Reactor Operation

Reactor Operation covers the theoretical aspects and design information of nuclear reactors. This book is composed of nine chapters that also consider their control, calibration, and experimentation.

The opening chapters present the general problems of reactor operation and the principles of reactor control and operation. The succeeding chapters deal with the instrumentation, start-up, pre-commissioning, and physical experiments of nuclear reactors. The remaining chapters are devoted to the control rod calibrations and temperature coefficient measurements in the reactor. These chapters also explore the fuel leak detection and fuel movement in the nuclear reactor.

This book will prove useful to nuclear engineers, physicists, and undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Preface

1. General Problems of Reactor Operation

1.1. Introduction

1.2. Aims of Reactor Operation

1.3. Administration and Organization

1.4. Safety Considerations

1.5. Maximum Credible Accidents

1.6. Siting Requirements

1.7. Rules and Licensing Conditions

2. Principles of Control and Operation

2.1. Methods of Control

2.2. Range of Control

2.3. Effectiveness of Control Absorbers

2.4. Flux Shaping

2.5. Types of Control Rods

2.6. The Effects of Control Rod Withdrawal

2.7. Functions of Operators

2.8. Layout of Control Desks

2.9. Warnings and Emergencies

2.10. Interlocks

2.11. Safety Lines

3. Nuclear Instrumentation

3.1. General Principles

3.2. Range of Measurement

3.3. Positioning of Instruments

3.4. Use of a Neutron Source

3.5. Use of Lead- Shielded Ionization Chambers

3.6. Types of Instrument for Neutron Measurement

3.7. Instruments Associated with Ionization Chambers and Pulse Counters

3.8. Typical Arrangements for Reactor Power Instrumentation

4. Reactor Start-Up

4.1. Reactor Start-Up Sequence

4.2. Typical Start-Up Sequence for a Gas-Cooled Reactor

4.3. The Importance of a Dump Condenser

4.4. Overall Station Control

4.5. Overall Control of Different Types of Reactor

4.6. Procedure for the Start-Up of a Gas-Cooled Nuclear Power Station

5. Pre-Nuclear Commissioning

5.1. Mechanical and Electrical Tests

5.2. Coolant Flow Tests

5.3. Gas Discharge from Stacks

6. Reactor Physics Experiments

6.1. Loading to Criticality

6.2. Safety Aspects of an Approach to Criticality

6.3. Reactor Parameter Measurements

6.4. The Estimation of keff for the Fully Loaded Reactor from "Just Critical" Measurements

6.5. Loading to Full Size

7. Control Rod Calibrations and Temperature Coefficient Measurements

7.1. Doubling Time Method

7.2. Intercalibration Method

7.3. Rod Drop Technique

7.4. Source Jerk Method

7.5. Rod Oscillator Technique

7.6. Pulsed Neutron Source Technique

7.7. Distributed Poison Method

7.8. The Measurement of Shut-Down Capacity

7.9. Temperature Coefficient Measurements

8. Fuel Element Leak Detection and Fuel Movement

8.1. Introduction

8.2. Detection by Fission Product Gamma Activity

8.3. Detection by Delayed Neutron Emission

8.4. Detection by Beta Emission

8.5. Detection by Gaseous Fission Product Activity

8.6. The Wire Precipitator Method

8.7. Fuel Movement

9. Operation at Power

9.1. Introduction

9.2. Temperature Surveys and Temperature Assessment

9.3. Operational Flux Plots

9.4. Reactor Heat Balance

9.5. Xenon Poisoning

9.6. Reactivity Effects Due to Long-Term Changes

9.7. Reactivity Balance

9.8. Temperature Coefficients

9.9. Control Rod Calibrations at Power

Index