# PWR Plant Model Cheatsheet

Quick reference for the 10-state PKE + 3-node thermal-hydraulics model
used throughout this demo.

Source of truth: `code/src/pke_params.jl` (constants + steady state),
`code/src/pke_th_rhs.jl` (dynamics), `code/src/pke_th_rhs_pj.jl`
(prompt-jump variant), `code/controllers/controllers.jl` (control laws).

All values in SI internally; printed/plotted in °F.

---

## State vector

`x = [n, C₁, C₂, C₃, C₄, C₅, C₆, T_f, T_c, T_cold]`  (10 states)

| Symbol | Index | Meaning | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| n | 1 | Normalized neutron population (n=1 ⇔ full power) | — |
| Cᵢ | 2–7 | Delayed-neutron precursor concentrations (6 groups) | — |
| T_f | 8 | Fuel-pellet bulk temperature | °C |
| T_c | 9 | Average coolant temperature in core (= T_avg) | °C |
| T_cold | 10 | Cold-leg coolant temperature | °C |

**Derived (not states):**
- `T_hot = 2·T_c − T_cold` (linear coolant profile assumption)
- `P = P₀·n` (thermal power)

**Inputs:**
- `u` = control input (rod-induced reactivity), units of Δk/k
- `Q_sg(t)` = bounded disturbance (steam-generator heat removal), W

---

## Reactivity (the coupling between neutronics and thermal)

$$\rho(x, u) \;=\; u \;+\; \alpha_f\,(T_f - T_{f,0}) \;+\; \alpha_c\,(T_c - T_{c,0})$$

Three contributions:
- `u` — externally controlled (rod motion)
- `α_f·(T_f − T_f0)` — Doppler feedback (negative; fuel heats → more U-238 absorption → less reactivity)
- `α_c·(T_c − T_c0)` — moderator-density feedback (negative; coolant heats → less moderation → less reactivity)

Both feedback coefficients are negative — the plant is **self-stabilizing**.

---

## ODE system (full 10-state)

### Neutronics (Point-Kinetic Equations)

$$\frac{dn}{dt} \;=\; \frac{\rho - \beta}{\Lambda}\,n \;+\; \sum_{i=1}^{6} \lambda_i C_i$$

$$\frac{dC_i}{dt} \;=\; \frac{\beta_i}{\Lambda}\,n \;-\; \lambda_i C_i \qquad (i = 1, \ldots, 6)$$

The first equation has a **stiff coefficient** `1/Λ ≈ 10⁴ s⁻¹` — this is what makes the full plant unverifiable by direct nonlinear reach.

### Thermal-hydraulics (3 lumped nodes)

$$\frac{dT_f}{dt} \;=\; \frac{P_0\,n \;-\; hA\,(T_f - T_c)}{M_f\,c_f}$$

$$\frac{dT_c}{dt} \;=\; \frac{hA\,(T_f - T_c) \;-\; 2\,W\,c_c\,(T_c - T_{\text{cold}})}{M_c\,c_c}$$

$$\frac{dT_{\text{cold}}}{dt} \;=\; \frac{2\,W\,c_c\,(T_c - T_{\text{cold}}) \;-\; Q_{sg}}{M_{sg}\,c_c}$$

Physical chain: `fission heat → fuel → coolant → cold leg → SG → back to cold leg`.

The factor of 2 in `2·W·c_c·(T_c − T_cold)` comes from the linear-profile
assumption: the enthalpy carried by flow at avg `T_c` from inlet `T_cold`
to outlet `T_hot = 2T_c − T_cold` is `W·c_c·(T_hot − T_cold) = 2·W·c_c·(T_c − T_cold)`.

---

## Prompt-jump (PJ) reduction

Set `dn/dt = 0` and solve algebraically for `n`:

$$n(x) \;=\; \frac{\Lambda \sum_i \lambda_i C_i}{\beta - \rho(x, u)}$$

State drops 10 → 9 (drop `n`; reconstruct it from C and ρ). Stiffness gone.
Validity condition: `β − ρ > 0` with margin (encoded as the
`prompt_critical_margin_*` halfspace per mode).

