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Rod Drop Method

rod drop method - chartThe rod drop method belongs to a group of reactivity perturbation methods. This method is based on the study of the transient response of the reactor to a rapid insertion of high negative reactivity. This rapid reactivity insertion is usually performed by dropping the reactor control rods when the reactor is in a critical state. In this case, the reactivity inserted can be determined from the measurement of the prompt drop.

As was described in the Prompt Jump Approximation, the response of a neutron detector (n1 ➝ n2) immediately after a control rod is dropped into a critical reactor (ρ1 = 0) is related by:

rod drop - prompt drop

which allows the determination of the reactivity worth of the rod. The rod drop method is advantageous because it is very quick to perform and requires no extra equipment. Moreover, it can easily and safely measure large amounts of reactivity. On the other hand, the rod drop method is usually associated with reactor shutdown and subsequent reactor startup. Also, the rod drop time is not instantaneous as is theoretically assumed, therefore limiting the method’s accuracy. In PWRs, the drop time of all control rods is usually about 2 – 4 seconds.

This method is widely used to determine the worth of all control rods (i.e., of an emergency shutdown system). This method can also be used to determine the parameters of delayed neutrons, and these data can be obtained by decomposition of neutron flux coastdown.

A more accurate method is, for example, in:

Moore, K. V. Shutdown Reactivity by the Modified Rod Drop Method, USAEC Report ID0-16948, 1964.

 
References:
Nuclear and Reactor Physics:
  1. J. R. Lamarsh, Introduction to Nuclear Reactor Theory, 2nd ed., Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA (1983).
  2. J. R. Lamarsh, A. J. Baratta, Introduction to Nuclear Engineering, 3d ed., Prentice-Hall, 2001, ISBN: 0-201-82498-1.
  3. W. M. Stacey, Nuclear Reactor Physics, John Wiley & Sons, 2001, ISBN: 0- 471-39127-1.
  4. Glasstone, Sesonske. Nuclear Reactor Engineering: Reactor Systems Engineering, Springer; 4th edition, 1994, ISBN: 978-0412985317
  5. W.S.C. Williams. Nuclear and Particle Physics. Clarendon Press; 1 edition, 1991, ISBN: 978-0198520467
  6. G.R.Keepin. Physics of Nuclear Kinetics. Addison-Wesley Pub. Co; 1st edition, 1965
  7. Robert Reed Burn, Introduction to Nuclear Reactor Operation, 1988.
  8. U.S. Department of Energy, Nuclear Physics and Reactor Theory. DOE Fundamentals Handbook, Volume 1 and 2. January 1993.

Advanced Reactor Physics:

  1. K. O. Ott, W. A. Bezella, Introductory Nuclear Reactor Statics, American Nuclear Society, Revised edition (1989), 1989, ISBN: 0-894-48033-2.
  2. K. O. Ott, R. J. Neuhold, Introductory Nuclear Reactor Dynamics, American Nuclear Society, 1985, ISBN: 0-894-48029-4.
  3. D. L. Hetrick, Dynamics of Nuclear Reactors, American Nuclear Society, 1993, ISBN: 0-894-48453-2. 
  4. E. E. Lewis, W. F. Miller, Computational Methods of Neutron Transport, American Nuclear Society, 1993, ISBN: 0-894-48452-4.

See above:

Reactor Dynamics