Phys487 Chapter5

Chapter5- Neutron Diffusion
CHAPTER 5
Neutron Diffusion
A. Dokhane, PHYS487, KSU, 2008

1
News
Final Exam 03 June 2008, at 13:00 to 15:00

2
NEWS
Final Exam 03 June 2008 at:

Girls: 8:00-11:00

3
1. Review
2. Neutron Reactions
3. Nuclear Fission
4. Thermal Neutrons
5. Nuclear Chain Reaction
6. Neutron Diffusion
7. Critical Equation

4
Lecture content:
Introduction
ThermalNeutronDiffusion
ThediffusionEquation
TheThermaldiffusionLength
ThediffusionLengthforaFuel-moderatorMixture
FastNeutronDiffusionandFermiageequation
CorrectionforNeutronCapture

5
6.1 Introduction
Question:
Question How the slowing down of neutrons has been treated so far?
Answer:
Answer we considered only the effect of the slowing down that has on the energy
distribution of the neutrons
However, a complete description of the neutron gas in a reactor must
include an examination of the spatial distribution of the neutrons during the slowing down phase
as well as during their life as thermal neutrons
This has important application in the calculation of critical reactor sizes

and of the neutron leakage from nuclear reactor assemblies
6
6.1 Introduction
Question: what is the diffusion of neutrons?
Answer:
Answer the net passage of neutrons from regions of higher neutron densities to
regions of lower neutron densities,
play a significant role in the over-all picture of neutron behavior
Hence, diffusion of neutrons is a consequence of the non-uniform neutron

density in the reactor assembly
because the physical laws of diffusion are coming from the kinetic theory of gases,
many of the results of that theory and their underlying assumptions can justifiably be applied
to the behavior of neutrons in a thermal reactor
7
6.1 Introduction
Because the scattering cross section of the moderator is very much
larger than its absorption cross section
Neutrons that have been slowed down to thermal energies will be able to attain
a state of thermal equilibrium with the moderator nuclei
can be considered to remain a considerable long time before their final capture by the fissionable
In this stage (thermal energies) neutrons can be considered as monoenergitic

simplify the problem treatment

8
6.1 Introduction
On the other hand, the theory of diffusion for neutrons in the prethermal or slowing-down stage
is more complex because:
1. neutron flow in space,
2. neutron flow in energy space
A complete distribution function of these neutrons (prethermal) must contain a description of

the spatial as well as of the energy dependence of the neutron density.
The complete slowing-down diffusion equation is known as the Fermi age equation
A detailed reactor theory combines the Fermi age theory for non-thermal neutrons
with the diffusion theory for thermal neutrons
We shall first treat thermal neutron diffusion and then continue with the Fermi age theory.

9
6.2 Thermal Neutron Diffusion
Simplification:
Simplification thermal neutrons treated as a monoenergetic group
How?
all the neutrons of the group are assumed to have the same (average) energy and neither
to gain nor lose energy, on the average, when colliding with the nuclei of the moderator
The neutron density n(r ) at a given point r ( x, y, z ) of the moderator will then be determined by these
three factors:
1. Q.
The rate of production of thermal neutrons per unit volume
2. The rate of thermal neutron absorption per unit volume, nv a
3. The rate of neutron leakage or diffusion per unit volume, D 2 n
where D is the diffusion coefficient which is given from the kinetic theory by:
v tr
D = tr With is the transport mean free path
3 v is the average neutron velocity for the thermal neutron group

10

2 is the Laplace operator which, in Cartesian coordinates, is :
2 2 2
2 + +
x 2 y 2 z 2
The net rate of increase in the neutron density n is:

t
n
= production leakage absorption
t
n n v 1
= Q ( D 2 n) nv a = Q + tr 2 n nv (6.3)
t t 3 a
At steady state : the neutron density n at any given point inside the moderator
will no longer vary with the time t.
n
=0
t

