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A positive void coefficient means that the reactivity increases as the void content inside the reactor increases due to increased boiling or loss of coolant; for example, if the coolant acts predominantly as neutron absorber. This positive void coefficient causes a positive feedback loop, starting with the first occurrence of steam bubbles ...
Certain aspects of the original RBMK reactor design had several shortcomings, [3] such as the large positive void coefficient, the 'positive scram effect' of the control rods [4] and instability at low power levels—which contributed to the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, in which an RBMK experienced an uncontrolled nuclear chain reaction, leading to ...
RBMK issues: 1. Using a graphite moderator in a water-cooled reactor, permitting criticality in a total loss of coolant accident. 2. A positive steam void coefficient that made the destructive power excursion possible. 3. Control rods design; taking 18–20 seconds to be fully inserted, and with graphite tips that increased reactivity initially. 4.
is the number of neutrons produced, on average, by a fission event—it is between 2 and 3 for both 235 U and 239 Pu (e.g., for thermal neutrons in 235 U, = 2.4355 ± 0.0023 [2]). If α {\displaystyle \alpha } is positive, then the core is supercritical and the rate of neutron production will grow exponentially until some other effect stops the ...
This is measured by the coolant void coefficient. Most modern nuclear power plants have a negative void coefficient, indicating that as water turns to steam, power instantly decreases. Two exceptions are the Soviet RBMK and the Canadian CANDU. Boiling water reactors, on the other hand, are designed to have steam voids inside the reactor vessel.
RBMK-1000 graphite moderated, 2nd generation reactor without containment: BWR-3 and BWR-4 reactors with Mark I containment vessels Number of reactors: 4 on site; 1 involved in accident: 6 on site; 4 (and spent fuel pools) involved in accident; one of the four reactors was empty of fuel at the time of the accident. Amount of nuclear fuel in ...
The total water loss combined with a high positive void coefficient further increased the reactor's thermal power. [21] A second, more powerful explosion occurred about two or three seconds after the first; this explosion dispersed the damaged core and effectively terminated the nuclear chain reaction. This explosion compromised more of the ...
Control rods used to be tipped with graphite, a material that slows neutrons and thus speeds up the chain reaction. Water is used as a coolant, but not a moderator. If the water boils away, cooling is lost, but moderation continues. This is termed a positive void coefficient of reactivity. The RBMK tends towards dangerous power fluctuations.