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Kinetics calculations for RIA experiments in the Power Burst Facility. [BWR; PWR]

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5855859· OSTI ID:5855859
The Reactivity Initiated Accident (RIA) test series is being conducted in the Power Burst Facility (PBF) to provide information on nuclear fuel rod behavior during postulated accidents involving sudden rapid transients in power reactors. During a tyical RIA experiment the PBF is operated in the natural burst mode, exposing one or more commercial-type fuel rods located in the cental experiment space to a large, rapid and nearly adiabatic deposition of fission energy. This prompt energy deposition is followed by an extended (several-minute) period of delayed energy deposition caused by the release of delayed neutons into the subcritical PBF core after the control rods are inserted to terminate the transient. The delayed component of the deposited energy can be as much as 15 to 25% of the total. Two independent techniques were used to compute the delayed fractions; (1) a method based on steady-state neutronics calcuations for the PBF core and experiment space, and (2) space-time kinetics calculations. Due to geometric limitations inherent in the computer program used for the steady-state approach, the space-time kinetics results are more physically realistic.
Research Organization:
EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
EY-76-C-07-1570
OSTI ID:
5855859
Report Number(s):
EGG-PHYS-5042
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English