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Title: Measurements of the subcriticality using advanced technique of shooting source during operation of NPP reactors

Abstract

According to the rules of nuclear safety, the measurements of the subcriticality of reactors should be carried out in the process of performing nuclear hazardous operations. An advanced technique of shooting source of neutrons is proposed to meet this requirement. As such a source, a pulsed neutron source (PNS) is used. In order to realize this technique, it is recommended to enable a PNS with a frequency of 1–20 Hz. The PNS is stopped after achieving a steady-state (on average) number of neutrons in the reactor volume. The change in the number of neutrons in the reactor volume is measured in time with an interval of discreteness of ∼0.1 s. The results of these measurements with the application of a system of point-kinetics equations are used in order to calculate the sought subcriticality. The basic idea of the proposed technique used to measure the subcriticality is elaborated in a series of experiments on the Kvant assembly. The conditions which should be implemented in order to obtain a positive result of measurements are formulated. A block diagram of the basic version of the experimental setup is presented, whose main element is a pulsed neutron generator.

Authors:
 [1]; ; ; ;  [2]
  1. National Research Center Kurchatov Institute (Russian Federation)
  2. Dukhov VNIIA (Russian Federation)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22314727
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Physics of Atomic Nuclei
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 77; Journal Issue: 13; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2014 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 1063-7788
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; 74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS; CRITICALITY; NEUTRON GENERATORS; NEUTRONS; NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS; PULSES; RADIATION PROTECTION

Citation Formats

Lebedev, G. V., E-mail: lgv2004@mail.ru, Petrov, V. V., Bobylyov, V. T., Butov, R. I., Zhukov, A. M., and Sladkov, A. A. Measurements of the subcriticality using advanced technique of shooting source during operation of NPP reactors. United States: N. p., 2014. Web. doi:10.1134/S1063778814130092.
Lebedev, G. V., E-mail: lgv2004@mail.ru, Petrov, V. V., Bobylyov, V. T., Butov, R. I., Zhukov, A. M., & Sladkov, A. A. Measurements of the subcriticality using advanced technique of shooting source during operation of NPP reactors. United States. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063778814130092
Lebedev, G. V., E-mail: lgv2004@mail.ru, Petrov, V. V., Bobylyov, V. T., Butov, R. I., Zhukov, A. M., and Sladkov, A. A. 2014. "Measurements of the subcriticality using advanced technique of shooting source during operation of NPP reactors". United States. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063778814130092.
@article{osti_22314727,
title = {Measurements of the subcriticality using advanced technique of shooting source during operation of NPP reactors},
author = {Lebedev, G. V., E-mail: lgv2004@mail.ru and Petrov, V. V. and Bobylyov, V. T. and Butov, R. I. and Zhukov, A. M. and Sladkov, A. A.},
abstractNote = {According to the rules of nuclear safety, the measurements of the subcriticality of reactors should be carried out in the process of performing nuclear hazardous operations. An advanced technique of shooting source of neutrons is proposed to meet this requirement. As such a source, a pulsed neutron source (PNS) is used. In order to realize this technique, it is recommended to enable a PNS with a frequency of 1–20 Hz. The PNS is stopped after achieving a steady-state (on average) number of neutrons in the reactor volume. The change in the number of neutrons in the reactor volume is measured in time with an interval of discreteness of ∼0.1 s. The results of these measurements with the application of a system of point-kinetics equations are used in order to calculate the sought subcriticality. The basic idea of the proposed technique used to measure the subcriticality is elaborated in a series of experiments on the Kvant assembly. The conditions which should be implemented in order to obtain a positive result of measurements are formulated. A block diagram of the basic version of the experimental setup is presented, whose main element is a pulsed neutron generator.},
doi = {10.1134/S1063778814130092},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22314727}, journal = {Physics of Atomic Nuclei},
issn = {1063-7788},
number = 13,
volume = 77,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Dec 15 00:00:00 EST 2014},
month = {Mon Dec 15 00:00:00 EST 2014}
}