STATISTICAL TREATMENT OF HOT CHANNEL FACTORS FOR COMPACT REACTORS
The theoretical development, statistical treatment, and application of hot channel factors in compact SNAP reactors as represented by the SNAP 8 experimental core loading are presented. The channel and rod power effects of variation in the concentrations of uranium, hydrogen, and poison in the fuel rods are given. The statistical distributions of all variables are examined. A random selection of rods and channels is compared to the actual SNAP 8 configuration, with no difference noted. Confidence limits are set on hot rod and hot channel factors. Various other factors and aspects of the problem are discussed. The results of the study showed that the hot channel factors may be reduced to less than +2% over the nominal power, as opposed to a hot channel factor of about +10% as previously determined by empirical methods. (auth)
In this paper, by using the coefficient mapping from plant to GPC closed-loop system in the IMC structure, the stability conditions for closed-loop system with respect to selection of tuning parameters are derived. Furthermore, some simple conditions described by step response coefficients for tuning parameters which guarantee the stability of the closed-loop system are also obtained.