Journal of NUCLEAR SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY, 30[101 PP. 981-990 (October 1993).

981

Interpretation of Spatial Kinetics for Rod Drop

Experiment in Loosely Coupled-Core Systems

Kengo HASHIMOTO, Takaaki OHSAWA,

Atomic Energy Research Institute, Kinki University*

Tsuyoshi MISAWA, Yoshihiro YAMANE, Kojiro NISHINA,

Department of Nuclear Engineering,
Faculty of Engineering, Nagoya University**

Seiji SHIROYA
Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University:*

Received October 30, 1992

Revised April 19, 1993

The coupled two-core reactor systems with various degrees of spatial coupling were
constructed in the Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA) to study the spatial kinetics
observed in the control rod drop experiment. By applying the two-mode and the two-point
kinetic models to the space-dependent rod worths measured on the basis of the one-point model,
the first-harmonic l-mode eigenvalue separation and the reactivity coupling coefficient were
inferred. The present values of these parameters agreed with the results obtained by the
reactor noise measurements and the diffusion calculations.
The experimental results show that the magnitudes of the spatial kinetic phenomena including
the dependence of the rod reactivity worth on the detector position, the reactivity interaction
effect between control rods and the transient flux tilts induced by the rod drop, which have been
significantly observed in large thermal and fast power reactors, are inversely proportional to
the eigenvalue separation. Applying the two-mode model, the inherent reactivity worths of
control rods were also inferred from the space-dependent ones.

KEYWORDS: spatial kinetics, control rod worths, rod drop experiment, reactivity,
coupled-core reactor, eigenvalue separation, coupling coefficient, control rod inter-
action, flux tilt, spatial decoupling, higher harmonics

were extensively observed(4)~(6). Since then

I. INTRODUCTION the neutronic decoupling problem in a large
Recent designs for large liquid-metal fast fast reactor has been investigated as a subject
breeder reactor (LMFBR) cores, particularly of interest(7).
for those incorporating internal blankets, often Such a decoupling problem was also ob-
exhibit significant spatial decoupling(1)~(3). In served in large thermal reactors since the
such spatially decoupled cores, flux distribu- neutronic coupling becomes spatially looser
tions are very sensitive to any perturbation. in a large system. In large thermal power
This high sensitivity results in the failure of reactors, particularly in large boiling water
the one-point kinetic model, the large reac- reactors (BWR), the problem is also considered
tivity interaction effect between control rods to be important from the viewpoint of spatial
and the significant flux tilts induced by a stability in power distribution(8). Further-
perturbation. In recent experiences at the * Kowakae , Higashi-Osaka-shi 577.
Super Phoenix reactor and the Zero-Power ** Furo -cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-01.
Physics Reactor (ZPPR), these spatial effects :* Kumatori-cho, Sennan-gun, Osaka 590-04.

