Nuclear power equation And definition cheat sheet By M J Rhoades

This cheat sheet is intended for reference only by reactor operators and nuclear physicists Electron volt = an unbound electron gain in kinetic energy when it passes through a potential difference of one volt or = 1.60217653 x 10-19 joules = 1 joule/ coulomb 1 joule = newton meter (N-m) or 1 amp trough 1 Ohm for 1 second = where s= seconds kg = mass m =meters 1 Coulomb = charge carried by 1 amp in 1 second Average atomic radii = 2 x 10-8 cm Radius = r = (1.25 x 10-3 cm)A1/3 Where: r = radius A = atomic mass number (dimensionless) Gravitational force between charged particles = where: = gravitational force (newtons) G = gravitational constant (6.67 x 10-11 N-m2/ = mass of first body (kg) = mass of second body(kg) r = distance between particles (meters) Electrostatic force between charged particles = where: = electrostatic force( newtons) K = electrostatic constant(9.0 x 10-9 N-m2/C2 = charge of first particle (coulombs) = charge of second particle(coulombs) R = distance between particles(meters) Mass defect = =[ Z( + + (A-Z) ]where: = mass defect (amu) mp = mass of proton (1.007277 amu) mn = mass of neutron (1.008665 amu) me = mass of electron (.000548597 amu) matom = mass of nuclide (amu) Z = atomic number ( number of protons) A =mass number (number of nucleons) 2 Energy conversion E = mc where: E = energy (joules in N-m) C = speed of light (2.998 x 108 meter/sec) m = mass (in kg) = mass defect Activity A = N where: A = activity of the nuclide (disintegrations/ second) = decay constant of the nuclide (second-1) N = number of atoms of the nuclide in the sample
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Variation of radioactivity over time N = N0 e- t where: N = number of atoms present at time t No = number of atoms initially present = decay constant (time-1) T = time Activity over time A =Ao e- t where: A = Activity present at time t Ao = Activity initially present = decay constant ( time-1) T = time remember the times used must all match Half-life see my paper on half-life for derivation of formula

Ionizing power of radiation = I = where: I = ionizing power (dimensionless) M mass (kg) K.E. kinetic energy Mean free neutron path = = where: = mean free path = macroscopic crossection beer-Lambert law = where: x is the distance travelled by the beam through the target and I0 is the beam intensity before it entered the target; is called the mean free path because it equals themean distance traveled by a beam particle before being stopped. Atom density = N = where:

N = atom density (atoms/cm )3'= density (g/cm )3 N= Avogadro's number (6.022 x 10 atoms/mole)A23 M = gram atomic weight Cross section = N where: m = macroscopic cross section (cm-1) N = atom density(atoms/cm3) = microscopic cross section (barns)(One barn = 1 x 10-24 cm2) An example of using these equations is as follows outside the scope of this paper We now know the three major interactions that occur with gamma and X-rays in materials. This matter could be our bodies so we had better consider ways to shield against it. I hate to think of all those electrons and positrons flying around in the cells of my body. So, let's talk about the attenuation of X and gamma rays. To start, let's consider a piece of lead shielding
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between a point source and you. Gammas start out with an initial intensity (this can be dose rate, count rate, energy, and so on.), and hit the shield. As we learned above the gammas can, (depending on their energy), either go on through, create a photo electron, Compton scatter, or create an electron-positron pair. If we described the probability that any one of the interactions above would occur, we would want to find the cross section of absorption for each of the processes. The symbol for cross section of absorption is . We would also want to total the different cross sections and have a

total . The equation for this would then be as follows: total = pe + pp + Zcs
Where: total = the total cross section of absorption for the energy of our gamma.

pe = the cross section for the photoelectric effect in cm2/atom. pp = cross section for pair production in cm2/atom.
Zcs = cross section for Compton scattering x the number protons in cm2/atom For Pb208,

total = (6.1766 x

cm2/atom) + (1.3 x

cm2/atom) + (1.548 x 10-23cm2/atom)

total = 2.1787 x 10-23cm2/atom Now, back to our lead shield, we have the data for the cross section for absorption of the lead atoms for the three interactions. The next thing we need to know is how many atoms are packed into that shield, for this we must know the atom density. The equation for this is as follows:

