Mechanisms of positive temperature reactivity coefficients of dilute plutonium solutions

Yamamoto, Toshihiro; Miyoshi, Yoshinori

Nuclear Science and Engineering, 142(3), p.305 - 314, 2002/11

https://doi.org/10.13182/NSE02-A2309

Mechanisms of a positive temperature reactivity coefficient that occurs in a dilute plutonium solution are investigated based on the perturbation theory and the four-factor formula. The temperature coefficient of a solution fuel is positive if the adjoint flux or f between 0.05eV and 0.2eV increases with neutron energy. As compared to Pu-239, Pu-241 has a tendency to make the temperature coefficient of a plutonium solution. As Pu-241 in a plutonium solution decays into Am-241 with time, the temperature coefficient becomes more positive. Since the capture cross sections of most neutron absorbers such as boron and gadolinium decreases with increasing neutron energy, soluble absorbers make the temperature coefficient positive for higher concentration plutonium solution. Cadmium and samarium solved in a dilute plutonium solution exceptionally can keep the temperature coefficient. A fixed neutron absorber generally makes the temperature coefficient negative regardless of the property of absorber materials.