11

Thermal neutron production is exactly balanced by
the combined losses due to leakage and absorption
This is true at all points of the moderator, except at points which are too
close to the boundaries of the moderator
Question : from where the thermal neutrons are produced?
Answer : attributed mainly to the slowing down of fast neutrons to thermal energies
So we can set Q equal to the slowing-down density q

12

Rearranging the previous equation, the steady state equation become:
3 3q
2n n+ =0 (6.5)
tr a vtr
= nv
3 3q
v is assumed constant 2 + =0 (6.6)
tr a tr
Solutions of 6.5 and 6.6 can be found for various physical situations
and the solution will be given for two simple cases

13
6.3 The diffusion Equation

The diffusion of a gas is physically very similar to the heat conduction
3 3q
Hence, 2 + = 0 turns out to be very similar to the basic
tr a tr differential equation of heat conduction.
Many of the solutions of the heat conduction for various initial and boundary
conditions can be applied to neutron diffusion.

14
1st Simple case: point source
consider neutron diffusion from a point source:

1. Emits Q thermal neutrons per second
2. Located in a homogeneous moderator of infinite extension
See Figure 8.1, page 249

15

Goal: find the neutron flux distribution in the moderator due to the embedded point neutron source
Because neutron production occurs only at the point of location of the neutron source
the neutron production in all regions that exclude this point is zero
thus the neutron production terms in 6.5 and 6.6 disappear for
all regions that do not contain the neutron source
3
2 =0
tr a
2 tr a 1
By setting: L = 2 =0 (6.9)
3 L2
(6.8)

16

1
2 =0 (6.9)
L2
To get a solution of 8.9, the Laplacian 2 is expressed in coordinates most appropriate

spherical coordinates
r
3Q e L Can you prove it??
Solution: (r ) =
4tr r See appendix B
Or in terms of the neutron density n(r ) =

(r )
v
r
3Q e L
n( r ) =
4vtr r

17
2nd Simple case: infinite plane source
consider neutron diffusion from an infinite plane source:

1. Emits Q thermal neutrons per cm2 per second See Figure 8.2, page 249
2. immersed in a moderator of infinite extension

18
2nd Simple case: infinite plane source
consider neutron diffusion from an infinite plane source:

1. Emits Q thermal neutrons per cm2 per second
2. immersed in a moderator of infinite extension
The most suitable coordinates in this example are Cartesian coordinates with the source
plane coinciding with the coordinate plane x = 0
Because the source extends to infinity in the y and z directions, the flux is dependent
on x only, and the steady state equation 6.6 for regions that do not enclose the source or
any pert of it now becomes
d 2 1 (6.12) 3QL x L (6.13)

=0
dx 2 L2
( x) = e
Solution: 2tr
3QL x L
n( x) = e (6.14)
2vtr
19
6.4 The thermal Diffusion Length

1
The quantity L introduced and defined by (6.8) is 3 2
times the geometric mean of a and tr
and obviously has the dimension of a length
For an infinite planar neutron source L appears in 6.13 and 6.14 as the distance from the
source at which the neutron flux is reduced by a factor of 1 and is therefore, in this
e
particular case, equal to the relaxation length. L is more generally known as the thermal
diffusion length
This length L is a measure of the air-line distance a neutron travels between the point
of its origin as a thermal neutron and the point of its absorption
See Figure 8.3

20

Consider N(r) as the number of neutrons per second that penetrate a distance r from the source
without being absorbed, but do not get beyond a distance r+dr.
we can say that N(r) represents the number of neutrons absorptions per second within
the spherical shell of thickness dr at a distance r from the neutron point source at its center
See Figure 8.4

21
The total square distance for this group of neutrons is N (r )r 2
Summation over all the neutron groups that are terminated in similar spherical shells as
we pass from r = 0 to r = and division by the total number of neutrons emitted by the
source per second will give us the average value of r 2
We have: N (r ) = aV
Shell volume: V = 4r 2 dr N ( r ) = a 4r 2 dr
1 2
r = r a 4r 2 dr
2
Q 0
22
1 2 1st Simple case: point source 1 r

r = r a 4r 2 dr
2 r2 =
L2
0
r 3e L
dr = 6 L2
Q 0 3Q e
r
L
(r ) =
4tr r Can you prove it?

