Article: A neutron noise-based experiment in a TRIGA reactor Journal: International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology (IJNEST) 2006 Vol.2 No.3 pp.219 - 232 Abstract: A neutron noise-based experiment performed in the TRIGA reactor of the ENEA-Casaccia centre in Italy is presented. This experiment is part of the first phase of the international TRADE programme that seeks a global demonstration of an accelerator-driven system at power. The main objective of that first experimental phase is the measurement at zero-power of fundamental neutronic parameters. The present experiment performed in the reference critical core configuration has first of all aimed at the inference of the prompt neutron decay constant at critical, which is equal to the ratio of the delayed neutron fraction to the neutron generation time. The neutron-noise technique that has been applied is the power spectral density technique, based on the use of fission chambers operated in fluctuation mode. Two fission chambers, each with a sensitivity of 10-1 cps/nv, have been placed within the core region close to the reflector. The prompt neutron decay constant at delayed critical has been estimated at 132 ± 2 s-1 with 68% confidence level. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: A neutron noise-based experiment in a TRIGA reactor

Authors: Christian Jammes, Benoit Geslot, Philippe Fougeras, Roberto Rosa, George R. Imel

Addresses: Commisariat a l'Energie Atomique, Centre de Cadarache, 13108 St. Paul-Lez-Durance Cedex, France. ' Commisariat a l'Energie Atomique, Centre de Cadarache, 13108 St. Paul-Lez-Durance Cedex, France. ' Commisariat a l'Energie Atomique, Centre de Cadarache, 13108 St. Paul-Lez-Durance Cedex, France. ' Ente per le Nuove tecnologie, l'Energia e l'Ambiente, Centro della Casaccia, Via Anguillarese, 301, I-00060 Roma, Italy. ' Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439, USA

Abstract: A neutron noise-based experiment performed in the TRIGA reactor of the ENEA-Casaccia centre in Italy is presented. This experiment is part of the first phase of the international TRADE programme that seeks a global demonstration of an accelerator-driven system at power. The main objective of that first experimental phase is the measurement at zero-power of fundamental neutronic parameters. The present experiment performed in the reference critical core configuration has first of all aimed at the inference of the prompt neutron decay constant at critical, which is equal to the ratio of the delayed neutron fraction to the neutron generation time. The neutron-noise technique that has been applied is the power spectral density technique, based on the use of fission chambers operated in fluctuation mode. Two fission chambers, each with a sensitivity of 10^-1 cps/nv, have been placed within the core region close to the reflector. The prompt neutron decay constant at delayed critical has been estimated at 132 ± 2 s^-1 with 68% confidence level.

Keywords: neutron noise; neutron decay; power spectral density; prompt decay constant; Testing Reactor for Irradiation Research reactor; TRIGA reactor; nuclear reactors; nuclear energy; nuclear power; nuclear technology; nuclear science; Italy; accelerator-driven systems.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNEST.2006.010716

International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology, 2006 Vol.2 No.3, pp.219 - 232

Published online: 20 Aug 2006 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article

Title: A neutron noise-based experiment in a TRIGA reactor

Keep up-to-date