Tikhonov bound: `|x(t) − x_PJ(t)| ≤ C·Λ = O(10⁻⁴)` — characterized
residual error vs the 10-state plant.

---

## Constants

### Neutronics (6-group point-kinetic)

| Symbol | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Λ | `1×10⁻⁴ s` | Prompt-neutron generation time |
| β = Σβᵢ | `0.006502` | Total delayed-neutron fraction (sum of 6 groups) |
| β₁..β₆ | `[0.000215, 0.001424, 0.001274, 0.002568, 0.000748, 0.000273]` | Per-group delayed fractions |
| λ₁..λ₆ | `[0.0124, 0.0305, 0.111, 0.301, 1.14, 3.01]` s⁻¹ | Precursor decay constants |

(Standard 6-group U-235 thermal-fission values from Keepin.)

### Thermal-hydraulic

| Symbol | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| P₀ | `1×10⁹ W` | Rated thermal power (1 GWth) |
| M_f | `50 000 kg` | Fuel mass (lumped) |
| c_f | `300 J/(kg·K)` | Fuel specific heat |
| M_c | `20 000 kg` | Core coolant mass |
| c_c | `5 450 J/(kg·K)` | Coolant specific heat |
| hA | `5×10⁷ W/K` | Fuel-to-coolant heat-transfer coefficient |
| W | `5 000 kg/s` | Primary coolant mass flow rate |
| M_sg | `30 000 kg` | Steam-generator coolant inventory |

### Reactivity feedback coefficients (linearized about full-power op point)

| Symbol | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| α_f | `−2.5×10⁻⁵ /°C` | Fuel/Doppler temperature coefficient |
| α_c | `−1×10⁻⁴ /°C` | Moderator/coolant temperature coefficient |

These are linear slopes about the full-power operating point. **Trust
range: ~±50 °C around T_f0/T_c0.** Cold-shutdown extrapolation breaks.

### Derived steady-state (full-power equilibrium)

Single free parameter: `T_cold0 = 290 °C` (full-power cold-leg temp).
Everything else falls out of energy balance:

| Quantity | Derivation | Value |
|---|---|---|
| ΔT_core | `P₀ / (W·c_c)` | `36.7 °C` |
| T_hot0 | `T_cold0 + ΔT_core` | `326.7 °C` |
| T_c0 (= T_avg0) | `(T_hot0 + T_cold0) / 2` | `308.35 °C` |
| T_f0 | `T_c0 + P₀/hA` | `328.35 °C` |
| n₀ | (definition) | `1.0` |
| C_i0 | `βᵢ·n₀ / (λᵢ·Λ)` | (from `dC/dt = 0`) |

### Hot-standby reference

| Quantity | Derivation | Value |
|---|---|---|
| T_standby | `T_c0 − 33.33 °C` (`= T_c0 − 60 °F`) | `275.02 °C` |

This is the canonical "hot standby" operating point — coolant warm but
power below criticality. Defined as a 60 °F offset below full-power T_avg.

---

## Per-mode controllers

| Mode | Control law | Constants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **`q_shutdown`** | `u = −5β` (constant rod) | — | Open-loop rod-held |
| **`q_heatup`** | `u = K_p·(T_ref(t) − T_c)` (FL/proportional) | `K_p = 1×10⁻⁴` | T_ref ramps from T_standby at 28 °C/hr (tech-spec heatup limit) |
| **`q_operation` (P)** | `u = K_p·(T_avg_ref − T_avg)` | `K_p ≈ 1×10⁻⁴` | Simple proportional T_avg tracker |
| **`q_operation` (LQR)** | `u = −K_LQR·δx` | gain solved from Riccati | Cached in factory closure |
| **`q_scram`** | `u = −8β` (constant rod, max insertion) | — | Open-loop rod-held; full negative reactivity |

Heatup ramp rate: `dT_ref/dt = 28/3600 ≈ 0.00778 °C/s` (28 °C/hr — US PWR tech-spec maximum heatup rate, set by vessel thermal-stress limits).

