FEYNMAN-ALPHA FORMULA WITH DEAD-TIME EFFECT FOR A SYMMETRICAL COUPLED-CORE SYSTEM

The Feynman-alpha (variance-to-mean ratio) formula for a symmetric cou pled-core system has been developed to analyse some kinetic parameters of coupled-core systems. Recently, this method has been applied to nu clear criticality safety studies, such as the determination of subcrit icality or neutron interference effect between two fissile units. This method is based on neutron pulse counting so that it suffers a counti ng loss effect originating from a dead time due to the pulse-type neut ron detector and counting circuit. To extend the method to more practi cal uses, the counting loss effect needs to be overcome. We have deriv ed a new formula taking account of dead time effect, making the treatm ent proposed by Srinivasan our model, and have shown that kinetic para meters of coupled-core systems could be estimated by this new formula. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.