"Introduction to Nuclear Reactor Kinetics" by
Daniel Rozon (Ecole Polytechnique) Translated by Benjamin Rouben
(AECL), Polytechnic International Press, Montreal, 1998, ISBN
2-553-007000-0, price C$ 78, US$ 54. An order form for the book
can be found on the internet at http://www.polymtl.ca/pub.
This is a new English translation of Daniel Rozon's 1992 book "Introduction à la cinétique des réacteurs nucléaires." The content is essentially unchanged from the original French version but the availability of the book in English should encourage its wider use.
The first three chapters provide the required background and set
up the basic equations.
1. Neutron-nucleus interactions and fission including various types of neutron-nucleus interactions, fission, production of neutrons and delayed neutron groups.
2. Diffusion equation and the steady state including the : neutron balance in a reactor, the diffusion equation, time-independent diffusion equation and the eigenvalue problem, perturbation theory and the adjoint flux
3. Point-kinetics equations covering their general formulation,
common formulations of the point-kinetics equations, point model
and interpretation of the kinetics parameters, and integral formulation
of the equations.
The remaining chapters examine various solutions to the kinetics
equations including practical examples of interest to the CANDU.
4. Elementary solutions of the kinetics equations including initial steady state and source, response to reactivity step with a single group of delayed neutrons, generalization to several delayed-neutron groups, response to a unit neutron pulse and to changes in the external source
5. Approximate So1utions including ramps and periodic variations, approximations for the delayed-neutron source small-amplitude approximation (linearization), prompt-jump approximation, reactivity ramps and log-rate protection, prompt kinetics approximation, and periodic variations of reactivity
6. Temperature and Void Feedback in CANDU: thermal power and neutronic power, feedback effects, temperature reactivity coefficient, reactivity effect of voiding and calculation of fuel temperature
7. Numerical Solutions with Temperature Feedback: numerical methods for point kinetics
equations, temperature feedback effects on power in CANDU, implications
for control and safety and prompt kinetics with feedback (Nordheim-Fuchs
model) .
8. Space Time Kinetics: general problem of reactor dynamics,
energy-space time approaches, factorization methods, modal synthesis
and neutronic coupling, and space-time effects.
In addition, there are two appendices of considerable practical interest:
Overall this is an excellent monograph that can used be used as the basis for a senior undergraduate or graduate course in nuclear engineering. As one of the very books in the field containing substantial material on CANDU, it is particularly welcome to the Canadian nuclear community.