Formulation and experimental evaluation of closed-form control laws for the rapid maneuvering of reactor neutronic power

Technical Report · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6841357· OSTI ID:6841357

Bernard, J A ^[1]

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1. Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge, MA (USA). Nuclear Reactor Lab.

This report describes both the theoretical development and the experimental evaluation of a novel, robust methodology for the time-optimal adjustment of a reactor's neutronic power under conditions of closed-loop digital control. Central to the approach are the MIT-SNL Period-Generated Minimum Time Control Laws' which determine the rate at which reactivity should be changed in order to cause a reactor's neutronic power to conform to a specified trajectory. Using these laws, reactor power can be safely raised by five to seven orders of magnitude in a few seconds. The MIT-SNL laws were developed to facilitate rapid increases of neutronic power on spacecraft reactors operating in an SDI environment. However, these laws are generic and have other applications including the rapid recovery of research and test reactors subsequent to an unanticipated shutdown, power increases following the achievement of criticality on commercial reactors, power adjustments on commercial reactors so as to minimize thermal stress, and automated startups. The work reported here was performed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology under contract to the Sandia National Laboratories. Support was also provided by the US Department of Energy's Division of University and Industry Programs. The work described in this report is significant in that a novel solution to the problem of time-optimal control of neutronic power was identified, in that a rigorous description of a reactor's dynamics was derived in that the rate of change of reactivity was recognized as the proper control signal, and in that extensive experimental trials were conducted of these newly developed concepts on actual nuclear reactors. 43 refs., 118 figs., 11 tabs.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA); Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge, MA (USA). Nuclear Reactor Lab.
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/NE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6841357
• Report Number(s): SAND-90-7078; MITNRL--030; ON: DE90012498
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
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220600 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors
220900 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
ACCIDENTS
ACPR REACTOR
CLOSED-LOOP CONTROL
COMPUTER CODES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CONTROL
CONTROL ELEMENTS
CONTROL ROD WORTHS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
DATA
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
EXCURSIONS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HEAVY WATER COOLED REACTORS
HEAVY WATER MODERATED REACTORS
HOMOGENEOUS REACTORS
HYDRIDE MODERATED REACTORS
INFORMATION
KINETICS
M CODES
MITR REACTOR
MIXED SPECTRUM REACTORS
MOBILE REACTORS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
NUMERICAL DATA
PHYSICS
POWER PLANTS
POWER REACTORS
PROGRESS REPORT
PULSED REACTORS
REACTIVITY
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CONTROL SYSTEMS
REACTOR KINETICS
REACTOR PHYSICS
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
RESEARCH REACTORS
SAFETY
SIMULATION
SOLID HOMOGENEOUS REACTORS
SPACE POWER REACTORS
TANK TYPE REACTORS
THEORETICAL DATA
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
THERMAL REACTORS
TRAINING REACTORS
TRANSIENTS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS