Startup neutron source: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 00:03, 26 June 2012

Revision as of 17:02, 5 March 2013

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When [[plutonium-238]]/beryllium primary sources are utilized, they can be either affixed to [[control rod]]s which are removed from the reactor when it is powered, or clad in a [[cadmium]] alloy, which is opaque to thermal neutrons (reducing transmutation of the plutonium-238 by neutron capture) but transparent to [[fast neutron]]s produced by the source.<ref name="pat1"/>

Some neutron sources also serve as additional sources of [[delayed neutron]]s; these serve to dampen the response rate of reactor power to control rods and power transients, allowing safer and more stable operation.

==References==