DIFFUSION EQUATION

Vasily Arzhanov
Reactor Physics, KTH

Overview

Neutron current
Continuity equation
Ficks law
Diffusion coefficient
One-speed diffusion equation
Boundary condition
General properties of diffusion equation
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Diffusion equation

Neutron Flux and Current

v = v,

( r, E ) vn ( r, i , E ) =
i

vn ( r, , E ) d

Rx = x

J ( r, E ) v i n ( r, i , E ) =
i

mv 2
E=
2

vn ( r, , E ) d

dn = J dA

dA

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Diffusion equation

Balance of Neutrons
Change rate in number Production Absorption Leakage
of neutrons in V = rate in V rate in V rate from V

Change rate in number d

n
of neutrons in V = dt n(r, E, t )dV = t dV

V
V
Production
rate in V = stot dV

Absorption
rate in V = a dV

Leakage
rate from V = J dA = divJ dV

A
V
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Diffusion equation

Continuity Equation
n

+
div
J
dV = 0
V t tot a

Exact equation,
two unknowns

Diffusion theory:

Diffusion equation:

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1
= s + f a divJ
v t
J = Dgrad = D

(Ficks law)

1
= s + f a + D2
v t
Diffusion equation

Example
Se r L
(r ) =
4 Dr
r
S

(a) Find the neutron current at distance r

(b) Net number of neutrons flowing out through a sphere of radius r

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Diffusion equation

Solution
d
r = er
dr

er
r
S

(1)

(2)

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d Se r L
S 1 1 r L
=
J (r ) = Der
e
r
2 + e
dr 4 Dr
4 r
Lr

r
N (r ) = 4 r 2 J = S 1 + e r L
L
Diffusion equation

One-Group Diffusion Model

Infinite homogeneous and isotropic medium

Neutron scattering is isotropic in Lab-system
Weak absorption a << s
All neutrons have the same velosity v. (One-Speed
Approximation)
The neutron flux is slowly varying function of position

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Diffusion equation

Plane Angles
ds nds

er

C
R

d =

ds cos er ds
=
r
r

Full plane angle = 2

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Diffusion equation

Solid Angles
dA ndA

er
n
r
d =

A
= 2
R

dA cos dA
=
2
r
r2

Full solid angle = 4

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Diffusion equation

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Spherical Coordinates
z
dr
r

rd

dV = r 2 sin d d dr

rsind

d
x
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rsind
Diffusion equation

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Net Current
z

Upper semi-space

J z = J+ J

0r <
0 2
0 2

J
dA
y
x

J+

J = J xe x + J ye y + J z e z
Purpose is to relate J and

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Diffusion equation

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Current from dV
(1) Number of collisions in dV:

dncoll = s dV

Solid angle

d =

dA cos
r2

r
(2) Fraction of neutrons
scattered towards dA:

(3) Fraction of neutrons

survived while traveling r:

dA
y

es r

(4) Number of neutrons

crossing dA from above

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d
4

d s r
e
dn = s dV
4
Diffusion equation

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Current from Upper Semi-Space

dJ =

J =

upper

dn
cos s r
= s
e dV
2
dA
4 r

2 2

dJ =

0 0

cos s r 2
0 s (r) 4 r 2 e r sin d d dr
r = 0 is most important

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Diffusion equation

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Slowly Varying Flux

+
y
+
z

+...
x 0 y 0 z 0

= 0 + x

Taylors series at the origin:

x = r sin cos ; y = r sin sin ; z = r cos

(r ) = 0 + r sin cos + r sin sin + r cos
x 0
z 0
y 0

J = s
4

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sr
+

r
cos

e sin d dr d
0

z 0
=0 =0 r =0
2

Diffusion equation

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Net Current
0

1
J (0) = +

4 6 s z 0
J + (0) =

0
4

J z (0) =

1

6 s z 0

1

3 s z 0

Jz =

1
1
1
J
J
=

;
;

x
y


3 s z 0
3 s x 0
3 s y 0

+ ey
+ ez
J ex Jx + ey Jy + ez Jz =
ex

3 s x
y
z

J (r , t ) =

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1
( r , t )
3 s (r )

Diffusion equation

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Ficks Law
1

J (r ) =
(r ); (r ) = e x
+ ey
+ ez
3 s
x
y
z

Ficks law:

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J (r ) = D (r )
1

= s
3 s 3

The essence of diffusion theory

It is essentially based on the hypothesis

of isotropic scattering in the Lab system

Diffusion equation

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Ficks Law Limitations

Ficks law is not accurate
When scattering is strongly anisotropic
In medium with strong absorption
Within about 3 mfp of neutron sources,
sinks, or boundaries

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Diffusion equation

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Transport Approximation
( r, , t ) =

1
3
( r, t ) +
J ( r, t ) +
4
4

Zero order approximation:

( r, , t ) =

1
( r, t )
4

1
s
D=
=
3 s 3

NTE

Elementary
diffusion

First order approximation:

