Six Factor Formula

(Reactor Physics)
Presented by:
Seraj ul Haq, PE
Contents
Revision
Fast Neutrons, Thermal Neutrons?
Fission?
Fast, Thermal
Cross-section?
Resonance? Resonance Peaks?
Probability?
Sun will set today: Probability =? [0, +0.x, >1]

Multiplication Factor k
k =
k < 1, Dieing reaction
k = 1, Sustained reaction
k > 1, Increasing (uncontrollable?) reaction
k = 0 (??), k < 0 (???)
Neutron production from fission in one generation
Neutron absorption in the preceding generation
Fast Fission Factor, c
c =
Cross section of fast fission is small
Also effected by fuel and Mod arrangement
Normally 1 in homo, b/c fuel atoms surrounded by mod
1.03 in hetro
T, P, Enrichment, poisons effect ???

Number of fast neutrons produced by all fissions
Number of fast neutrons produced by thermal fissions
Resonance Escape Probability, p
p =
Number of fast neutrons that reach thermal energy
Number of fast neutrons that start slow down
Resonance range for U-238 is 6 eV 200 eV
In homo, p is small compared to hetro (why ?)
p mainly effected by fuel temp due to Doppler effect (?), mod temp
due to change in density (?)
Will poison effect?
Thermal Utilization Factor, f
f =
Effected by change in T, not directly but due to moderator inventory
(How?)
Poison (How?), Enrichment (?)
Value always < 1 (?)

Number of thermal neutrons absorbed in fuel
Number of thermal neutrons absorbed in all Rx materials
p
a
m
a
U
a
U
a
p p p
a
m m m
a
U U U
a
U U U
a
V V V
V
E + E + E
E
~
E + E + E
E
=
| | |
|
p
Reproduction Factor, q
q =
Number of fast neutrons produced by all fissions
Number of fast neutrons produced by thermal fissions
Will Temp effect (How?)
Poison (How?), Enrichment (?)
Value always < 1 (?)
238 238 235 235
235 235 235

a a
f
U U
a
U U
f
N N
N
o o
v o
|
v |
+
=
E
E
=
Single nucleus
Multiplication Factor k
k =
Supposed all neutrons remain within the assembly
Neutron production from fission in one generation
Neutron absorption in the preceding generation
f p k =
Four factor formula
Effective Multiplication Factor
kef =
Neutron production from fission in one generation
Neutron absorption in the
preceding generation
Will Four factor formula work?
Neutron Leaked in the
preceding generation
+
Neutron production from fission in one generation
Neutron production from all fissions in preceding generation (?)
kef =
Fast Non-Leakage Probability, L
f

L =
Number of fast neutrons that do not leak off from the Rx
Number of fast neutrons produced by all fissions
Always less than 1 in practical Rx?
Will Temp. effect?
Will Geometry effect
f
Thermal Non-Leakage Probability, L
t

L =
Number of thermal neutrons that do not leak off from the Rx
Number of neutrons that reach thermal energies
Always less than 1 in practical Rx?
Will Temp. effect?
Will Geometry effect
t
Effective Multiplication Factor
k =
Neutron production from fission in one generation
Neutron absorption in the preceding generation
t f
L L f p k =
Six factor formula
eff
eff
Neutrons in the n
th
Generation
Knowing the value of K
eff
, we can find


Where
N
n
neutrons in n
th
generation
N
0
neutrons in first

generation



n
eff 0 n
) (k N N =
Critical, Sub/Super Critical
If K
eff
= 1, Rx is Critical
Can be critical at any power value
Remember, power doesn't depend upon k
For K
eff
< 1, Rx is Sub-Critical
For K
eff
> 1, Rx is Super-Critical
How can we increase or decrease K
eff
of a
practical reactor? Think!

S
i
x

F
a
c
t
o
r

F
o
r
m
u
l
a

(
E
x
p
l
a
n
a
t
i
o
n
)

N
O
cpL
f

100 THERMAL
NEUTRONS LEAK
OUT FROM THE
CORE
180
NEUTRONS
ABSORBED
BY
RESONAN
CE PEAKS
FAST
FISSION

c = 1.04
FAST
NON-
LEAKAGE
L
f
= 0.865
RESONAN
CE
ESCAPE

p = 0.80
THERAM
NON-
LEAKAGE

L
t
= 0.881
THERMA
UTILIZATIO
N

f = 0.799

REPRODUCATI
ON

q = 2.02
1000 NEUTRONS AT START OF
GENERATION
NET INCREASE OF
40 NEUTRONS
FROM FAST
FISSION
N
O

N
O
c
1040
NEUTRONS
140 FAST NEUTRONS LEAK OUT
FROM THE CORE
900
NEUTRONS
N
O
cL
f

720
NEUTRONS
620
NEUTRONS
N
O
cpL
f
L
t

120 NEUTRONS ABSORBED IN
NON FUEL
495
NEUTRONS
N
O
cpL
f
L
t
fq
NET INCREASE OF 505
NEUTRONS FROM
THERMAL FISSION
1000 NEUTRONS
k N
O

Reactivity,
The gain or loss in neutron population (N
0
k
eff
N
0
),
expressed as a fraction of the present generation (N
0
k
eff
)






Fractional variation of k
eff
from 1
eff 0
0 eff 0
k N
N k N
=
eff
eff
k
1 k
=
Reactivity,
Reactivity () could be 0,
>0 or <0
When?
Can you correlate it to
criticality?
What should be when
the Rx is 10, 50, 100%
power?
eff
eff
k
1 k
=
Units of Reactivity,
A friction; dimensionless
Can be expressed as simple
fraction, percent
Some times expressed as
pcm (Percent milli) = 10
-5

Dollar ($) [reactivity when Rx is
prompt critical; = | ~ 0.0068
k
1 k
=
k
k A
=
k
k A
For Tomorrow
1. Reactivity Coefficients
Thank you for your attention