Abstract
The point kinetics equations were incorporated into QUANDRY, a nuclear reactor analysis computer program which uses the analytic nodal method to solve the neutron diffusion equation. Both the point kinetics equations, solved using the IMSL MATH/LIBRARY subroutine DIVPAG, and the analytic nodal method were coupled to the WIGL thermal-hydraulic model. The Langenbuch-Maurer-Werner (LMW) model was adapted for use as a test core. The QUANDRY model was used to generate point kinetics parameters. equations. The two neutronics methods were then compared for a range of typical transients encountered in a light water nuclear reactor core. The temperature reactivity coefficients found for the modified LMW core and used with point kinetics were shown to be grossly inaccurate, but the rod worth curve generated using QUANDRY only slightly overestimated the amount of reactivity inserted by rod movement. While the small rod worth errors caused point kinetics to give poor approximations for high rates of reactivity insertions of over one dollar, these large amounts and insertion rates are well above those found during most operational transients in commercial reactors.
Velasquez, Arthur (1993). A comparison of the point kinetics equations with the QUANDRY analytic nodal diffusion method. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /ETD -TAMU -1993 -THESIS -V434.