Relationship between the number of fuel elements and criticality

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around determining the relationship between the number of fuel elements in a subcritical nuclear reactor and its criticality. A user notes that adding 10 fuel elements increases the signal from 10e-9 A to 10e-8 A, prompting a question about how many more elements are needed to achieve criticality. The user acknowledges their understanding of reactivity and neutron flux but struggles with the dependency on the number of fuel elements due to a lack of geometric data. There is a reference to a formula relating signal and criticality, suggesting a potential exponential relationship. The conversation highlights the complexity of calculating criticality without complete reactor specifications.
Januar
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I usually do not ask for this kind of stuff, but this time I really have no way to verify if this is correct(and it has to be). So here it goes: On a subcritical nuclear reactor with 100 fuel elements we read the signal of 10e-9 A. When we add 10 more fuel elements, signal jumps to 10e-8 A. How many rods do we have to add, to make the reactor critical? So, I know the relationships between reactivity/neutron flux/criticality/signal, but I have no idea how are they dependend on the number of fuel elements?

Usually, I would have to solve the diffusion equation, but this exercise gives no data about reactor geometry, so.. do you guys have any idea what this could be about?

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Could the admin move this to Homework section please? I have not seen it before..
 
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Moved .

Now, how far have you got?
 
Moved .

Now, how far have you got?
 
Vanadium 50 said:
Moved .

Now, how far have you got?

Well I know that I \propto \frac{1}{1-k}, where I is the signal on the detector. But I can only guess how I is dependent on the number of fuel elements(increases by an order of magnitude for each 10 rods?) .
 
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