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Measurement of Eigenvalue Separation in Coupled-Core Systems using Optical Fiber with Scintillator

Unesaki, H
Instructor and professor,Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University,

Shiroya, S
Instructor and professor,Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University,

Hashimoto, K
Associate professor and instructor,Atomic Energy Research Institute, Kinki University,

Horiguchi, T
Associate professor and instructor,Atomic Energy Research Institute, Kinki University,

Takeda, T
Professor, associate professor and instructor,Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University,

Yamamoto, T
Professor, associate professor and instructor,Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University,

Kitada, T
Professor, associate professor and instructor,Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University,

Aizawa, O
Professor,Musashi Institute of Technology,

Yamamoto, J
Associate professor,Setsunan University,

Pages: 8    Published: Jan 2001

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Source: STP1398-EB

Abstract

The first-harmonic eigenvalue separation of loosely coupled cores constructed at the light-water moderated/reflected core in the Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA) have been measured using optical fiber with scintillator. The method is based on the measurement of flux tilt introduced by the asymmetric insertion of control rod in the two coupled core halves. The use of the optical fiber detector enabled the rapid flux tilt measurement compared to the conventional activation wire method. The measured eigenvalue separation showed excellent agreement with the results of the rod drop and Feynman-α measurements. The flux tilt method gave the smallest experimental error, and is applicable to a less loosely coupled system with a larger eigenvalue separation, where the conventional Feynman-α method is hardly applicable.

Keywords:
first-harmonic eigenvalue separation, coupled core, flux tilt, optical fiber, scintillator, KUCA

Paper ID: STP13655S
Committee/Subcommittee: E10.08
DOI: 10.1520/STP13655S
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