Reactor Dynamics

The scientific field „Reactor Dynamics“ comprises the subject areas (1) stationary (and quasi-stationary) reactor physics, (2) reactor kinetics and dynamics, including thermal-hydraulics of the reactor core. Training and research on these areas should qualify the students of Nuclear Technology to understand the physical principles of the (stable) technical design of nuclear power reactors. In particular, we study the time evolution of power reactors after imposing a parameter perturbation (transient behavior). Transient analyses are performed nowadays with the aid of system codes (integrated codes) containing partly very detailed power reactor loop models as networks of mathematical equations. To understand the physical models and mathematical algorithms applied for simulation of the transient behavior is one of the principle concerns of our training program.

The research and education work “Reactor dynamics” is accompanied by Dr.Dieter Hennig (more than 30 years experience in reactor physics, formerly Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland) as an external consutant.

The teaching in the field “Reactor dynamics” is basic knowledge oriented and is focused on the reactor kinetics and core thermal-hydraulics including feedback effects and the investigation of the stability behavior of reactor core and the recirculation loops. We offer a one-semester lecture including exercises “Reactor dynamics” and/or a one-week course on this field in the framework of an international education network activity. The lecture and the exercises will be aided by computer simulations. The exercises comprise tasks of different technical levels up to system code training.