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Control of nuclear reactors and power plants
NUCLEAR
INSTRUMENTS
AND
METHODS
14
(1961)
240;
NORTH-HOLLAND
PUBLISHING
CO.
BOOK REVIEWS CONTROL OF NUCLEAR R~ACTORS AND POWER PLANTS by M. A. Schultz, second edtion, 462 p a g e s 331 figures, (McGrawHill B o o k C o m p a n y , Inc. N e w York, Toronto, London) Price 97 s.
T h e first edition of thiswell k n o w n book w a s issued 1955 a n d has since been r e g a r d e d as t h e classical t e x t book in reactor control. H o w e v e r , in 1955 no civilian p o w e r p l a n t s w e r e in operation a n d n a t u r a l l y to t h e author, b e i n g concerned w i t h t h e U.S. n a v a l p r o g r a m , t h e control p r o b l e m s were t r e a t e d in t h e light of t h e N a u t i l u s reactor. T h i s second edition h a s a m u c h w i d e r scope a n d is b a s e d on research, d e v e l o p m e n t a n d experience f r o m t h e m o s t fruitful six y e a r s of nuclear age. T h e 14 c h a p t e r s of t h e book c o n t a i n s E l e m e n t a r y P h y s i c s of R e a c t o r Control, E l e m e n t a r y Servo Mechanisms, R e a c t o r Kinetics, T h e R e a c t o r as a Control E l e m e n t , A u t o m a t i c R e a c t o r Control, R e a c t o r Control Mechanisms, Nuclear P o w e r P l a n t Control, Boiling R e a c t o r Plants, R e a c t o r Control R a d i a t i o n Detectors, O p e r a t i o n a l Control Problems at Startup, Power Operation and Shut Down and finally Simulators. T h e n e w c h a p t e r on s e r v o m e c h a n i s m s p r e s e n t s a v e r y good i n t r o d u c t i o n into t h e f u n d a m e n t a l s of t h e L a p l a c e t r a n s f o r m and t r a n s f e r function w i t h e x a m p l e s f r o m o t h e r fields as a comparison. T h e s t a b i l i t y c r i t e r i a a r e f o r m u l a t e d a n d t h e i m p o r t a n t N y q u i s t plot is t r e a t e d . T h i s c h a p t e r is t h e basis for t h e n e x t c h a p t e r on R e a c t o r K i n e t i c s which p r e s e n t s t r a n s f e r function d e r i v a t i o n s for s e v e r a l different r e a c t o r t y p e s . An i n t e r e s t i n g graphical m e t h o d of solving r a m p i n p u t r e a c t i v i t y p r o b l e m s was p r e s e n t e d a t t h e G e n e v a Confrerence 1958 a n d is described here. I n t h e c h a p t e r on t h e r e a c t o r as a control e l e m e n t is t r e a t e d not only t h e m o d e r a t o r t e m p e r a t u r e coefficient b u t e v e n t h e i m p o r t a n t fuel t e m p e r a t u r e coefficient due to t h e D o p p l e r
broadening. T h e pressurized l i g h t w a t e r r e a c t o r is t h o r o u g h l y covered b u t boiling w a t e r reactors, f a s t breeders a n d c i r c u l a t i n g fuel r e a c t o r s are t r e a t e d as well. T h e description of control m e c h a n i s m s covers a wide r a n g e of r e a c t o r t y p e s f r o m f a s t breeders to t h e B r i t i s h g a s cooled reactors. T h i s book is r e c o m m e n d e d to e v e r y o n e who is concerned w i t h r e a c t o r control design a n d r e a c t o r operation. I t c o n t a i n s more t h a n 500 r e f e r e n c e s a n d is t h u s useful t o t h o s e who w a n t to f u r t h e r detail. M A T T S S T R ~ /~ T
CARBON-14 COMPOUNDS b y J. R. Catch ( B u t t e r w o r t h s , London, 1961) p. 128, 30s. T h i s book deals w i t h problems in colmection w i t h h a n d l i n g carbon-14 compounds. T h e production of carbon-14, s y n t h e s i s , labelling, special peculiar f e a t u r e s of carbon-14 compounds, analysis, m e a s u r e m e n t a n d p r e c a u t i o n s a r e t r e a t e d . T h e a u t h o r ' s i n t e n t i o n w a s to w r i t e s h o r t r e v i e w s o v e r t h e m e n t i o n ed problems. T h i s b o o k is a v e r y good a n d useful guide to t h e l i t e r a t u r e a n d will s u r e l y help especially t h e newcomer. P r e s e n t p r a c t i c e is t o e x t r a c t t h e c a r b o n produced according to 17'N (n, p) I~C b y c o m p l e t e oxidation to c a r b o n dioxide. T h e b e s t isotpic a b u n d a n c e s now a p p r o a c h 80 p e r cent. T h e CO 2 is usually s t o r e d a n d d i s t r i b u t e d as metallic c a r b o n a t e a n d t h e organic c o m p o u n d s are p r e p a r e d b y chemical a n d biological s y n t h e s i s , T h e s a m p l e c a n be m e a s u r e d in solid, liquid or gasous f o r m w i t h different m e t h o d s as is described briefly. I t is of g r e a t i m p o r t a n c e t h a t t h e p r e c a u t i o n s n e c e s s a r y are treated.
