Effects of Non-uniform Moderator Temperature on Core Power Distribution in Accelerator Driven Reactors

Abstract

In a thermal reactor with moderators at different temperatures, a difference arises in the average speeds of thermalized neutrons between the high temperature part and the low temperature part of the moderator, and the non-uniformity of the average speed of thermalized neutrons may effect changes in the spatial dependence of the thermal neutron flux in a core. To investigate the thermal neutron flux in the case the average speed of thermalized neutrons is dependent on the position within a core, time-dependent two-group diffusion equations were applied. The influence of a nonuniform moderator temperature on the core power distribution was investigated about a graphite-moderated subcritical reactor driven by periodic injections of pulsed fast neutrons. The cylindrical reactor model by which a high temperature part of a core that has a spallation target at the center is enclosed by a low temperature part of a core was used. Changes in the core power distribution were calculated. It turned out that the momentary increases of a thermal power density caused by periodic injections of pulsed fast neutrons increase as the difference in the average speeds of thermalized neutrons in the high temperature part and the low temperature part of a core increases.

KEYWORDS:

• non-uniform moderator temperature
• average speed of thermalized neutrons
• thermal neutron flux
• graphite-moderated core
• subcritical reactor
• thermal power density
• pulsed fast neutrons
• core power distribution
• momentary power peaking