— 15 —
 982
more typical thermal coupled-core reactors
are loosely coupled by the separate arrange-
ment of fueled zones.
We theoretically showed that the 2-mode
eigenvalue separation, which is an indicator
of spatial coupling, can be employed as a
quantitative indication of the spatial kinetic
phenomena mentioned above(9)~(15).
The various techniques have also been
developed to infer experimentally the eigen-
value separation of a reactor. The eigenvalue
separation, which is the difference between
the fundamental and the higher-harmonic
eigenvalues of a l (static)-mode eigenvalue
problem, was originally introduced to quantify
the spatial oscillation of neutron flux due to
the xenon buildup in the thermal power
reactors(16)(17).
The main objective of this paper is to
demonstrate experimentally that the magni-
tudes of the spatial kinetics observed in the
control rod drop experiment can be expressed
as a function of the eigenvalue separation.
Here, the spatial kinetics include the depend-
ence of the measured rod reactivity worth on
the detector positions, the reactivity inter-
action effect between control rods and the
transient flux tilts induced by a rod-insertion,
which have significantly been observed in
large thermal and fast power reactors, as
mentioned above. The further objectives are
to develop a technique for extracting the
eigenvalue separation from the measured rod
drop data and to examine the capability of
the present technique by comparing the re-
sults with the other experimental and the
theoretical ones. In this study, the control
rod drop method, which has been used to
measure large negative reactivities in various
reactors, is employed as a diagnostic tool to
investigate spatial decoupling and as a tech-
nique for inferring the eigenvalue separation.
To achieve these goals, control rod drop
experiments were performed in water-moder-
ated and -reflected coupled-core systems of a
rectangular parallelepiped geometry construct-
ed within the C-core tank of the Kyoto Uni-
versity Critical Assembly (KUCA), where the
degree of spatial coupling can be varied by
—16—
J. Nucl. Sci. Technol.,
changing the separation distance between two
cores. In this paper, Chap. II presents the
descriptions of the core configurations and
the experimental setups. In Chap. III, the dis-
cussion on the results is given.
II. EXPERIMENTAL SET-UPS
1. Critical Assembly
The experiments were carried out in the
light-water-moderated core (C-core) of the
KUCA(18)(19)in Kyoto University Research
Reactor Institute. Out of three cores (A, B
and C) in the KUCA, the C-core is an assem-
bly immersed in a water tank of 1.8 m depth
and 2 m dia. Varieties of core configurations
can be achieved by changing loading patterns
of fuel assembly frames settled on a base
grid plate in the C-core tank. The versatil-
ity is further enhanced by three types of fuel
assembly frames, which have fuel-plate in-
sertion grooves of 3.0, 3.5 and 4.5 mm pitch,
respectively. Each fuel plate is 62 mm wide,
600 mm high, and has a uranium-aluminum
alloy layer of 0.5 mm thickness, clad with
0.5 mm-thick aluminum on both sides. The
235U.enrichment of uranium in the alloy is
93.1%(20).
In the present coupled-core experiments,
the 3.5 mm-pitch fuel assembly frames were
employed, for which the H/U atomic ratio is
212.0(21). The same number of fuel plates
was symmetrically loaded in each core of the
coupled system. Three distinct cases of
coupled-core configurations were investigated
as shown in Fig. 1. They have core sepa-
ration distances of 10, 12 and 14 cm. To
maintain criticality, the number of fuel plates
in the fuel assembly frames of the outermost
rows at each of the two cores were adjusted
depending on the core separation distances.
The system has 6 control rods in point
symmetrical positions adjacent to the core-
reflector boundaries (see Fig. 1). Among these
rods, three are assigned as the safety rods,
which are completely withdrawn in every
operation. Others are referred to as the
control rods, which are employed for the
adjustment of reactivity. To keep the sym-
metrical condition during the experiment, the
 Vol. 30, No. 10 (Oct. 1993)
Fig. 1 Experimental setup with
coupled-core configuration
control rod C3 was completely withdrawn,
and the rods C1 and C2 were carefully ad-
justed to be the same axial position.
2. Counting System
The steady neutron flux before the rod
drop and the flux decay after the drop were
monitored by four BF3 proportional counters
(1 in. dia., LND-2029) placed in symmetrical
positions (Fig. 1). Three fission counters of
the start-up channels were also used for the
rod drop measurement. Before the rod drop,
the reactor power was held constant for at
least several minutes. The count rates of
the BF3 counters range from 5,000 to 15,000
cps and those of the fission counters from
300 to 2,000 cps. In data analyses, the dead
time effect of the BF, counter on the count
rate was considered, whereas that of the
fission counter was neglected.
These counters were connected to a con-
ventional nuclear instrumentation system.
The system consisted of the pre-amplifier,
detector bias supply, low-noise amplifier and
single channel analyzer modules. Finally,
pulses from the four BF3 counters were fed
to the 4-input 8192 multi-channel scaler (Labo
MCS4L) through the instrumentation system
mentioned above. Signals from the three
fission counters were recorded by the digital
data recorder (SONY PC-108M). These power
history data were used not only to evaluate
983
the rod reactivity worth but also to observe
the transient flux tilt after the rod drop and
to infer the eigenvalue separation.
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
1. Rod Reactivity Worth
First we introduce the following quantity :
( 1)
where lk: Decay constant of the k-th group
precursors
k : Fraction
b of neutrons in the k-th
delayed group
(x, t) : Space (x)- pand time (t)-dependent
neutron flux after rod drop
symmetric (x, 0) : Space-dependent neutron flux
p
before the drop.
The average count rate of a counter placed
in location x before a rod drop and the
integral count after the drop are measured to
obtain the initial and the integral value of
(x, t) in Eq. ( 1 ). In one-point reactors,p
Eq. ( 1 ) coincides with the one-point kinetic
formula based on the integral-count tech-
nique(22). The one-point kinetic model assumes
that the flux shape never changes. Under
this assumption, r(x) is independent on the
counter position. The assumption is valid
only in tightly-coupled reactors. In spatially
decoupled reactors, r(x) shows the depend-
ence on the counter position and, consequent-
ly, no longer represents the rod reactivity
worth. In this section, the spatial dependence
is investigated through the rod drop experi-
ments in the present coupled-core systems.
The measured r(x) of simultaneously drop-
ped C3 and S4 rods in the system with the
core separation of 14 cm, based on Eq. ( 1 ), is
shown in Table 1. In this table, the meas-
ured r(x) varies greately, depending on the
positions of counters ; the largest discrepancy
is more than 0.2 %Dk/k. This distinct feature
indicates the limit for the application of the
one-point kinetic model. The measured r(x)
becomes larger for the counters located at the
side of the rod-dropped core, and smaller at
the opposite side. As a measure of the degree
of the spatial dependence, we evaluated the
— 17—
984 J. Nucl. Sci. Technol.,

standard-deviation-to-mean ratio of r(x). In approximately in inverse proportion to the

this case, the ratio is very large as shown in eigenvalue separation. In the drop of S4 and
Table 1. S5 rods located symmetrically with each other,
the above tendency can almost never be ob-
Table 1 Spatial dependence
of r(x)t1 (%Dk/k) served and the smaller ratios are very close
to those in the tightly-coupled, single-core
reactors.
Physically, the space-dependence of the
measured r(x) is considered to be attributable
to significant delay in spatial propagation of
the perturbation caused by rod insertion. From
the standpoint of modal analysis, the depend-
ence is owing to the spatial higher-harmonics
excited by the rod drop. The degree of this
excitation depends on that of the spatial
coupling, in other words, the value of eigen-
value separation(10). In a coupled-core reac-
tor, the excitation of the first-harmonics is
Figure 2 shows the dependence of the dominant(9). Therefore, the space-dependence
standard-deviation-to-mean ratio on the first- is approximately governed by the first-har-
harmonic eigenvalue separation observed in monic eigenvalue separation as shown in
the experiments of various rod-drop patterns Fig. 2. However, the simultaneous drop of
for the three kinds of core separation dis- S4 and S5 rods placed symmetrically can
tances. The eigenvalue separation, which is almost never excite the first-harmonics, which
the difference between the fundamental and has an antisymmetric eigenfunction with re-
the first-harmonic eigenvalues, is obtained by spect to a zero locus (node) on the symmetrical
using Eq. ( 4) which will be shown later in axis between cores. The absence of the ex-
Sec. III-4 In this figure, the standard-devia- citation leads to the disappearance of the
tion-to-mean ratio, except for a case of the spatial dependence. An experimental uncer-
simultaneous insertion of S4 and S5 rods, is tainty, which is scarcely dependent on the
degree of spatial coupling, is considered to
be responsible for the slight dependence of
this case. Above results and discussion are
expected to be applicable not only to a
coupled-core reactor but also to large thermal
and fast reactors, where the first-harmonics
is dominantly excited by a perturbation.
A method was proposed to infer the con-
sistent reactivity worth from space-dependent
(x)(10). The formula to obtainr the consistent
worth r0 is

