Operational States of Nuclear Reactors

Course guarantor:

Lecturer:

Tutor:

Supervisor:

Department of Nuclear Reactors

Synopsis:

The first part of the course is focused on reactor kinetics and dynamics, namely reactor kinetics, delayed neutrons, prompt neutron lifetime, reactors period, kinetic equations and its simplified solution, transfer function of zero reactor, reactivity coefficients, temperature coefficients, reactor stability. The second part of the course is focused on reactor inner nuclear fuel cycle of the nuclear power plants, particularly PWR used and / or planned in the Czech Republic, namely fuel changes during the cycle, burn-up, changes of keff during the cycle, xenon poisonings and xenon oscillations, samarium, fuel handling, fuel management, reactor operation, burn-up, fuel loading, fuel reloading, loading pattern, legislative requirements for the core, core loading and fuel handling, fuel cycle of Dukovany & Temelín NPP and MOX. Note: Front-end & back-end of the nuclear fuel cycle of the nuclear power plants is the part of 17JPC - Nuclear fuel cycle course.

Requirements:

Syllabus of lectures:

1. Introduction

Duration: 1 lecture

Topic:

Introduction, familiarization with the structure of lectures and seminars, graduation requirements, definitions of basic concepts

2. Nuclear reactor kinetics

Duration: 4 lectures

Topics:

Subcritical, critical, supercritical reactor, reactor with external neutron source, parameters of prompt and delayed neutrons, impact of delayed neutrons on processes in nuclear reactors, point kinetics equations

3. Nuclear reactor dynamics

Duration: 2 lectures

Topics:

Feedback of nuclear reactors, effect of temperature changes on reactivity, reactivity coefficients, stability of nuclear reactors

4. Long-term & middle-term reactor kinetics

Duration: 2 lectures

Topics:

Simple model of long-term reactor kinetics of the uranium-plutonium fuel cycle, fuel changes during the cycle, burn-up, and changes of keff during the cycle, fission products, deep burn-up, long-term reactor kinetics of the thorium fuel cycle

Xenon and samarium in the core during the cycle, simple model of middle-term reactor kinetics, xenon poisoning, xenon oscillations, cast-down operation - thermal & power reactivity coefficients at the end of cycle, burn-up absorbers

5. NPP fuel cycle, fuel burn-up and fuel management

Duration: 2 lectures

Topics:

Nuclear fuel cycle, inner nuclear fuel cycle, core physics, fuel handling, fuel management, reactor operation, burn-up, fuel loading, fuel reloading, loading pattern, legislative requirements for the core, core loading and fuel handling

Inner fuel cycle strategy, core modelling methods, optimization of the core loading, Fuel cycle of WWERs PWR, Fuel cycle of Dukovany & Temelín NPP

6. MOX fuel

Duration: 1 lecture

Topic:

Uranium - plutonium fuel cycle & reprocessing the spent nuclear fuel, MOX fuel, physics differences of MOX fuel, reactor operation with MOX fuel, use of MOX fuel in the world, perspective of MOX fuel in next generation of NPP

Syllabus of tutorials:

During the seminars, simple problems of the above chapters are calculated; numerical simulations of some transients are carried out. Part of the seminars is a practical demonstration of the most important dynamic processes at the VR-1 reactor.

Study Objective:

An overview of possible states of nuclear reactors and their implications for reactor operation, influence of prompt and delayed neutrons behavior on nuclear reactors, the feedback in nuclear reactors and their impact on operational safety, isotopic changes during fuel depletion, the effects of depletion on the operational states of nuclear reactors.

Application of acquired knowledge to solve problems, qualification and quantification of the effects of various physical quantities and phenomena on the operation of nuclear reactors and nuclear safety.

Study materials:

Key references:

Stacey, W. M.: Nuclear Reactor Physics, WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim, 2007

John R. Lamarsh: Introduction to Nuclear Engineering, 3rd Ed., Prentice Hall, 2001

Recommended references:

Lewis, Elmer E.: Fundamentals of Nuclear Reactor Physics, Elsevier/Academic Press, Amsterdam, Boston, 2008

Hetrick D. L.: „Dynamics of Nuclear Reactors“, University of Chicago Press, 1971

Media and tools:

Training reactor VR 1, computer laboratory, audiovisual technique, fuel cycle films on DVD

Note:

Further information:

No time-table has been prepared for this course

The course is a part of the following study plans:

• 17 156 NJEZ 2012 bez odoru základ (compulsory elective course)