (lattice basic cells):  to find the detailed flux in space and energy in these cells, and  to derive homogenized properties (cross sections), uniform over each lattice cell and which are collapsed onto a very small number of energy groups (as few as 2 groups), for application over full-core models with diffusion theory. This is actually the strategy used most frequently, and successfully, in the design and analysis of nuclear reactors.
2008 September 20

Application of the Neutron-Diffusion Equation



As previously indicated, the neutron-diffusion equation is applied mostly in full-core calculations, because of its much greater simplicity than the transport equation. Full-core models (see example in next slide) consist of homogeneous (uniform) properties over lattice cells, or large portions of cells, for a small number of neutron energy groups. The flux distribution (or flux shape) in the reactor (one value per parallelepiped and energy group) is then obtained by solving the diffusion equation - often in its finite-difference form.
2008 September 21

Full-Core Diffusion Model

The parallelepipeds (cells) over which the flux is calculated are defined by the intersections of the horizontal and vertical mesh lines, shown on the left and top axes.

2008 September

22

Interface & Boundary Conditions



To solve the transport or diffusion equation, we generally subdivide (as described earlier) the overall domain into regions within which the coefficients in the equations (i.e., the nuclear properties) are constant (e.g., homogenized). The equation is then solved over each region, and the solutions must be connected by interface conditions at the interfaces (infinitely thin virtual surfaces) between regions. We also generally need boundary conditions at the external boundary of the domain.
2008 September 23

Interface & Boundary Conditions for Transport



The Boltzmann transport equation has derivatives of first order we need one interface condition at each interface, and one boundary condition At interfaces the angular flux must be continuous (since there are no sources or scatterers at an infinitely thin virtual interface):
J   , E , ; ! J   , E , ; for all E and all ; r r
(6)

where r+ and r- are the two sides of the interface At rv, an outer boundary (assumed convex) with a vacuum, no neutrons can enter, since the vacuum has no neutron sources or scatterers: J rv , E , ; ! 0 for all ; po int ing int o the reactor (7)
2008 September 24

Interface & Boundary Conditions for Diffusion



Interface conditions at each interface: The total flux and the total current at each energy must be continuous (since they are integrals of the angular flux, which is continuous):
J   , E ! J   , E and J   , E ! J   , E for all E r r r r

(8)

2008 September

25

Vacuum Boundary Condition for Diffusion



For the boundary condition with a vacuum, I have included a problem in Assignment 2, for you to derive the condition. Review also Duderstadt & Hamilton pages 142-144.

2008 September

26

Vacuum Boundary Condition for Diffusion



The boundary condition is written as a relation between the flux and its gradient at the vacuum boundary - see Eqs. (4.175)-(4.180) in Duderstadt & Hamilton. If in our case the boundary is on the right-hand side and at zs (see previous slide), the relationship is ultimately written
J zs  0.71Ptr dJ dz !0
zs

(9)

and generally , for a boundary on left or on right : J zs  0.71Ptr where Ptr !

2008 September

dJ dz

!0
zz

(9)' ean free path A (10)

27

1 ?| transport 7 tr

Extrapolation Distance
 

 

The boundary condition Eq.(9) can be interpreted geometrically as follows. If one extrapolates the diffusion flux linearly away from the boundary, it would go to zero at an extrapolation point zex beyond the boundary zs: zex ! zs  0.71Ptr (11) Note that the flux does not actually go to zero, but the boundary condition is mathematically equivalent to flux = 0 at zex. d | 0.71Ptr is therefore called the extrapolation distance. The boundary condition can be applied as is in Eq. (9), i.e., as a relationship between the flux and its derivative at the physical boundary zs, but it is also often applied by extending the reactor region to a new boundary at zs +d, and forcing the flux to be zero there. (This represents an approximation - usually small - since it means assuming the reactor is slightly larger than it really is.)
2008 September 28

1-Energy-Group Neutron-Diffusion Equation



 

Diffusion theory is applied mostly in 1 or 2 energy groups, or at most a few energy groups. So lets start with the simplest case: 1 energy group. In this case, the energy ranges in Eq. (5) are reduced to a single distinct energy value, and therefore the energy label can simply be removed. If we assume that all neutrons have the same energy (or speed), Eq. (5) reduces to the following [Eq. (4.149) in Duderstadt & Hamilton, without the time dependence]:
 D r J r  7 a r r ! R 7 f r r  S r J J
2008 September

(12)

29

Interactive Discussion/Exercise


Derive Eq. (12) from Eq. (5); in particular, explain how the 7a arises, and why G disappears.

2008 September

30

Derivation of Eq. (12) from Eq. (5)

Eq.(5) is as follows : J J  D r , E J r , E  7t r , E r , E  7 s r , E ' p E r , E ' dE '
E'

J ! G E R 7 f r , E ' r , E ' dE '

E'

 S r , E

(5)

In the 1  group methodo log y , all energy labels are the same and can therefore be dropped . Since there is only 1 energy , G E ! 1 and need not be shown. The int egral over 7 s reduces to the sin gle value of 7 s E , and 7t E  7 s E | 7 a E can be written simply as 7 a .

2008 September

31

Operator Formulation


From Eq. (12) we can see that for the 1-group diffusion equation, the flux vector and the operators take the form

r ! J r Fr ! R 7 f r M r !  D r  7 a r Sr ! S r


(13) (14) (15) (16)

and the diffusion equation in operator form is

Mr r ! Fr r  Sr

(17)

2008 September

32

END

2008 September

33