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Instead of the vector variable v, it is often more convenient to use the scalar variable E
and a two-dimensional vector , so that v = (vx, vy, vz) (v, , ) ( E , , ) .
Correspondingly, d 3v = v 2 dvd , with d = sin d d . Then we have
n( r , v, t ) d 3 rd 3v n( r , E , , t ) d 3 rdEd = expected no. neutrons in d r about r
about at time t.
= Gains - Losses
(8.1)
4
V , ',E '
S (r , E, ,t )d rdEd t
3
(8.2)
where f(E) is the fission spectrum, ( r , E, ,t) n( r , E, , t )v is the neutron flux, and S is
the external source distribution.
(2) Scattering
(8.3)
V , E ', '
where F ( E ' ' E)dEd = conditional probability that given a neutron scattered at
(E', '), its energy will be in dE about E and its direction will be in d about .
For losses there are also two terms, one for collisions and the other convective flow.
(3) Collisions
( E ) (r , E,,t )d rdEd t
3
d r (r , E, , t )dEd t
3
(8.4)
d s F = d r F ,
3
has been applied. Putting together the gains and losses, dividing by t , and taking the
limit of t 0 , we can write the balance, Eq. (8.1), as [ ] = 0 . Since V can be any
V
arbitrary part of the system, the integrand [ ] must vanish identically if the integral is to
vanish for any V. Thus,
n(r , E , , t) f ( E )
=
dE ' d ' f (E ') (r , E ', ', t) + S (r , E, , t)
t
4 E ','
(8.5)
E ', '
vn(r , E, , t )d
(8.6)
(8.7)
n (r , E, , t )dEd tdA
(8.8)
n 0
or,
J + (r , E , t ) =
n (r , E, , t )d
(8.9)
n 0
( n ) (r , E, , t )d
(8.10)
n 0
(8.11)
(8.12)
(8.13)
where we have used (8.6). This equation describes the distribution of neutrons in
configuration space and energy. It is not a closed equation in that it involves two
unknown quantities, the neutron flux and the net current. To take another step in
simplification, one commonly makes the approximation that the current is related to the
flux by the Fick's law of diffusion,
J = D
(8.14)
which then leads to the diffusion equation for a multiplifying system in steady state,
(8.15)
This is the energy-dependent diffusion equation, still not the simplest diffusion equation
one can solve. Since this equation also treats the process of neutron energy moderation
(neutron slowing down), further reductions can be considered.
At this stage one can go in two directions of simplification. One is to get rid of
the energy dependence by integrating over E. The result is then the problem of neutron
diffusion
D 2 ( r ) + [ f a ] (r) = 0
(8.16)
where we are using the overhead bar denotes two kinds of energy-integrated quantities,
an effective flux averaged cross section and the integrated flux
=
dE( E ) (r , E)
dE (r , E )
and
( r ) = (r , E )dE
(8.17)
This is the starting point for the discussion of neutron diffusion. For simplicity we will
not bother to write out explicitly the overhead bar, but the origin of (8.16) should be kept
in mind. We will return to consider the different solutions to this equation, including the
treatment of boundary conditions. Notice that (8.16) is still a balance relation - the
difference between what flows into and out of a volume element (by diffusion) is
balanced by the difference between production and absorption in the volume element.
The other simplification of (8.15) is to get rid of the spatial dependence by integrating
over the volume of the system. The first term in (8.15) then vanishes because the integral
gives
D (r , E )d
2
r = D J (r , E )d 3 r = D J (r , E ) d S
V
which is proportional to the current integrated over the surface of the system. The latter
is taken to be zero for large (infinite) systems. The remaining terms in (8.15) become
(8.18)
where we continue to use the same symbol for the spatially integrated flux,
( E ) = (r , E)d 3r
(8.19)
Eq.(8.18) is the starting point for the discussion of neutron slowing down. This, too, is a
balance in energy space - the loss of neutrons at energy E by all kinds of interactions,
represented by t , is balanced by gains from neutrons produced directly from fission and
neutrons which scatter into energy E from some other energy. We will discuss the
various solutions to (8.18) in the next lecture.
In addition to (9.16) and (9.18) two other equations can be derived from the
transport equation, (9.5). Suppose we assume that all neutrons can have only energy, Eo.
This is tantamount to setting the following,
( r , E, ) = ( r , ) (E Eo )
F ( E ' ' E , ) = F ( ' ) (E Eo )
(8.20)
(8.21)
f ( E ) = (E Eo )
(8.22)
( E ) = , a constant
(8.23)
Here ( x) is the Dirac delta function - it is zero everywhere except at the point where its
argument vanishes, and there its value is infinite (the integral of the delta function is unity
provided the point where it is infinite lies within the range of integration). Some
properties of ( x) are:
a +
( x a)dx = 1 ,
a +
f ( x) ( x a)dx = f (a)
(8.24)
( x) = (x) ,
x ( x) = 0 ,
1
a
(ax) = (x)
(8.25)
Inserting (8.20) - (8.23) into the transport equation (8.5) and integrating over E, we get
[t + ] (r , ) =
f
4
'
(8.26)
'
+ sin cos
+ sin sin
x
y
z
(8.27)
[ + t ] ( x, ) = 2
x
2
where
(8.28)
( x, ) = dydz d (xyz )
(8.29)
2l +1
l (x) Pl ( )
2
l=0
( x, ) =
(8.30)
2l +1
Fl Pl ( o )
2
l=0
F ( o ) =
(8.31)
where Pl ( ) is the lth order Legendre polynomial. This expansion leads to an infinite
set of coupled equations for the functions
1
l ( x) = d Pl ( ) (x, )
(8.32)
Fl = d Pl ( ) F ( )
(8.33)
(8.34)
2 d2 (x) 1 do ( x)
+
+ t1 ( x) = s F11 ( x)
3 dx
3 dx
(8.35)
If somehow we are justified in ignoring the term containing 2 ( x) , then we would have a
closed set of equations in which we can solve for the flux coefficients, o and 1 ,
d1 ( x)
+ (t s Fo )o ( x) = So ( x)
dx
(8.36)
1 do ( x )
+ (t s F1 )1 (x) = 0
3 dx
(8.37)
Fo = d F ( ) = 1
(particle conservation)
(8.38)
F1 = d F ( ) =< >
(8.39)
1 ( x) = [t s < >]1
do ( x )
dx
(8.40)
where 0 and 1 are the neutron flux distribution in position space (position flux) and the
neutron net current, respectively. Such a relation defines a transport coefficient, in this
case, the neutron diffusion coefficient,
(8.41)
(8.42)
This relation is also well known in the kinetic theory of gases, with one difference. In
neutron transport, the diffusion coefficient has dimension of cm, whereas in kinetic
theory its dimension would be cm2/sec. This distinction arises from a factor of the
thermal speed, that is, in kinetic theory one uses number density rather than flux.
If absorption is weak, a / t << 1, the diffusion coefficient simplifies to
D
1
1
(8.43)
with tr being an effective 'transport cross section'. Since < > is average of the cosine
of the scattering angle in LCS, it would have a larger value if the scattering were
preferentially biased in the forward direction. Then D and the net current would increase
as one would intuitively expect. On the hand, if the medium has a large scattering cross
section, D would decrease since the neutron would be scattered more frequently thus
impeding its forward progress. These simple physical interpretations apply to neutron
diffusional transport as well as particle diffusion in general. Another remark is that we
can go back to the transport equation without making the P1 approximation, and derive a
Fick's law relation between the current and the flux gradient. This however would take
us beyond the scope of the present discussion.