Determination of Multiplication Factors Using Experimental Lattice Parameters of Cluster-Type Fuel Lattices

Abstract

A new four-factor formula is proposed for deriving a “finite multiplication factor” k*—the ratio between neutron production and absorption rates in a finite medium—from experimentally determined lattice parameters in a slightly-enriched Pu-U lattice. The “two-group multiplication factor” k* ∞2—related to τ+ L2 and equal to (1 τ B2 C). (1 +L2B2 G at criticality—is derived from k*. The experimental lattice parameters are corrected to account for neutron leakage, from which the “infinite multiplication factor” K∞ is derived. There are found differences between k*, k*∞2 and k ∞ amounting to about 1–2% in the Advanced Thermal Reactor (ATR)-type heavy-water lattice, despite the fact that all these three quantities are often indiscriminately called “infinite multiplication factor.” The proposed four-factor formula for deriving k* was applied to the Deuterium Critical Assembly (DCA) of 1.2%-enriched UO2 lattices of 28-pin clusters in square arrays spaced at 22.5 cm. The values of k* calculated with a lattice desi...