Poisoning

Saturates

Nuclear Reactors, BAU, 1st Semester, 2008-2009 1

(Saed Dababneh).
 Poisoning

Continuously
accumulates
Nuclear Reactors, BAU, 1st Semester, 2008-2009 2
(Saed Dababneh).
 Poisoning
• Not anticipated! Reactor shut down! Time scale:
135Xe 149Sm Hours and days.
6 105 b
10 b σ Xe m
φ
a

γI γ Xe
X

σ aI φ σ aXeφ
Nuclear Reactors, BAU, 1st Semester, 2008-2009 3
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 Poisoning
HW 28 Reactivity ≡ ρ = k − 1 , let us use k∞ (Infinite reactor).
k
∑ afuel
f1 = fuel (critical)
∑ a + ∑ clad
a + ∑ mod erator
a

∑ afuel
f 2 = fuel
∑ a + ∑ clad
a + ∑ mod erator
a + ∑ poison
a

∑ apoison
Show that ∆ρ = ρ 2 − ρ1 = − fuel
∑ a + ∑ clad
a + ∑ mod erator
a

Negative reactivity due to poison buildup. It is

proportional to the amount of poison
poison.
Nuclear Reactors, BAU, 1st Semester, 2008-2009 4
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 Poisoning
r small
∂I (r , t ) r r r r
= γ I ∑ f φ (r , t ) − λI I (r , t ) − σ aI I (r , t )φ (r , t )
∂t
r
∂Xe
X (r , t ) r r r r r
= γ Xe ∑ f φ (r , t ) + λI I (r , t ) − λ Xe Xe(r , t ) − σ a Xe(r , t )φ (r , t )
Xe

∂t
Initial conditions?
• Clean Core Startup. Assume no spacial
• Shutdown ((later)). dependence.

I (0) = Xe(0) = 0 Fresh Fuel.

and let us assume φ (t ) = φ (0) = constant.

Nuclear Reactors, BAU, 1st Semester, 2008-2009 5

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 Poisoning
γ I ∑ f φ0
HW 29 Show that: I (t ) = (1 − e −λ t ) I

λI
I (∞)
Xe(∞)

(γ I + γ Xe ) ∑ f φ0 − ( λ Xe +σ aXeφ0 ) t
d Xe(t ) =
and (1 − e )
λ Xe + σ φ Xe
a 0

γ I ∑ f φ0 −( λ Xe +σ a φ0 ) t
Xe
−λI t
+ (e −e )
λ Xe − λI + σ a φ0
Xe

Nuclear Reactors, BAU, 1st Semester, 2008-2009 6

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 Poisoning

I (∞)
Xe(∞)

• Now,
Now we know Xe(t)
∑ apoison (t ) σ aXe Xe(t )
∆ρ = − fuel = − fuel
∑a + ∑a + ∑a
clad mod erator
∑ a + ∑ clad
a + ∑ mod erator
a

Nuclear Reactors, BAU, 1st Semester, 2008-2009 7

(Saed Dababneh).
 Poisoning
• Shutdown.
Sh d After the reactor has been operating for a “long” time.
r
∂I (r , t ) r r r r
= γ I ∑ f φ (r , t ) − λI I (r , t ) − σ a I (r , t )φ (r , t )
I

∂t
r
∂Xe(r , t ) r r r r r
= γ Xe ∑ f φ (r , t ) + λI I (r , t ) − λ Xe Xe(r , t ) − σ a Xe(r , t )φ (r , t )
Xe

∂t

r
I (0) = I (∞) ∂I (r , t ) r
= −λI I ( r , t )
Xe(0) = Xe(∞) ∂t
r
φ (t ) = φ (0) = 0. ∂Xe
X (r , t ) r r
= λI I (r , t ) − λ Xe Xe(r , t )
∂t

Nuclear Reactors, BAU, 1st Semester, 2008-2009 8

(Saed Dababneh).
 Poisoning
− λI t
HW 30 Show
Sh that
h I (t ) = I ( ∞ ) e
− λ Xet λ I I (∞ ) − λ t − λ t
Xe(t ) = Xe(∞)e + (eXe
−e ) I

λI − λ Xe

>0?
Height of the peak
d d on I(∞)
depends
and Xe(∞), i.e.
depends on φ.

Nuclear Reactors, BAU, 1st Semester, 2008-2009 9

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 Poisoning
Shutdown
Sh d X Xe
X K X negativei ∆ρ X move controll rods
d
out X try to add positive reactivity X need to have
enough reserve X costly to do that
that.
If, the available excess
reactivity can
compensate for less
than 30 minutes of
poison buildup, can’t
can t
startup again after ~30
minutes of shutdown,
because you can’t
can t
achieve criticality. Need
to wait some 40 hours
(in this case) for Xe to
Nuclear Reactors, BAU, 1st Semester, 2008-2009
decay down. 10
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 Poisoning

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(Saed Dababneh).
 Poisoning
S
Strategies
i
• If you plan to shut down for “short maintenance”, think
about stepback.
stepback
• Examine different scenarios using this code from
http://www.nuceng.ca/
ttp // uce g ca/
• Prepare your own report, code, calculations, graphs,
comments, conclusions etc…..
• Be creative and use whatever experience you gained
during your study in this program.

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 Poisoning
Xe Oscillations
• φ(r,t) (spacial dependence) X flux K locally X Xe
burnup K X ρ (reactivity) K X flux further K X control
rods globally in X flux L elsewhere X Xe burnup L X
ρ L ….. Xe oscillation but limited by opposite effect due
to increase (decrease) of I in the high (low) flux region.
• In large reactors (compared to neutron diffusion
l
length)
th) llocall fl
flux, power and
d ttemperature
t could
ld reach
h
unacceptable values for certain materials X safety
issues.
issues
• Think of one sensor and one control rod X feel
average g flux X apparently
pp y OK X more sensors and
control rods to locate and deal with local changes.
Nuclear Reactors, BAU, 1st Semester, 2008-2009 13
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 Poisoning
P
Permanent Poisons
P i
• 149Sm has sizeable but lower cross section than 135Xe.
• It does not decay
decay.
r
∂Sm(r , t ) r r r r
≈ γ Sm ∑ f (r , t )φ (r , t ) = γ Sm ∑ f (r ,0)φ (r ,0) = γ Sm . Constant
∂t
• Start from fresh fuel:
r r r
Sm(r , t ) = γ Sm ∑ f (r ,0)φ (r ,0)t = γ Sm . Constant . t Linear with time.
time

• Thus:
r r r
∑ (r , t ) = σ a γ Sm ∑ f (r ,0)φ (r ,0)t
SSm
a
S
Sm
Linear with time.

Nuclear Reactors, BAU, 1st Semester, 2008-2009 14

(Saed Dababneh).