Abstract
The transfer function is a basic characteristic of every nuclear reactor. It describes how a perturbation at a given place and time influences the neutron flux. In case of a known perturbation, the determination of characteristic reactor parameters is possible. The present paper shows an experimental method to determine the gain of the zero-power reactor transfer function (ZPTF) of the AKR-2 reactor at TU Dresden and the comparison to the theoretical shape of the ZPTF derived from kinetic parameters simulated with MCNP. For the experiments, a high-precision linear motor axis is used to insert an oscillating perturbation acting at frequencies smaller than the lower bound of the plateau region of the ZPTF. For higher frequencies, a rotating absorber is used. This device emulates an absorber of variable strength. The reactor response is detected with a He-3 counter. The data evaluation shows good agreement between measured and corresponding theoretical values of the gain of the ZPTF.
Highlights
The transfer function is a basic characteristic of every nuclear reactor
The gain of the transfer function of the AKR-2 reactor at TU Dresden is experimentally determined by use of a vibrating absorber and an absorber of variable strength
The transfer function is determined by the zero power transfer function (ZPTF), with the applied perturbation converted into its reactivity effect
Summary
The transfer function is a basic characteristic of every nuclear reactor. It describes how a perturbation at a given place and time influences the reactor’s state variables [1]. In current safety research, the inversion of the transfer function as a method of incident detection is of particular interest [4] In this context, the gain of the transfer function of the AKR-2 reactor at TU Dresden is experimentally determined by use of a vibrating absorber and an absorber of variable strength. The dynamical behavior of the AKR-2 can be described by the point-kinetic approximation In such conditions, the transfer function is determined by the zero power transfer function (ZPTF), with the applied perturbation converted into its reactivity effect. The reactor response is detected with a He-3 counter placed inside the reactor Using this setup, the gain of the ZPTF of the AKR-2 is measured through the analysis of the input signals (movement of the absorber) and the output signals (induced fluctuations in neutron flux). A direct evaluation of unknown cross sections of different materials with the pile-oscillator method would be possible
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