M8A1: Final Exam

1. Calculate the average atomic mass of the following mixture of

elements using the Chart of The Nuclides:
Element
Percentage
Cu-63
69.15%
Cu-65
30.85%
Atomic mass= 63M 63+ 65M 65
Atomic mass=( 69.15 ) ( 62.9298 amu )+(30.85 )(64.9278 amu)
Atomic mass=63.546 amu

2. Calculate the energy equivalent of mass defect of a U-234 atom

m=[ Z ( m p+ me ) + ( AZ ) mn ]matom
m=[ 92 ( 1.007277 amu +0.000548597 amu )+ ( 23492 ) 1.008665 amu ]234.041 amu
m=1.909 amu
3. Identify the following elements from the given information. Include the
number of protons, neutrons, and atomic number.

10
5

232
92

(U)

Protons

Neutrons

Atomic Number

Element

Boron (B)

92

140

92

Uranium

4. Using Chart of Nuclides identify the following (N/A where not

applicable)
Half-life
Abundance (%)
Mode of Decay
Er-162

N/A

Sm-151

90 yr

0.139%
N/A

N/A
-

5. If 2.5 MBq Sr-90 is needed for a diagnostic test, and if 7 days elapse
between shipment of radioiodine and its use in the test, how many Bq
must be shipped? To how many Ci does this correspond?
0.693
t1 =

2
=

0.693
28.9 yr

=.02398 yr

A= A 0 et

A 0=
A 0=

A
e t
2.5 MBq
.02398/3657 day

A 0=2.512 MBq
MBq1Ci
6
10 Bq
10
3.710 Bq
6
10 Ci
1 MBq
11
2.512
=6.78910 Ci
1 Ci

6. Using the tables, determine:

a. The energy released in the fission reaction:

n+235U 85 Rb +148Cs +3 n
BE=BE products BE react

( BERb85 +BECs148) ( BEU 235 )

( 858.8 MeV +1488.3 MeV )2357.6 MeV
BE=190.4 MeV

b. The instantaneous energy (Einst) in MeV

Mass Difference=Mass ReactantsMass products
U +1 n=( 235.043924 amu+1.008665 amu )=235
92 236.052 amu

148
Rb+ 85
37 55 Cs+3 n =84.9117893 amu +147.9488995 amu+3.02599 amu=235.8867 amu

Mass Diff =236.052 amu235.8867 amu=0.1653 amu

Einst =0.1653 amu

( 931.5amuMeV )

Einst =153.977 MeV

7. Assuming that neutrons are in thermal equilibrium with their
surroundings, determine the most probable velocities at 250F.
v p=

2 kT
m

21.381016523
1 m
1.661 024
v p=
100 cm
Vp = 2948.84 m/sec
8. Determine kef when reactivity is equal to -22.4 * 10-4 k/k.

k eff =
eff =

1
1
1
1(22.4104 ) =.9978

9. Determine reactivity defect that occurs from temp increase of 16C in

a prototype reactor, assuming moderator coefficient for the reactor is
-44pcm/F.

= T T = 44

pcm
60.8
(16 )
=2675.2 pcm

16

10.
New type of reactor is being tested. Number of neutrons in core
is 2715 at t =0 seconds. Determine the number of neutrons after 75
generations assuming that kef = 1.0200.
n

N 75=N 0 (k eff )

N 75=2715 neutrons (1.0200)75=11988 neutrons

11.

Using curves determine reactivity:

a. From 5 out to 15 using integral rod worth.

=f 0=60 pcm10 pcm=50 pcm

b. From 30 to 20 using diferential rod worth.

Using central value of rod position at 25 yields average rod
worth of 3pcm/in. Multiplying by 10in of rod travel yields:
3 pcm
1030 pcm

12.
Test is being performed. Reactor has neutron source that
produces 8.52*104 n/s. determine the total neutron production rate in
the reactor when kef = 0.999.

