CONTROL ASPECTS OF VERY HIGH FLUX RESEARCH REACTORS (thesis)
Submitted to Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst. The computation of reactor characteristics over a fuel cycle in a way suitable to the investigation of the control aspects of the reactor problem is considered. The dynamic problem including as independent variables the neutron energy, the spaces and time was studied. An additional condttion of versatility in the method used to obtain the solutions is necessary to explore the control aspects of the problem. The normal possibilities of the analog computers were surveyed, and a method was found to solve the reactor dynamic problem. The classical approach of considering the neutron energy dependency in groups and the spatial dependency in reactor regions is used. Only cases of regular symmetry are considered, so that the reactor three dimensional configuration is reduced by analytical methods to the study involving one space coordinate. Time is considered as a continuous variable. The Mighty Mouse Deactor is simulated, and the analog results are compared against published data. With the spatial dependency represented by three core and three reflector regions, the fast and slow flux distributions are within 5% of the digital computer solution of the same problem. At the end of the fuel cycles the flux distribution is essentially that of the digital solution with the values lowered 5 to 10%. Compared with hand numerical computations made considering the same number of core regions, the analog results show agreement within 1%. Some fundamental aspects of the long term reactor dynamics are discussed, based on results from the simulator. Illustrative examples of power transients, shut-downs control by burnable poison and localized control rods are included and discussed. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., Lemont, Ill.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31-109-ENG-38
- NSA Number:
- NSA-13-014871
- OSTI ID:
- 4255251
- Report Number(s):
- ANL-6008
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Submitted to Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst. Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-59
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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