Process / pipelineReactor physics and control

Reactor Kinetics

Reactor kinetics is the study of neutron population dynamics in a reactor core, originating from Fermi's first controlled chain reaction in 1942. It models power changes in response to control rod movements, temperature feedback, and accidental transients using coupled differential equations accounting for prompt and delayed neutrons, to ensure safe operation, predict transient behavior, and design control systems.

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Sources

  1. Lamarsh, J. R. (1983). Introduction to Nuclear Engineering (2nd ed.). Addison-Wesley. link
  2. Keepin, G. R., Wimett, T. F., & Zeigler, R. L. (1965). Delayed Neutrons from Fissionable Isotopes of Uranium, Neptunium, and Plutonium. Physical Review, 107(4), 1044–1049. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRev.107.1044

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Referenced by

ScholarGateReactor Kinetics (Reactor Kinetics and Power Transient Analysis). Retrieved 2026-06-04 from https://scholargate.app/en/nuclear-physics/reactor-kinetics