23

24
6.5 The Diffusion Length for a Fuel!

Fuel!Moderator Mixture
So far we have been dealing with the process of thermal neutron diffusion
in a pure moderator substance only
In thermal reactors generally we have not a pure moderator but also neutron
absorbing fuel (and impurities) present.
Question: what effect does the presence of the fuel have on the diffusion of the neutrons
and on the diffusion length in particular?
Answer: the addition of fuel hardly affects the scattering properties of the material
but has a marked effect on its absorbing properties
Since the ratio of moderator to fuel in a nuclear reactor is very large
the slowing down and diffusion properties of the mixture are those of the moderator, and
hence, the value for tr to be used in 6.8 is that for the pure moderator
25

Because the neutron absorbing properties, on the other hand, are decisively affected by
the presence of the fuel, the a to be used in 8.8 must be that for the mixture as a whole.
Thus
1 1
a = =
a a 0 + am
Cross section for themoderator

Cross section for the fuel
tr a tr tr 1
L2 = = =
3 3 a 3 a0 + am
N 0 ( 235) ( 235) + N 0 ( 238) ( 238)
Using f ( nat ) =
N 0 ( 235) ( 235) + N 0 ( 238) ( 238) + N oi i
am 1
= 1
a0 f

26

tr am tr am 1
= L2m (1 f )
2
L = =
3 1 + ( a 0 3 1
am
) (1 f )
Where Lm is the diffusion length of the pure moderator
This shows that the diffusion length for a fuel-moderator mixture is smaller than that for
1
the pure moderator by a factor of (1 f ) 2 .

27
6.6 Fast Neutron Diffusion and Fermi Age Equation
Goal: We consider the diffusion of neutrons during the prethermal or slowing-down stage
neutrons can not be treated like a collection of monoenergetic neutrons
Because they undergo considerable energy changes while diffusing
For neutrons still in the slowing-down energy region the neutron density per energy
interval, n(E ) , depends on the difference between the slowing-down density q ( E + E )
into the energy interval E and the slowing-down density q ( E ) out of it
following Fermi, in order to simplify the calculations, we assume:
1. a continuous loss of energy for a slowing-down neutron

2. free path between collisions, s considered constant and varies slightly with neutron energy

28

Note that: the continuous energy loss approximation and its underlying assumptions are valid
for most moderators, except for the very lightest, such as hydrogen and deuterium.
Investigation: the neutron balance in the slowing-down energy region for a moderator material
with the two assumptions:
1. There is no neutron absorption a = 0
2. No neutron source Q = 0
If we start with a unit volume of moderator in which initially there are n neutrons with
energies between E and E + E , the only physical processes that can cause n to change
are assumed to be :
1. Diffusion of neutron into or out of the unit volume, and
2. Slowing down of neutrons into the energy interval E and out of it.

29

If we start with a unit volume of moderator in which initially there are n neutrons with
energies between E and E + E , the only physical processes that can cause n to change
are assumed to be :
1. Diffusion of neutron into or out of the unit volume, and
2. Slowing down of neutrons into the energy interval E and out of it.
See Fig. 8.6, page 259
Figure 8.6 illustrates the neutron flow and neutron balance in a space-energy diagram

30
If a steady state is to prevail so that the number of neutrons in the given unit volume and
energy interval is to remain constant, the number of neutrons diffusing out the volume
must be compensated by an equal number of neutrons slowing down into and remaining
in the energy interval E .
Neutron leakage by diffusion along the space coordinate is compensated by a neutron

excess flowing into the energy interval E along the energy coordinate
tr v
the rate of neutron diffusion is D 2 n = 2n (6.26)
3
The number of neutrons slowing down into the energy interval E and remaining is
given by the excess of neutrons flowing into E over the number of neutrons leaving it
q
q ( E + E ) q ( E ) = E (6.27)
E
influx Out flow

