Mechanical Analogy for the Wave of Nuclear Burning

TL;DR

This paper models neutron-nuclear wave burning in reactors using a mechanical analogy, revealing two possible burning modes and conditions for autowave formation, which advances understanding of traveling-wave reactors.

Contribution

It introduces a novel mechanical dissipative system analogy for nuclear wave burning, identifying conditions for autowave and externally driven wave modes.

Findings

Two burning modes identified: autowave and externally driven wave.

Autowave possible only at specific neutron energies.

Wave velocity spectrum is continuous and bounded below.

Abstract

We consider a model of neutron-nuclear wave burning. The wave of nuclear burning of the medium is initiated by an external neutron source and is the basis for the new generation reactors -- the so-called "traveling-wave reactors". We develop a model of nuclear wave burning, for which it is possible to draw an analogy with a mechanical dissipative system. Within the framework of the new model, we show that two burning modes are possible depending on the control parameters: a traveling autowave and a wave driven by an external neutron source. We find the autowave to be possible for certain neutron energies only, and the wave velocity has a continuous spectrum bounded below.