( r, , t ) =

NTE
1
3
( r, t ) +
J ( r, t )
4
4

tr t s ;
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D=

tr 1 tr

Diffusion equation

1
= tr
3tr
3

Transport
approximation

2
=
3A
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Improved Diffusion
Coefficient
1
1
tr
=
tr t s
Weak
absorption:

1
1
1
1
D=
=

=
3tr 3 ( t s ) 3 ( s s ) 3 s (1 )

Scattering from
heavy nuclides:
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1
tr
D=
=
3tr
3

D=

1
1
1
=

3 s (1 ) 3 s (1 2 3A ) 3 s
Diffusion equation

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Making Scattering Isotropic

D=

s
3
Neutron remembers
its original direction

s = 1 s
One combined collision

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Diffusion equation

Neutron does not remember

its original direction

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Transport Mean Free Path

Information about the
original direction is lost

Transport correction =
A number of anisotropic
collisions is replaced by
one isotropic

Initial direction

tr

No absorption:

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tr = s + s + s + s + =
2

Diffusion equation

1
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Transport mfp with Absorption

s
1

No absorption:

tr = s + s + s 2 + s 3 + =

With absorption:

1
t
tr
=
=
t s t (1 s t ) 1 s t

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Diffusion equation

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Example
The scattering X-section of carbon at 1 ev is 4.8 b.
Estimate the diffusion coefficient.
The atom density of graphite is 0.08023x1024

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Diffusion equation

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Solution
The scattering X-section of carbon at 1 ev is 4.8 b.
Estimate the diffusion coefficient.
The atom density of graphite is 0.08023x1024

D=

1
3 s (1 )

2
2
=
=
= 0.555
3 A 36

s = s NC = 4.8 1024 0.08023 1024 = 0.385

D = 0.916

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Diffusion equation

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Interpretation of Ficks Law

Neutron density increases

J (r ) = D (r )

Current

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J (r )

Diffusion equation

(r )

Gradient

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Two Kinds of Transport

Random walk

Collective

(self-diffusion)

transport

(a)

(b)

Molecules do
collide with
each other

Neutrons do
not collide with
each other

Examples:

Neutrons in reactor

Gas molecules

Equation:

NTE

Boltzmann

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Diffusion equation

n ~ 108
NB ~ 1022

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Warning
Ficks law:

J (r ) = D (r )

is valid only for completely chaotic movement

(random walk) with weak absorption

(r ) = vn = const
J (r ) = vn =

Collimated beam of neutrons:

( x) = (0)e x
J (r ) =

No collisions
only absorption

x
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Diffusion equation

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One-Speed Diffusion Equation

1 ( r, t )
= s ( r, t ) + f ( r, t ) a ( r, t ) divJ ( r, t )
Balance of neutrons:
v t
Diffusion theory: J ( r, t ) = Dgrad = D ( r ) ( r, t ) (Ficks law)
Diffusion coefficient: D ( r ) =

Diffusion equation:

Leakage from
a unit volume:
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3tr ( r )

tr ( r ) = t ( r ) s ( r )

1
= s + f a + ( D )
v t
L = ( D ) = D 2
Diffusion equation

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Net and Partial Currents

Arbitrary direction n:
+n
n

D
J n (r ) = n +

4 2 n

D
J +n (r ) = n

4 2 n

J ( r ) = D ( r )

z
x
y

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Diffusion equation

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Interface Conditions
x

D
J = +
4 2 x

D
J+ =
4 2 x
B

B
A

A ( x 0)
B ( x + 0)
J + ( A) = J + ( B)
J ( A) = J ( B)
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D A A B DB B
=

4
2 x
4
2 x
A D A A B DB B
+
=
+
4
2 x
4
2 x

Diffusion equation

( x 0) = ( x + 0)

DA

= DB

x 0

x+0

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Boundary Condition
J =

D
2 x

J+ =

D
2 x

Vacuum

Diffusion theory predicts:

Diffusion theory is
not accurate near:
Sources
Sinks

Interfaces
Boundaries

First step:

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J =

tr

6 x

=0

Diffusion equation

( ) B

=
2 3 tr
x B
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Extrapolated Length
BC:
Vacuum

( ) B

=
2 3 tr
x B

Neutron flux in reality

( ) B

Linearly extrapolated flux:

ext ( x) = ( ) B
0

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2 3 tr

dext
Extrapolated length:

( ) B

dext

2
= tr = 0.66tr
3
Diffusion equation

( ) B

=
dext
x B
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Improved Boundary Condition

Transport solution

Improved diffusion
Elementary diffusion

0.66tr

0.71tr

( ) B

=
dext
x B
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Diffusion equation

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Practical Boundary Condition

Transport solution
Natural curvature
Improved diffusion

x=0

dext = 0.71tr

xB

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Diffusion equation

( xB + dext ) = 0
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General Properties

Flux is finite and non-negative

Flux preserves the symmetry
No return from the free surface
Flux and current are continues
Diffusion equation describes the balance
of neutrons

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Diffusion equation

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The END

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Diffusion equation

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