Study of ignition possibility, development and properties of self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction in the fuel-containing masses of the object “Ukryttya”

• Main Authors: V. A. Babenko, V. N. Pavlovych
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Institute for Nuclear Research, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine 2017-12-01
• Series: Âderna Fìzika ta Energetika
• Subjects: nuclear chain reaction; fuel-containing masses; neutron flux
• Online Access: http://jnpae.kinr.kiev.ua/18.3/html/18.3.0254.html
• ISSN: 1818-331X; 2074-0565

Main characteristic properties of ignition and development of self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction (SCR) in the fuel-containing masses (FCM) of the object “Ukryttya”, and also the main properties of SCR for a number of its typical essentially possible modes were studied. System of differential equations for the main physical quantities describing FCM was formulated. Numerical analysis and calculations according to this system show that the main possible modes of SCR are exponential growth of the neutron flux, mode of the solitary neutron flux burst of differing strength, and also mode of the neutron flux oscillations. Mode of the flux oscillations is of great interest and exhibits various properties. According to calculations, the neutron flux burst of extremely high strength appears to be possible under some likely and reasonable physical conditions in presence of the sufficient accumulation of fissile materials. But the most realistic and close to the experiment mode of SCR appears to be the mode of slow growth of the neutron flux progressively, as the system is flooded by water, and further subsequent transition into the mode of the neutron flux oscillations in the neighbourhood of the critical state.