Finite element solution of a three-dimensional nonlinear reactor dynamics problem with feedback

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Author
Bermudes, Eulogio Conception
Date
1976-12Advisor
Salinas, D.
Nguyen, D.H.
Second Reader
Franke, Richard
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This work examines the three-dimensional dynamic response
of a nonlinear fast reactor with temperature-dependent feedback
and delayed neutrons when subjected to uniform and local
disturbances. The finite element method was employed to reduce
the partial differential reactor equation to a system of
ordinary differential equations which can be numerically integrated.
A program for the numerical solution of large
sparse systems of stiff differential equations developed by
Franke and based on Gear's method solved the reduced neutron
dynamics equation. Although a study of convergence by refining
element mesh sizes was not carried out, the crude finite
element mesh utilized yielded the correct trend of neutron
dynamic behavior.