N=S

)(

)(

1
8.5210 n
1
=
=8.52107 n/ sec
1k eff
sec
10.999

13.
Neutron monitoring indicates count rate of 41 cps and reactivity
is -823pcm. Determine what neutron level will be after positive
reactivity insertion of 400pcm .
1
1
k eff =
=
=.9918
a.
11 10.00823
1
1
=
=.9958
12 10.00423

b.

k eff =

c.

CR 1 1k 2
=
CR 2 1k 1

CR 2=CR 1

1k 1
1.9918
=41 cps
=80.05 cps
1k 2
1.9958

( )

14.
A reactor has a ef of 0.235 sec-1 and an efective delayed
neutron fraction of 0.00655. If kef is equal to 0.9999, what are the
stable reactor period and the SUR?
=

k eff 1
k eff

0.99991
k
=0.00 0 1
0.9999
k

eff
eff

0.006550.00 01
=274.468 sec
( 0.2 3 5 ) 0.00 0 1

SUR =

26.06

SUR =

26.06
=0.0949 DPM
19.618

15.
A reactor critical at 125 watts has 150 pcm of positive reactivity
inserted. ef for the reactor is 0.064 sec-1 and the efective delayed
neutron fraction is 0.00711.
a. Calculate the steady state period and SUR.
=

eff
eff

0.00711(.00150)
=58.44 sec
0.064(.00150)

SUR =

26.06
26.06
=
=.4459 DPM

135.105
b. Calculate the power level 7 minutes after the reactivity insertion.
P=P0 10

SURt

P=125 W 10. 44597=1.65105 Watts

16.
Reactor has power level of 200 watts and doubling time of 2.1
minutes. What is the reactor power level 13 minutes later?

P=P0 (2)

t
Dt

P=200 W 2(1 3 /2.1) =1. 46 x 104 Watts

17.
What variables is the amount of decay heat dependent on?
Pre-shutdown power level, how long the reactor operated, amount of
time since shutdown.
18.
Definition of shutdown margin.
Instantaneous amount of reactivity by which a reactor is subcritical or
would be subcritical from its present condition assuming all control

rods are fully inserted except for the single rod with the highest
integral worth, which is assumed to be fully withdrawn.
19.For the experimentally determined rod worth data below, construct
diferential and integral rod worth curves.
Interval (in)
0-2
2-4
4-6
6-8
8-10
10-12
12-14
14-16

Reactivity Inserted (pcm)

11
25
63
91
91
63
25
11

Integral Rod Worth

400
350
300
250

Integral Rod Worth (pcm)

200
150
100
50
0

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Rod Withdrawal (in)

Diferential Rod Worth

100
90
80
70
60

Diferential Rod Worth (pcm/in)

50
40
30
20
10
0

Rod Withdrawal (in)

20.
Given data construct a 1/M plot and estimate the rod position
when criticality would occur. Initial rate is 17 cps.
Rod Withdrawal (in)
0
1
3
5
7
9
12

Count Rate (cps)

17
41
49
61
88
140
650

CR0/CR
1
0.4146
0.3469
0.2787
0.1932
0.1214
0.0262

1/M
1.2
1
0.8
1/M

0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0

10

11

12

13

14

Rod Withdrawal (in)

Estimate is 12.5 inches

21.
Variables involved in reactivity balance?
the basic reactivity of the core and the reactivity efects of
temperature, direct xenon, and indirect xenon
22.
750,000 neutrons exist at the beginning of a generation. The
values for each factor of the six factor formula are listed below.
Calculate the number of neutrons that exist at the points in the
neutron life cycle listed below.
Number of neutrons that exist after fast fission.
N= N0 = 764,250
Number of neutrons that start to slow down in the reactor.
N= N0 Lf= 651,905
Number of neutrons that reach thermal energies.
N= N0 Lf p= 537,821
Number of thermal neutrons that are absorbed in the reactor.
N= N0 Lf pLt= 493,182
Number of thermal neutrons absorbed in the fuel
N= N0 Lf pLt f= 418,712
Number of thermal neutrons produced from thermal fission.

15

N= N0 L_f pL_t f= 834,493

= 1.019
p = 0.825

Zf = 0.853 f = 0.849
Zt =0.917 = 1.993