N=

Where: N = atom density in atoms/cm3 = density in g/cm3

NAv = Avogadro's number ( 6.02 x 1023 atoms/mole ) M = gram atomic weight in gram* atoms
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For Lead 208 we have: N = N = 3.285 x 1022 atoms/cm3 Temperature effect on cross section = ( ) where: = microscopic cross section corrected for temperature = microscopic cross section at reference temperature (680F 20C) = reference temperature T =m temperature for corrected value is being calculated. For uranium 235 this becomes a big factor. Thermal neutron most probable velocity correction = Where:

= most probable velocity of neutron( cm/sec) K = Boltsman constant (1.38 x 10-16 erg/0 K) T absolute temperature in kelvin m = mass of neutron (1.66 x 10-24 grams) Neutron flux = n outside the scope of this paper We now know the three major interactions that occur with gamma and X-rays in materials. This matter could be our bodies so we had better consider ways to shield against it. I hate to think of all those electrons and positrons flying around in the cells of my body. So, let's talk about the attenuation of X and gamma rays. To start, let's consider a piece of lead shielding between a point source and you. Gammas start out with an initial intensity (this can be dose rate, count rate, energy, and so on.), and hit the shield. As we learned above the gammas can, (depending on their energy), either go on through, create a photo electron, Compton scatter, or create an electron-positron pair. If we described the probability that any one of the interactions above would occur, we would want to find the cross section of absorption for each of the processes. The symbol for cross section of absorption is . We would also want to total the different cross sections and have a total. The equation for this would then be as follows: total = pe + pp + Zcs Where: total = the total cross section of absorption for the energy of our gamma. pe = the cross section for the photoelectric effect in cm2/atom. pp = cross section for pair production in cm2/atom. Zcs = cross section for Compton scattering x the number protons in cm2/atom For Pb208, total = (6.1766 x cm2/atom) + (1.3 x cm2/atom) + (1.548 x 10-23cm2/atom) total = 2.1787 x 10-23cm2/atom Now, back to our lead shield, we have the data for the cross section for absorption of the lead atoms for the three interactions. The next thing we need to know is how many atoms are packed into that shield, for this we must know the atom density. The equation for this is as follows:
N= Where: N = atom density in atoms/cm3

 = density in g/cm3

NAv = Avogadro's number ( 6.02 x 1023 atoms/mole ) M = gram atomic weight in gram* atoms For Lead 208 we have: N = N = 3.285 x 1022 atoms/cm3 Neutron flux = n v where: = neutron flux(neutrons/cm2-sec) N = neutron density (neutrons/cm3) V = neutron velocity Reaction rates R = Where: R = reaction rate(reactions/sec) = neutron flux(neutrons/cm2-sec) Reactor power based on reaction rates, not official P = Where:

Logarithmic energy decrement

P = power (watts) = thermal neutron flux(neutrons/ cm2-sec) = macroscopic cross section for fission (cm-1) V = volume of core = ln Where: = average logarithmic energy decrement = average initial neutron energy = average final neutron energy

Six factor formula See below for explanation of formula page 6&7

The six factor formula and memory tool (In yellow)

Every

Little funny

Person

Loves the

Funny

Navy

Reactivity the fractional change in neutron population per generation = = or .01 i.e. percent 2.718

Units of reactivity

1pcm = 0.00001 or 10-4 Reactor Period the time required for reactor power to change by a factor of e P = et/ Where: P = transit power = initial power = reactor period(in sec) t = time during the transient (sec)

= prompt generation lifetime = effective delayed neutron fraction = reactivity = effective delayed neutron precursor decay constant = rate of change of reactivity Startup rate decades per minute number of factors of 10 that power changes in one minute. P = 10SUR (t) SUR =