Study of the Open Loop and Closed Loop Oscillator Techniques

Technical Report · Sat Apr 11 00:00:00 EDT 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1178570· OSTI ID:1178570

Imel, George R. ^[1]; Baker, Benjamin ^[2]; Riley, Tony ^[3]; Langbehn, Adam ^[4]; Aryal, Harishchandra ^[1]; Benzerga, M. Lamine ^[1]

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1. Idaho State Univ., Pocatello, ID (United States)
2. Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
3. Knolls Atomic Power Lab. (KAPL), Schenectady, NY (United States)
4. Puget Sound Naval Base, Bremerton, WA (United States)

This report presents the progress and completion of a five-year study undertaken at Idaho State University of the measurement of very small worth reactivity samples comparing open and closed loop oscillator techniques.The study conclusively demonstrated the equivalency of the two techniques with regard to uncertainties in reactivity values, i.e., limited by reactor noise. As those results are thoroughly documented in recent publications, in this report we will concentrate on the support work that was necessary. For example, we describe in some detail the construction and calibration of a pilot rod for the closed loop system. We discuss the campaign to measure the required reactor parameters necessary for inverse-kinetics. Finally, we briefly discuss the transfer of the open loop technique to other reactor systems.

• Research Organization: Idaho State Univ., Pocatello, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Nuclear Energy University Programs (NEUP)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-05ID14517
• OSTI ID: 1178570
• Report Number(s): DOE/NEUP-10-889; 10-889; TRN: US1500057
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
Reactivity Worths
Closed-Loop Control
Open-Loop Control
Reactor Oscillators
Data Covariances
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
Reactor Noise
Calibration
Reactor Kinetics
TRIGA Type Reactors
Fast Reactors