Properties of Neutron Noise Induced by Localized Perturbations in an SFR

Abstract

Investigation of the properties of neutron noise induced by localized perturbations in a sodium-cooled fast reactor has been performed using a multigroup neutron noise simulator. Three representations of the noise source associated with the perturbations of absorption, fission, and scattering cross sections, respectively, were assumed to be located at the first fuel ring around the central assembly. The energy- and space-dependent noise, that is, the amplitude and the phase, was calculated in a wide range of frequencies, for example, 0.1–100 Hz. The results show that in the important energy range (>1.0 keV) where the noise amplitude is significant the phase is almost constant with energy at the calculated frequencies despite the source types. At low frequencies, the variation of the phase is negligibly small at a large distance from the source. The perturbation in several fast groups has a significant contribution and dominates the amplitude and the phase of the induced noise.