Title: Application of variance-to-mean technique to subcriticality monitoring for accelerator-driven subcritical reactor

Authors: Yasunori Kitamura, Koshi Taguchi, Akio Yamamoto, Yoshihiro Yamane, Tsuyoshi Misawa, Chihiro Ichihara, Hiroshi Nakamura, Hiroyuki Oigawa

Addresses: Department of Materials, Physics and Energy Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464–8603, Japan. ' Department of Materials, Physics and Energy Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464–8603, Japan. ' Department of Materials, Physics and Energy Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464–8603, Japan. ' Department of Materials, Physics and Energy Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464–8603, Japan. ' Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University, Kumatori-cho, Sennan-gun, Osaka 590–0494, Japan. ' Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University, Kumatori-cho, Sennan-gun, Osaka 590–0494, Japan. ' Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University, Kumatori-cho, Sennan-gun, Osaka 590–0494, Japan. ' Center for Proton Accelerator Facilities, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, 2–4 Shirakata Shirane, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki 319–1195, Japan

Abstract: To investigate the applicability of the Feynman- (or variance-to-mean) and Rossi-α techniques to subcriticality monitoring of the future accelerator-driven subcritical reactor (ADSR), a series of experiments was performed at the Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA). To simulate the pulse mode operation of the ADSR, a D-T pulsed neutron generator was employed. As a result, it was observed that the α-values measured by these techniques clearly depended on the subcriticality, ranging from $0.65 to $2.72. Furthermore, through measurements in transient states that were realised by operating control rods, it was found that one can detect subcriticality changes in quasi-real-time.

Keywords: neutron correlation technique; Feynman-α variance-to-mean; Rossi-α technique; accelerator-driven subcritical reactors; ADSR; pulse mode; subcriticality monitoring; quasi-real-time measurement; spallation neutron source; Kyoto University Critical Assembly; KUCA; Japan; nuclear reactors; nuclear energy; nuclear power; nuclear technology; nuclear science.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNEST.2006.010720

International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology, 2006 Vol.2 No.3, pp.266 - 284

Published online: 20 Aug 2006 *

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