Xenon poisoning method for the determination of the average thermal neutron flux, macroscopic fission and total absorption cross sections

The paper presents the xenon poisoning method as an experimental way to determine the average thermal neutron flux (φ + ̄), the average macroscopic fission cross section (Σ + ̄_f) and the average total macroscopic absorption cross section (Σ + ̄_a) together with the reactivity change due to the ¹³⁵Xe poisoning. The predictions for the reactivity change due to the ¹³⁵Xe poisoning are in good agreement with the results of the experiments. The results of φ + ̄, Σ + ̄_f and Σ + ̄_a obtained by using the xenon poisoning method are also in satisfactorily agreement with the predictions of TRIGAP and WIMS-D/4 computer codes. The temperature coefficients of the reactivity for the fuel and tank water have also been determined experimentally during this study.