---

## Key predicates / halfspaces (used by reach analysis)

From `reachability/predicates.json`:

| Predicate | Concretization | What it discharges |
|---|---|---|
| `t_avg_above_min` | `T_c ≥ T_standby + 5.556 °C` (= 280.58 °C) | Shutdown→heatup transition trigger |
| `t_avg_in_range` | `\|T_c − T_c0\| ≤ 2.78 °C` (= [305.57, 311.13]) | Heatup→operation transition trigger |
| `p_above_crit` | `n ≥ 1×10⁻⁴` | "Reactor at-or-above critical" (also part of heatup→operation) |
| `fuel_centerline` | `T_f ≤ 1200 °C` | UO₂ melt prevention |
| `t_avg_high_trip` | `T_c ≤ 320 °C` | Reactor trip limit |
| `t_avg_low_trip` | `T_c ≥ 280 °C` | Reactor trip limit |
| `n_high_trip` | `n ≤ 1.15` | High-flux trip (118% nominal) |
| `cold_leg_subcooled` | `T_cold ≤ T_cold0 + 15 = 305 °C` | Subcooling margin |
| `heatup_rate_upper` | `0.4587·T_f − 0.9587·T_c + 0.5·T_cold ≤ 0.01389 °C/s` | Coolant heatup ≤ 50 °C/hr (28 + overshoot) |
| `heatup_rate_lower` | (mirror, lower bound) | Cooldown ≤ 50 °C/hr |
| `prompt_critical_margin_*` | `β − ρ ≥ δ` (per-mode form) | PJ reduction validity |
| `shutdown_margin` | `α_f·T_f + α_c·T_c ≤ 0.00297` | Scram success: rho ≤ −0.01 (1% Δk/k) |

The `dT_c/dt` halfspace coefficients above come from differentiating
the `T_c` ODE: `a_f = hA/(M_c·c_c) = 0.4587 /s`,
`a_c = −(hA + 2W·c_c)/(M_c·c_c) = −0.9587 /s`,
`a_cold = 2W·c_c/(M_c·c_c) = 0.5 /s`. Sums to zero by equilibrium.

---

## Per-mode obligations

| Mode | Kind | Obligation |
|---|---|---|
| `q_shutdown` | equilibrium | Stay in X_safe forever; transition out when `t_avg_above_min` becomes true |
| `q_heatup` | transition | From X_entry, reach X_exit within `[T_min=7714, T_max=18000]` s, maintain `inv1_holds` |
| `q_operation` | equilibrium | Stay in X_safe forever under bounded `Q_sg` |
| `q_scram` | transition | From any state, drive to `shutdown_margin` within `T_max=60` s, maintain bounded T |

`inv1_holds` (heatup safety invariant) = conjunction of `fuel_centerline`,
`cold_leg_subcooled`, `heatup_rate_upper`, `heatup_rate_lower`,
`prompt_critical_margin_heatup`.

---

## Sanity numbers (to memorize before the talk)

| Quantity | Value |
|---|---|
| Full-power n | `1.0` |
| Full-power T_avg | `308 °C ≈ 587 °F` |
| Hot-standby T_avg | `275 °C ≈ 527 °F` |
| Heatup span (standby → operation) | `33 °C ≈ 60 °F` |
| Tech-spec heatup rate | `28 °C/hr` |
| Nominal heatup time | `33 / 28 = 1.19 hr ≈ 71 min` |
| T_min (heatup obligation) | `7 714 s = 2 hr 8 min` |
| T_max (heatup obligation) | `18 000 s = 5 hr` |
| Stiffness ratio (full plant) | `~10⁵` (Λ⁻¹ ÷ thermal time-constant) |
| Scram rod worth | `−8β = −0.052` Δk/k (~5% subcritical) |
| Shutdown-margin requirement | `\|ρ\| ≥ 0.01 = 1% Δk/k` |