=2/ r0{1/ r(x1)+1/r(x2)) ,( 2)

where r(x1)and r(x2) are the space-dependent

values, based on Eq. ( 1 ), from two counters
placed in symmetric locations x1 and x2 across
the zero locus of the first-harmonic eigen-
Fig. 2 Relation between standard-deviation-
to-mean ratio of r (x) and first- function. This formula was derived by
harmonic eigenvalue separation applying a modal-expansion technique to a
—18—
 Vol. 30, No. 10 (Oct. 1993) 985

transient flux, where l (static)-mode eigen- eigenvalue separation for three core separa-
functions in rod-dropped system were employ- tion distances. All the values of standard-
ed as the spatial expansion modes and the deviation-to-mean ratios decrease significantly
expansion terminated in first-harmonic mode. compared with those shown in Fig. 2, and
The calculated eigenvalue separations between the dependence on the eigenvalue separation
the fundamental and the second-harmonic completely disappears. The reduced values
mode in the present systems with the core of these ratios are in an equivalent level to
separation distances of 10 and 14 cm are 47.6 those induced by an experimental uncertainty.
and 47.0%Dk/k, while those of the first- Through the above results, the applicability
harmonic mode are 4.7 and 1.8 %Dk/k, respec- of Eq. ( 2) is confirmed.
tively. The two-mode (fundamental plus first-
harmonic modes) approximation is expected to
be valid since the eigenvalue separation of
the second-harmonic mode is large by about
one order of magnitude over that of the first
as mentioned above. The procedure of Eq.
( 2 ) is considered as a kind of averaging to
cancel out the first-harmonic contributions.
The consistent reactivity worth of simul-
taneously dropped C3 and S4 rods in the
system with the core separation of 14 cm is
shown in Table 2. Four BF3-counter-pairs
are taken into account to obtain the reactiv-
ity worth by combining the four BF3 counters.
Two fission-counter-pairs are also considered
by assuming the symmetric placement of these
counters. The reactivity worths extracted
from these counter-pairs are almost independ- Fig. 3 Relation between standard-deviation-
to-mean ratio of consistent rod worths
ent of the pairs ; the space-dependence in the
based on two-mode model and first-
measured worths disappears. The standard- harmonic eigenvalue separation
deviation-to-mean ratio is about one-fortieth
of that shown in Table 1. 2. Interaction Effect between
Control Rods
Table 2 Consistent reactivity worth based
on two-mode modelt1 (%Dk/k) Consider a two-rod interaction problem,
where two control rods (named rods 'a' and
b,', respectively) are inserted separately ' or
simultaneously. We define the interaction
effect between the two rods as follows :

nt—=rab-ra-rb,( dri3 )
where ra and rb are individual rod worths
for the separate insertion and rab, is the total
worth of simultaneously inserted rods.
Hashimoto et al.(11) developed a theoretical
expression for the interaction in the two-rod
problem. Their expression shows that the
magnitude of the rod interaction is inversely
Figure 3 shows the relation between the proportional to the first-harmonic eigenvalue
standard - deviation - to - mean ratio and the separation. Furthermore, it is expected that
— 19
986 J. Nucl. Sci, Technol.,

the interaction effect vanishes when a rod is effect between C3 and S4 rods, which are not
located on the zero locus of the first-harmonic placed across the locus, has negative sign.
eigenfunction and becomes more significant These experimental results are consistent
as an absolute value of the eigenfunction at with expectations based on the theoretical
a rod position increases, and that the sign of expression. From the viewpoint of reactor
the interaction effect changes between posi- operation and safety, it is noteworthy that
tive and negative according to a situation the magnitude of the interaction effect is
whether a rod pair is placed across the zero governed by such an integral parameter as
locus or not. the eigenvalue separation and that the sign
Figure 4 shows the dependence of the in- of this effect becomes not only negative
teraction effect between S4 and S5 rods and (interference) but also positive (enhancement)
that between C3 and S4 rods on the eigen- according to the relative rod-positions to the
value separation for three core separation zero locus.
distances. The individual rod worths and the 3. Transient Flux Tilt
simultaneously dropped two-rods worths re- After the rod drop, the neutron flux level
quired to evaluate the interaction are obtained decreases and the flux is redistributed spatial-
by averaging the consistent worths over the ly. The application of the one-point kinetic
all counter-pairs. In this figure, the magni- model to rod drop experiments assumes that
tude of the interaction is almost inversely the flux redistribution is essentially instanta-
proportional to the eigenvalue separation. The neous and the flux shape never changes. This
first-harmonic eigenfunction has an antisym- assumption is valid only in tightly-coupled
metric shape with respect to a zero locus on reactors. In spatially decoupled reactors, it
the symmetric axis between cores. The sign is expected that the flux reaches to its equi-
of the interaction effect between S4 and S5 librium distribution more slowly. Further-
rods, which are placed across the zero locus, more, dropping a rod or asymmetrically
is positive. On the contrary, the interaction located rods simultaneously, the equilibrium
distribution is significantly distorted. We
theoretically showed that the degree of the
distortion or the tilt produced by an asym-
metric perturbation is approximately governed
by the first-harmonic eigenvalue separation(9).
In this section, the validity of the above ex-
pectations is experimentally examined.
Figure 5 shows the ratio of count rates
from the two counters B1 and B3 as a func-