31
q
q ( E + E ) q ( E ) = E
E
From chapter 3: thermal neutron
Remember: q ( E ) t = n ( E ) E
q ( E ) = n( E ) Ev s = E s
q v
E = tr 2 nE
E 3
by successive differentiation of q ( E ) = n( E ) Ev s = E s
2q
2 q = Ev s 2 n
2
n=
Ev s

32

from
q v q
E = tr 2 nE = s tr 2 q
E 3 E 3E
q
2q = (6.31)

s tr E
3E
Let us introduce a new variable
tr s dE
d =
3 E
E0
With the condition that = d ; ( E0 ) = 0
E
2 q
q =0


33
2 q Fermi age equation

q =0

Fermi age or Neutron age
dimensions of are those of a (length)2
The variable is formally analogous to the time variable in the non-steady state heat
conduction equation, with q taking the place of temperature, and thus solutions of the
Fermi age equation are identical with solutions of the heat conduction equation for
corresponding boundary conditions
It should be remembered that the Fermi age equation does not contain the time variable
explicitly and that it is therefore a time-independent or steady-state equation.
Fermi age equation contains a complete description of the neutron density distribution
in both energy and space coordinates for neutrons undergoing moderation

34

Returning to 6.32 and 6.33 we see that if s and tr can be taken as constant over the
slowing-down energy range or, alternatively, if they are replaced by suitable average
values over the energy range, integration of 6.32 gives:
E0
tr s E0 tr s
log E
E0

E d = ( E0 ) ( E ) = 3 E d (log E ) = 3
using C = 1 log E0 the average number of collisions a neutron undergoes with

E the moderator nuclei in the process of having its energy

reduced from E0 to E
tr s
(E) = C
3

35

tr s
(E) = C
3
In this expression C s represents the total zig-zag path-length of a neutron between the
moment of its creation or the beginning of its slowing down and the moment of its arrival
at energy E
If we set s = C s
We see that s is quite analogous to a in 6.8 . We can, therefore, in pursuance of this

analogy, define a quantity 0 such that
tr s 2
0 = = Lf
3
The quatity Lf defined in this manner is called the fast diffusion length
It is a measure of the distance a fission neutron has traveled away from its point of creation
by the time it reaches thermal energies

36
Solution of the Fermi age equation in the simple case:

a point source emitting fast neutrons at a constant rate inside a moderator medium
we get a solution for q in terms of r which is:
2
r
e 4 This is the neutron distribution for a given
q (r ) 3
2
ution
Gaussian distrib
See Figure 8.7

It has its maximum value at the origin (r=0), and for different choices of the parameter
, the maximum is higher the smaller the value of
37
The root mean square of the distance for a given neutron age can be obtained by
2
r

2 2 4 4
r q(r )4r dr r e dr
r 2
= 0

= 0
r
2 = 6 Can you prove it?

2
q(r )4r dr 2
r e 4
dr
0 0
2
If =0 r 2 = 6 0 = 6 L f
the neutron age is equal to one-sixth of the mean square distance from the point of
creation to the point where their energy has been reduced to a value E which corresponds
to that .
The role of the neutron age is, therefore, quite analogous to that of L2 in thermal
diffusion.
For the respective process of fast diffusion and thermal diffusion, 0 and L2 are each
one-sixth of the mean square distance traveled by a neutron from the point of its origin to
the point of its termination.
The sum of 0 and L2 is called the migration area
38

Question: is the assumption of a neutron point source is realistic?
Answer: yes because a thermal reactor can be looked upon as a superposition of neutron
point sources of varying strengths which are imbedded in a large amount of
moderating material to which the above conclusions apply.
It is instructive to transform the neutron age from an integral in energy space to a

time integral by means of expression
tr s dE
E0
E =
remember t = E 3 E
s vE
E dE E v dE
= = tr
0 tr s 0
v
E 3v E E 3 v s E
E0 v E0
= tr dt = Ddt
E 3 E
Neutron age = time integral of the diffusion coefficient

