Point Kinetics Reactivity

This model assumes nonlinear feedback from the moderator density and fuel temperature changes. It also assumes linear feedback from the moderator and fuel temperature changes. The reactivity equation is
$$r(t)=\sum_{i=1}^{n_s}r_{si}(t)+\sum_{i=1}^{n_p}[W_{\rho i}R_\rho(\rho_i(t))a_{Mi}\Delta T_{Mi}(t)]\sum^{n_f}_{i=1}[W_{Fi}R_F(T_{Fi}(t))+a_{Fi}\Delta T_{Fi}(t)]$$ Where \(r_{si}(t)\) is a table of reactivity curves, \(R_\rho\) is a table of reactivity as a function of moderator density of the fluid \(\rho_i(t)\). \(W_{\rho i}\) is the density volume weighting factor, \(\Delta T_{Mi}(t)\) is the spatially-averaged temperature of the moderator fluid, \(a_{Mi}\) is the volume fluid temperature coefficient, \(\eta_p\) is the number of thermal fluid volumes in the reactor core, \(R_F\) is a table of the doppler reactivity as a function of the heat structure volume average fuel temperature \(T_{Fi}(t)\). \(\Delta T_{FI}(t)\) is the difference of the volume average fuel temperature, \(W_{Fi}\) and \(a_{Fi}\) are the fuel temperature and heat structure weighting factor, and the heat structure fuel temperature coefficient, and \(\eta_F\) is the number of fuel volumes in the reactor core. Next we use the conservation equations for mass, energy, and momentum in a pipe.
$$\begin{matrix}
\frac{\partial \rho}{\partial t}+\frac{\partial \rho u}{\partial x}=0 \\
\frac{\partial \rho u}{\partial t}+\frac{\partial (\rho u^2+P)}{\partial x} + f\frac{\rho}{2D_h}u|u|=\rho g_x=0 \\
\frac{\partial\rho E}{\partial t}+\frac{\partial(\rho u(E+\frac{P}{\rho}))}{\partial x} +h_wa_w(T_m-T_w)+u(f\frac{\rho}{2D_h}u|u|-\rho g_x)+q_m^{”’}=0
\end{matrix}$$
Where \(\rho\) is the density, \(\rho u\) is the momentum, and \(\rho E\) is the total energy. P is the pressure, \(D_h\) is the hydraulic diameter of the pipe, \(f\) is the wall friction factor, \(g_x\) is the gravity component in the pipe. \(h_w\) is the heat transfer coefficient. \(a_w\) is the heating wall area density per unit of fluid volume. \(T_w\) is the wall temperature, and \(T_m\) is the fluid temperature, and \(q^{”’}_M\) is the external heat source. \(q_M^{”’}\) is the energy deposited into the thermal fluids in the reactor.

[[Equation for fuel temperature feedback]]
[[TRIGA Mk 2 Reactivity]] – similar equation

  • zhangPOINTKINETICSCALCULATIONS2013