..)Cly1IU
Fig. 5 Change of count-rate ratio from two
Fig. 4 Relation between control rod interaction counters B1 and B3 as a function of
and first-harmonic eigenvalue separation time after a drop of S4 rod

— 20 —
 Vol. 30, No. 10 (Oct. 1993) 987

tion of time before and after the drop of S4

rod. In this figure, the count-rate ratio before
the rod drop is normalized to unity. As shown
in this figure, these ratios reach slowly to
new equilibrium values, and the time needed
to reach the asymptotic value becomes longer
as the core separation distance increases, in
other words, as the spatial coupling becomes
looser. The asymptotic values of all BF3-
counter-pairs are given in Table 3. As shown
in this table and in Fig. 5, the flux tilt in the
equilibrium distribution also becomes more
significant with increasing core separation
distance.

Table 3 Asymptotic count-rate-ratios

of counter-pairs after safety
rod S4 drop

Fig. 6 Relation between asymptotic

count-rate-ratio and first-har-
monic eigenvalue separation

The formula for the first-harmonic eigenvalue

separation (ES)1 is :

(ES)1=2/{1/r(x1)+1/r(x2)}
Figure 6 shows the dependence of the flux
tilt on the first-harmonic eigenvalue separation 1-g)/ I1/r(x1)-g/P(x2)} (4)
for three core separation distances. The where p(x,) and p(x2) are the space-dependent
asymptotic ratio of count rates in the figure values, based on Eq. ( 1 ), from two counters
was obtained by averaging the ratios over placed in symmetric locations x1 and x2, and
all BF3-counter-pairs used in the rod drop is the asymptotic value of the count-rate g
experiment. This figure indicates that the ratio between the two counters. This formula
asymptotic ratios decrease, in other words, was theoretically derived including the first-
the flux tilt becomes more significant, almost harmonic contributions on the basis of the
linearly with increasing the reciprocal value two-mode approximation, which was the same
of the eigenvalue separation. For the simul- as that assumed in the derivation of Eq. ( 2 ).
taneous drop of S4 and S5 rods symmetrically Equation ( 4 ) gives the eigenvalue separation
located, the ratios of count rates before and of a rod-dropped system, while it is desired
after the rod drop were nearly constant and to infer that of the system without the drop
the asymptotic ratios were close to unity in for a comparison with the calculated and
all the systems. This reason is that a simul- other experimental results. The calculated
taneous drop of rods located symmetrically eigenvalue separations of the rod-dropped and
can never excite the first-harmonics, which undropped systems with the core separation
has an antisymmetric eigenfunction. distance of 12 cm are 3.2 (S4- or S5-dropped
4. Eigenvalue Separation and system) and 2.9 %Dk/k, respectively. This dis-
Coupling Coefficient crepancy induces the systematic error inherent
A method was proposed to infer the eigen- in the present method. In the estimation of
value separation from space-dependent r(x)(10) the experimental errors, the contribution of
—21—
988 J. Nucl. Sci. Technol.,

the systematic error is nevertheless neglected ratio as the ratio approaches to unity. Such
since the error is smaller than the statistical a difficulty also occurs when the excitation
one. However, it should be noted that the of the first-harmonics is not sufficient enough
drop of many control rods might lead to the to separate distinctly the respective values
failure to infer the eigenvalue separation. In (x1) and r(x2) and to draw the count-rate
r
the above calculation, the group constants of ratio apart from unity. A drop of C3 rod
a control rod were adjusted so that the calcu- induces a less excitation of the harmonics,
lated rod worth coincided with the measured since the rod is located near the zero locus
one. of the harmonic eigenfunction compared with
Another technique was also developed to the other rod dropped.
determine the reactivity coupling coefficient Table 4 First-harmonic eigenvalue separation
of a zero-power, coupled-core system(23). The and coupling coefficient in system with
following formula for the coupling coefficient core separation of 14 cm (%Dk/k)
was derived on the basis of the Dtwo-point
kinetic model :
=1/ {1/ r(x1)-1/r(x2)}(
D 5)