39

1 t0
Using the mean value theorem D=
t0 t t
Ddt
t0
Hence = Ddt = D(t t 0 )
t
This established that the neutron age is equal to the product of the slowing-down time (t-t0)
and the average diffusion coefficient over this time interval
Example 8.7

40

Example 8.7

41
6.7 Correction for Neutron Capture

In the derivation of the age equation we had excluded neutron absorption by the moderator
If the moderator has a measurable but relatively weak capture cross section
for neutrons above thermal energies
The form of the solution of the age equation is not affected and
only a slight modification is necessary
The differential equation 6.34 in the case of nonzero absorption, will contain an additional
absorption term which is linear in q. if q is the solution of the age equation with zero absorption,
it can be shown that:
q = pq
where p is the resonance escape probability for the medium
in which the slowing down is taking place

42
Homework
Problems: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9,12 and 14 of
Chapter 8 in Text Book, Pages 265-266

43

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Chapter5- Neutron Diffusion

A. Dokhane, PHYS487, KSU, 2008

Final Exam 03 June 2008, at 13:00 to 15:00

A. Dokhane, PHYS487, KSU, 2008

Final Exam 03 June 2008 at:

A. Dokhane, PHYS487, KSU, 2008

A. Dokhane, PHYS487, KSU, 2008

A. Dokhane, PHYS487, KSU, 2008

However, a complete description of the neutron gas in a reactor must

This has important application in the calculation of critical reactor sizes

play a significant role in the over-all picture of neutron behavior

Hence, diffusion of neutrons is a consequence of the non-uniform neutron

In this stage (thermal energies) neutrons can be considered as monoenergitic

A. Dokhane, PHYS487, KSU, 2008

A complete distribution function of these neutrons (prethermal) must contain a description of

A. Dokhane, PHYS487, KSU, 2008

6.2 Thermal Neutron Diffusion

A. Dokhane, PHYS487, KSU, 2008

6.2 Thermal Neutron Diffusion

The net rate of increase in the neutron density n is:

A. Dokhane, PHYS487, KSU, 2008

6.2 Thermal Neutron Diffusion

Question : from where the thermal neutrons are produced?

So we can set Q equal to the slowing-down density q

A. Dokhane, PHYS487, KSU, 2008

6.2 Thermal Neutron Diffusion

A. Dokhane, PHYS487, KSU, 2008

6.3 The diffusion Equation

A. Dokhane, PHYS487, KSU, 2008

6.3 The diffusion Equation

1st Simple case: point source

consider neutron diffusion from a point source:

See Figure 8.1, page 249

A. Dokhane, PHYS487, KSU, 2008

6.3 The diffusion Equation

A. Dokhane, PHYS487, KSU, 2008

6.3 The diffusion Equation

To get a solution of 8.9, the Laplacian 2 is expressed in coordinates most appropriate

Or in terms of the neutron density n(r ) =

A. Dokhane, PHYS487, KSU, 2008

6.3 The diffusion Equation

2nd Simple case: infinite plane source

consider neutron diffusion from an infinite plane source:

A. Dokhane, PHYS487, KSU, 2008

6.3 The diffusion Equation

2nd Simple case: infinite plane source

consider neutron diffusion from an infinite plane source:

d 2 1 (6.12) 3QL x L (6.13)

6.4 The thermal Diffusion Length

A. Dokhane, PHYS487, KSU, 2008

6.4 The thermal Diffusion Length

A. Dokhane, PHYS487, KSU, 2008

6.4 The thermal Diffusion Length

The total square distance for this group of neutrons is N (r )r 2

6.4 The thermal Diffusion Length

1 2 1st Simple case: point source 1 r

A. Dokhane, PHYS487, KSU, 2008

6.4 The thermal Diffusion Length

A. Dokhane, PHYS487, KSU, 2008

6.5 The Diffusion Length for a Fuel!

Since the ratio of moderator to fuel in a nuclear reactor is very large

6.5 The Diffusion Length for a Fuel!