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Active and Passive Safety Control Performance in Sub-critical, Accelerator-Driven Nuclear Reactors.

DE200243200

Publication Date	2002
Personal Author	Cahalan, J. E.; Eriksson, M.
Page Count	28
Abstract	Traditional safety performance requirements for nuclear reactors have been developed for critical reactors, whose kinetics characteristics differ significantly from sub-critical, accelerator-driven nuclear reactors. In a critical nuclear reactor, relatively small amounts of reactivity (negative or positive) can produce large changes in the fission rate. In sub-critical reactors, the self-multiplication (k) decreases as the sub-criticality (1k) increases, and the responsiveness to small reactivity changes decreases. This makes sub-critical nuclear reactors less responsive to positive reactivity insertions than critical reactors. Also, larger negative reactivity insertions are needed in sub-critical reactors to shut down the fission chain if the neutron source remains. This paper presents the results from a computational analysis of the safety performance of sub-critical, accelerator-driven nuclear reactors. Coupled kinetics and thermal-hydraulics models are used to quantify the effectiveness of traditional protection and control system designs in sub-critical reactors. The analyses also quantify the role of inherent, passive reactivity feedback mechanisms in sub-critical reactors. Computational results are used to develop conclusions regarding the most favorable and effective means for reactor control and protection in sub-critical, accelerator-driven nuclear reactors.
Keywords	Nuclear reactors Accelerators Safety Control systems Feedback Kinetics Fission products Neutron sources Protons Performance Reactivity insertions Reliability
Source Agency	Technical Information Center Oak Ridge Tennessee
Corporate Authors	Argonne National Lab., IL.; Royal Inst. of Tech., Stockholm (Sweden).; Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Supplemental Notes	Prepared in cooperation with Royal Inst. of Tech., Stockholm (Sweden). Sponsored by Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	200222

Active and Passive Safety Control Performance in Sub-critical, Accelerator-Driven Nuclear Reactors.

Active and Passive Safety Control Performance in Sub-critical, Accelerator-Driven Nuclear Reactors.
DE200243200

Publication Date	2002
Personal Author	Cahalan, J. E.; Eriksson, M.
Page Count	28
Abstract	Traditional safety performance requirements for nuclear reactors have been developed for critical reactors, whose kinetics characteristics differ significantly from sub-critical, accelerator-driven nuclear reactors. In a critical nuclear reactor, relatively small amounts of reactivity (negative or positive) can produce large changes in the fission rate. In sub-critical reactors, the self-multiplication (k) decreases as the sub-criticality (1k) increases, and the responsiveness to small reactivity changes decreases. This makes sub-critical nuclear reactors less responsive to positive reactivity insertions than critical reactors. Also, larger negative reactivity insertions are needed in sub-critical reactors to shut down the fission chain if the neutron source remains. This paper presents the results from a computational analysis of the safety performance of sub-critical, accelerator-driven nuclear reactors. Coupled kinetics and thermal-hydraulics models are used to quantify the effectiveness of traditional protection and control system designs in sub-critical reactors. The analyses also quantify the role of inherent, passive reactivity feedback mechanisms in sub-critical reactors. Computational results are used to develop conclusions regarding the most favorable and effective means for reactor control and protection in sub-critical, accelerator-driven nuclear reactors.
Keywords	Nuclear reactors Accelerators Safety Control systems Feedback Kinetics Fission products Neutron sources Protons Performance Reactivity insertions Reliability
Source Agency	Technical Information Center Oak Ridge Tennessee
Corporate Authors	Argonne National Lab., IL.; Royal Inst. of Tech., Stockholm (Sweden).; Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Supplemental Notes	Prepared in cooperation with Royal Inst. of Tech., Stockholm (Sweden). Sponsored by Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	200222