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Nuclear Reactor Calculations

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Nuclear Reactor Design

Part of the book series: An Advanced Course in Nuclear Engineering ((ACNE,volume 2))

Abstract

The most fundamental evaluation quantity of the nuclear design calculation is the effective multiplication factor (k eff ) and neutron flux distribution. The excess reactivity, control rod worth, reactivity coefficient, power distribution, etc. are undoubtedly inseparable from the nuclear design calculation. Some quantities among them can be derived by secondary calculations from the effective multiplication factor or neutron flux distribution. Section 2.1 treats the theory and mechanism to calculate the effective multiplication factor and neutron flux distribution in calculation programs (called codes). It is written by Keisuke Okumura.

The nuclear reactor calculation is classified broadly into the reactor core calculation and the nuclear plant characteristics calculation. The former is done to clarify nuclear, thermal, or their composite properties. The latter is done to clarify dynamic and control properties, startup and stability, and safety by modeling pipes and valves of the coolant system, coolant pump, their control system, steam turbine and condenser, etc. connected with the reactor pressure vessel as well as the reactor core. The reactor core, plant dynamics, safety analysis and fuel rod analysis are described in Sect. 2.2. It is written by Yoshiaki Oka and Yuki Ishiwatari.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Most practical codes of the finite difference method take neutron fluxes at the center points of divided meshes [13]. A simple and easy to understand method was employed here.

  2. 2.

    For simplicity, it is assumed that χ d i,g  = χ g which is reasonable for the two-group problem.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Oarai, Japan

    Keisuke Okumura

  2. Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan

    Yoshiaki Oka

  3. University of Tokyo/Hitachi GE: Nuclear Energy Ltd., Tokyo, Japan

    Yuki Ishiwatari

Authors
  1. Keisuke Okumura
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  2. Yoshiaki Oka
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  3. Yuki Ishiwatari
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Cooperative Major in Nuclear Energy, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

    Yoshiaki Oka

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Okumura, K., Oka, Y., Ishiwatari, Y. (2014). Nuclear Reactor Calculations. In: Oka, Y. (eds) Nuclear Reactor Design. An Advanced Course in Nuclear Engineering, vol 2. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-54898-0_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-54898-0_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Tokyo

  • Print ISBN: 978-4-431-54897-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-4-431-54898-0

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