where the location x1 is assigned to a rod-

dropped side and x2 to the opposite side of
respective cores. These locations are not
necessarily symmetrical in Eq. ( 5 ). The above
formulas are very simple and there is no need
for a theoretical correction. The two-mode
formula Eq. ( 4 ) is more general compared
with the two-point formula Eq. ( 5), and is
expected to be applicable even to large single-
core reactors.
In this study, the eigenvalue separation
and the coupling coefficient were obtained
using Eqs. ( 4 ) and ( 5 ), respectively. As the
asymptotic ratio r of Eq. ( 4 ), the values ob-
tained in the preceding section were used.
Table 4(a) and (b) give the eigenvalue sepa- The eigenvalue separations and the coupl-
ration and the coupling coefficient in the ing coefficients for three core separation dis-
system of the core separation of 14 cm. In tances are given in Table 5, accompanied by
these tables, an arithmetic average is taken the ratios of the former indicators to the
over the results of all counter-pairs. As latter ones. These values are obtained by
shown, these coupling parameters are only averaging over the four rod-drop patterns.
slightly dependent on rod drop patterns, ex- As shown in this table, both indicators de-
cept for the eigenvalue separation obtained crease with increasing core separation dis-
by C3 rod drop. The fault in the inconsistent tance. It is noteworthy that the ratio between
case, which is indicated also by a large the eigenvalue separation and the coupling
standard deviation, is due to the following coefficient of each system is approximately 2.
reason. It is hard to achieve good accuracy The experimental relationship between these
with Eq. ( 4 ), when the respective values indicators is consistent with the approximate
(x1) and r(x2) are close with each otherr and relation given by Kawai(24).
the count-rate ratio g is close to unity. Es- In Table 6, a comparison of the present
pecially, the resultant eigenvalue separation result with the values obtained by the coher-
becomes very sensitive to the count-rate ence function measurement(26), the Feynman

— 22
 Vol. 30, No. 10 (Oct. 1993) 989

Table 5 First-harmonic eigenvalue separations, coupling

coefficients (%Dk/k) and ratios of both values

method(25) and the three-dimensional diffusion The experimental error of the present tech-
calculation is shown. The present values nique is larger than those of the other meas-
agree with the other measured and the calcu- urements. However, the simplicity and the
lated ones within experimental error limits. generality of this method are favorable.

Table 6 Comparison of first-harmonic eigenvalue separations

of KUCA coupled-cores (%Dkk/k)

The calculated eigenvalue separations were previous investigations, the measured reac-
determined through the following eigenvalue tivity worths, based on the one-point kinetics,
calculations of the fundamental and the first- significantly depended on the positions of
harmonic modes. The first-harmonic eigen- neutron counters. Applying the two-mode
values were obtained by solving the three- kinetic model to these space-dependent worths,
dimensional, 10-energy group diffusion equa- the first-harmonic eigenvalue separation, which
tion in a half model of geometry, applying is an indication of spatial coupling, was in-
the zero flux boundary condition on the sym- ferred. The present values of the eigenvalue
metric plane (axis) between two cores to separation were consistent with the results of
simulate the zero-locus of the harmonic eigen- reactor noise measurements and those of the
function. On the other hand, the fundamental diffusion calculation.
eigenvalues were obtained by solving the As another indication, based on the two-
equation under the reflective boundary con- point kinetics, the reactivity coupling coeffi-
dition. The above diffusion calculations were cient was also extracted from the space-
executed by CITATION(26) and the group dependent data. The ratios between the
constants were generated by using the SRAC eigenvalue separation and the coupling coef-
system(27). ficient were approximately 2, which was con-
sistent with the approximate relation theore-
IV. CONCLUDING REMARKS tically derived. We attempted to infer the
Using the coupled-core reactor assemblies consistent reactivity worth on the basis of
with various degrees of spatial coupling con- the two-mode kinetic model. This inference
structed in the KUCA, a series of rod drop was successful and resulted in the disappear-
experiments were carried out to study the ance of the spatial dependence.
spatial kinetic phenomena including the spatial As a measure for the degree of the de-
dependence of rod worth, the reactivity inter- pendence of rod worth on the counter position,
action effect between rods and the transient we evaluated the standard-deviation-to-mean
flux tilt. As expected from the results of ratio of these worths. This ratio was in-

