Applied Fundamentals cont'd

DOE-HDBK-1203-97

Instruction should provide technical staff trainees with the requisite knowledge of nuclear

physics principles to explain the following:

Criticality control

Nuclear cross sections

Fission process and chain reaction

Prompt and delayed neutrons

Reactivity coefficients

Reactivity control methods

Poison effects

Power distribution and peaking factors

Fuel cycles

Fuel management

Instruction should provide technical staff trainees with the requisite reactivity control and fuel

behavior (reactor facilities only) knowledge and skills to perform the following:

Describe the effects of the following on control rod worth:

axial position of the rod in the core

radial position of the rod in the core

relative rod position

boron concentration

moderator temperature

core exposure

fuel temperature

void concentration

local thermal neutron flux

Describe the effect of operating the control- and power-shaping rods both

inside and outside specified control bands for varying facility conditions

Describe the core parameters that affect the following coefficients and

evaluate how changes in these coefficients affect facility operations:

moderator temperature coefficient

Doppler coefficient

power Doppler coefficient