B.

Rouben
UN0802
2014 October

Reactor Exercises 3

1. An easy introductory problem on reactor physics:

A certain spherical reactor of diameter 7.6 m has uniform properties. The
macroscopic absorption and fission cross sections are:
a = 0.0040 cm-1
f = 0.0018 cm-1
The average number of neutrons per fission is = 2.43
The average neutron flux in the reactor is = 2.1*1012 n.cm-2.s-1.
(a) What is the total absorption rate of neutrons in the whole reactor?
(b) What is the total production rate of neutrons in the whole reactor?
(c) What is the rate of radiative captures in the whole reactor?
(d) If the reactivity = 0, how many neutrons are leaking from the reactor per
second? What is this number as a fraction of the neutron production rate?
Solution of Problem 1 on next page

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Problems in Lamarsh, Chapter 6: Problems 3, 4, 6 (p. 322 in my edition of Lamarsh).
Solution:
4 4
The reactor volume V R 3 * 3.1416 * (380 cm) 3 2.2985 *10 8 cm 3
3 3
( a ) Total neutron absorption rate in reactor aV
0.0040 cm 1 * 2.1*1012 cm 2 .s 1 * 2.2985 *108 cm 3 1.931*1018 s 1
(b) Total neutron production rate in reactor f V
2.43 * 0.018 cm 1 * 2.1*1012 cm 2 .s 1 * 2.2985 *10 8 cm 3 2.111 *1018 s 1
(c) a f 0.0040 cm 1 0.0018 cm 1 0.0022 cm 1
Total radiative captures in reactor V
0.0022 cm 1 * 2.1*1012 cm 2 .s 1 * 2.2985 cm 3 1.062 *1018 s 1
Since 0. the reactor is critical , and
Neutron production rate Neutron loss rate
Neutron absorption rate Neutron leakage rate
Neutron leakage rate 2.111 *1018 s 1 1.931*1018 s 1 1.80 *1017 s 1
1.80 *1017
Leakage as a fraction of production 0.0855
2.111 *1018