— 23 —
990 J. Nucl. Sci. Technol.,

versely proportional to the eigenvalue sepa- de Creys-Malville et son Evolution pour Super-
ration. The magnitude of the rod interaction phenix 2, IAEA-SM-284/20, (1985).
effect and the transient flux tilting induced (5) MCFARLANE, H. F., at al,: Nucl. Sci. Eng., 87,
204 (1984).
by a rod insertion were also governed by the
(6) BRUMBACH,S. B., at at. ibid., 98, 103 (1988).
same relationship. These experimental results (7) SANDA, T., at al.: Proc. Topical Mtg. Ad-
indicate that the first-harmonic eigenvalue vances in Mathematics, Computations, and Re-
separation can be employed as a quantitative actor Physics, Vol. II, 9 (1991).
indication of the spatial kinetics mentioned (8) MARCH-LEUBA, J., BLAKEMAN, E. D. : Proc. Int.
Reactor Physics Conf., Vol. IV, 465 (1988).
above. The results and the discussion in this
(9) HASHIMOTO, K., at al.: Ann. Nucl. Energy,
paper are expected to be applicable even to 18(3], 131 (1991).
large fast or thermal single-core reactors. (10) HASHIMOTO, K., at al.: ibid., 18(6], 317 (1991).
(11) HASHIMOTO, K., at al.: ibid., 19[4j, 237 (1992).
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS HASHIMOTO, K., at al.: Trans. Am. Nucl.(12) Soc.,
60, 635 (1989).
The present work was performed as a
(13) HASHIMOTO, K., at al.: J. Nucl. Sci. Technol.,
joint research program of the KUCA at the 28(11), 1019 (1991).
Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University. (14) HASHIMOTO, K., NISHINA, K.: J. At. Energy
The authors wish to thank the staffs of the Soc. Jpn., (in Japanese), 31(9], 1050 (1989).
idem: ibid., (in Japanese), 33(9), 882(15) (1991).
KUCA, above all Messrs. Keiji Kobayashi and
MOCHIZUKI, K., TAKEDA, A.: Nucl. Sci.(16) Eng.,
M. Hayashi, for their limitless help in the 7, 336 (1960).
experiment. We are grateful to Dr. K. Kanda (17) STACEY, Jr., W. M.: "Space-Time Nuclear Re-
of the Institute for his thoughtful arrange- actor Kinetics", (1969), Academic Press.
ment and encouragement during the series of (18) TAKEUCHI, H., at al.: Annu. Rep. Res. Reac-
tor Inst., Kyoto Univ., 11, 1 (1978).
experiments. We also express our gratitude
(19) SAGANE, T., SHIBATA, T.: Light-water moder-
to Messrs. M. Ando and K. Ijima of Nagoya ator core of Kyoto University Critical Assembly,
University for their assistance in the measure- KURRI-TR-178, (in Japanese), (1978).
ment and the analysis. We appreciate Dr. K. (20) HAYASHI, M. : Annu. Rep. Res. Reactor Inst.,
Shirakata of Japan Atomic Power Co. and Kyoto Univ., 12, 174 (1979).
Dr. T. Takeda of Osaka University for their (21) WAKAMATSU, S., NISHINA, K., HASHIMOTO,K.:
J. At. Energy Soc. Jpn., (in Japanese), 22(12],
profitable discussion on the spatial decoupling. 860 (1980).
A part of this work was supported by the (22) HOGAN, W. S. : Nucl. Sci. Eng., 8, 518 (1960).
science research promotion fund from Japan (23) HASHIMOTO, K., at al.: Ann. Nucl. Energy,
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