Theoretical investigation of the sup 252 Cf source method for subcriticality determination

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States)

OSTI ID:5778418

Stolle, A M ^[1]; Akcasu, A Z ^[2]

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1. Knolls Atomic Power Lab., Schenectady, NY (United States)
2. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor (United States)

The {sup 252}Cf Source-Driven Noise Analysis (CSDNA) method is an experimental technique developed by J.T. Mihalczo at Oak Ridge National Laboratory that makes use of noise analysis to determine the multiplication factor in subcritical multiplying media. In recent years, however, a controversy has developed between the ORNL group and others over the correct analytic expression needed to relate the experimental data, the power spectral densities (PSDs) of the outputs of two neutron detectors and a third external source ({sup 252}Cf) detector, to the desired result, k. The origin of this controversy has been explained through a careful interpretation of the experiment using the Langevin equation description of fluctuations at the transport level, which can account for all the special features of the CSDNA technique, i.e., the locations of the source and detectors and the space- and velocity-dependence of the neutron population. This close scrutiny of the CSDNA method has, however, led to other, more serious questions concerning the viability of this experiment as a means of determining the subcritical multiplication factor from a single measured ratio of power spectral densities. Therefore, one of the aims of this paper is to address these questions.

• OSTI ID: 5778418
• Report Number(s): CONF-910603--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States) Journal Volume: 63
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220100* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Theory & Calculation
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CALIFORNIUM 252
CALIFORNIUM ISOTOPES
DETECTION
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FUNCTIONS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MULTIPLICATION FACTORS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEUTRAL-PARTICLE TRANSPORT
NEUTRON DETECTION
NEUTRON DETECTORS
NEUTRON TRANSPORT
NUCLEI
ORNL
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIATION TRANSPORT
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CORES
REACTOR NOISE
SPACE DEPENDENCE
SPECTRAL DENSITY
SPECTRAL FUNCTIONS
SPONTANEOUS FISSION RADIOISOTOPES
STOCHASTIC PROCESSES
SUBCRITICALITY
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES