Experimental study of neutron noise with criticality safety applications in mind

Technical Report · Fri Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1985

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6221387· OSTI ID:6221387

Barnett, C S

A study has been conducted on the statistics of detected neutrons that leaked from four subcritical reflected, enriched-uranium assemblies, to explore the feasibility of developing a criticality warning system based on neutron noise analysis. Studies were conducted on three possible discriminators, i.e., three signatures that might be used to discriminate among assemblies of various multiplications. The noise analysis techniques studied performed well enough in deeply subcritical situations to deserve testing in an applications environment. They have a good chance of detecting changes in reactivity that are potentially dangerous. One can expect sharpest results when doing comparisons, i.e., when comparing two records, one taken in the past under circumstances known to be normal and one taken now to search for change.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6221387
• Report Number(s): UCRL-53657; ON: DE86005103
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted. Thesis
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
SUBCRITICAL ASSEMBLIES
CRITICALITY
REACTOR NOISE
DISCRIMINATORS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NEUTRON DETECTORS
NEUTRON LEAKAGE
REACTOR SAFETY
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
EXPERIMENTAL REACTORS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
RADIATION DETECTORS
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
SAFETY
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
220100 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Theory & Calculation