240
INGRID OLSSON
INSTRUMENTS
AND
METHODS
14
(1961)
240;
NORTH-HOLLAND
PUBLISHING
CO.
BOOK REVIEWS CONTROL OF NUCLEAR R~ACTORS AND POWER PLANTS by M. A. Schultz, second edtion, 462 p a g e s 331 figures, (McGrawHill B o o k C o m p a n y , Inc. N e w York, Toronto, London) Price 97 s.
T h e first edition of thiswell k n o w n book w a s issued 1955 a n d has since been r e g a r d e d as t h e classical t e x t book in reactor control. H o w e v e r , in 1955 no civilian p o w e r p l a n t s w e r e in operation a n d n a t u r a l l y to t h e author, b e i n g concerned w i t h t h e U.S. n a v a l p r o g r a m , t h e control p r o b l e m s were t r e a t e d in t h e light of t h e N a u t i l u s reactor. T h i s second edition h a s a m u c h w i d e r scope a n d is b a s e d on research, d e v e l o p m e n t a n d experience f r o m t h e m o s t fruitful six y e a r s of nuclear age. T h e 14 c h a p t e r s of t h e book c o n t a i n s E l e m e n t a r y P h y s i c s of R e a c t o r Control, E l e m e n t a r y Servo Mechanisms, R e a c t o r Kinetics, T h e R e a c t o r as a Control E l e m e n t , A u t o m a t i c R e a c t o r Control, R e a c t o r Control Mechanisms, Nuclear P o w e r P l a n t Control, Boiling R e a c t o r Plants, R e a c t o r Control R a d i a t i o n Detectors, O p e r a t i o n a l Control Problems at Startup, Power Operation and Shut Down and finally Simulators. T h e n e w c h a p t e r on s e r v o m e c h a n i s m s p r e s e n t s a v e r y good i n t r o d u c t i o n into t h e f u n d a m e n t a l s of t h e L a p l a c e t r a n s f o r m and t r a n s f e r function w i t h e x a m p l e s f r o m o t h e r fields as a comparison. T h e s t a b i l i t y c r i t e r i a a r e f o r m u l a t e d a n d t h e i m p o r t a n t N y q u i s t plot is t r e a t e d . T h i s c h a p t e r is t h e basis for t h e n e x t c h a p t e r on R e a c t o r K i n e t i c s which p r e s e n t s t r a n s f e r function d e r i v a t i o n s for s e v e r a l different r e a c t o r t y p e s . An i n t e r e s t i n g graphical m e t h o d of solving r a m p i n p u t r e a c t i v i t y p r o b l e m s was p r e s e n t e d a t t h e G e n e v a Confrerence 1958 a n d is described here. I n t h e c h a p t e r on t h e r e a c t o r as a control e l e m e n t is t r e a t e d not only t h e m o d e r a t o r t e m p e r a t u r e coefficient b u t e v e n t h e i m p o r t a n t fuel t e m p e r a t u r e coefficient due to t h e D o p p l e r
broadening. T h e pressurized l i g h t w a t e r r e a c t o r is t h o r o u g h l y covered b u t boiling w a t e r reactors, f a s t breeders a n d c i r c u l a t i n g fuel r e a c t o r s are t r e a t e d as well. T h e description of control m e c h a n i s m s covers a wide r a n g e of r e a c t o r t y p e s f r o m f a s t breeders to t h e B r i t i s h g a s cooled reactors. T h i s book is r e c o m m e n d e d to e v e r y o n e who is concerned w i t h r e a c t o r control design a n d r e a c t o r operation. I t c o n t a i n s more t h a n 500 r e f e r e n c e s a n d is t h u s useful t o t h o s e who w a n t to f u r t h e r detail. M A T T S S T R ~ /~ T
CARBON-14 COMPOUNDS b y J. R. Catch ( B u t t e r w o r t h s , London, 1961) p. 128, 30s. T h i s book deals w i t h problems in colmection w i t h h a n d l i n g carbon-14 compounds. T h e production of carbon-14, s y n t h e s i s , labelling, special peculiar f e a t u r e s of carbon-14 compounds, analysis, m e a s u r e m e n t a n d p r e c a u t i o n s a r e t r e a t e d . T h e a u t h o r ' s i n t e n t i o n w a s to w r i t e s h o r t r e v i e w s o v e r t h e m e n t i o n ed problems. T h i s b o o k is a v e r y good a n d useful guide to t h e l i t e r a t u r e a n d will s u r e l y help especially t h e newcomer. P r e s e n t p r a c t i c e is t o e x t r a c t t h e c a r b o n produced according to 17'N (n, p) I~C b y c o m p l e t e oxidation to c a r b o n dioxide. T h e b e s t isotpic a b u n d a n c e s now a p p r o a c h 80 p e r cent. T h e CO 2 is usually s t o r e d a n d d i s t r i b u t e d as metallic c a r b o n a t e a n d t h e organic c o m p o u n d s are p r e p a r e d b y chemical a n d biological s y n t h e s i s , T h e s a m p l e c a n be m e a s u r e d in solid, liquid or gasous f o r m w i t h different m e t h o d s as is described briefly. I t is of g r e a t i m p o r t a n c e t h a t t h e p r e c a u t i o n s n e c e s s a r y are treated.
240
INGRID OLSSON