Stability analysis of the high temperature thermal pebble bed nuclear reactor concept
A study was made of the stability of the high temperature gas-cooled pebble bed core against xenon-driven oscillation. This generic study indicated that a core as large as 3000 MW(t) could be stable. Several aspects present a challenge to analysis including the void space above the pebble bed, the effects of possible control rod configurations, and the temperature feedback contribution. Special methods of analysis were developed in this effort. Of considerable utility was the scheme of including an azimuthal buckling loss term in the neturon balance equations admitting direct solution of the first azimuthal harmonic for a core having azimuthal symmetry. This technique allows the linear stability analysis to be done solving two-dimensional (RZ) problems instead of three-dimensional problems. A scheme for removing the fundamental source contribution was also implemented to allow direct iteration toward the dominant harmonic solution, treating up to three dimensions with diffusion theory.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- OSTI ID:
- 6657072
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/TM-7542; TRN: 81-003826
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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