The four-factor formula, also known as Fermi's four factor formula is used in nuclear engineering to determine the multiplication of a nuclear chain reaction in an infinite medium.
Symbol | Name | Meaning | Formula | Typical thermal reactor value |
---|---|---|---|---|
Reproduction factor (eta) | neutrons produced from thermal fissions/thermal absorption in fuel isotope[2] | 1.65 | ||
Thermal utilization factor | thermal neutrons absorbed by the fuel isotope/thermal neutrons absorbed anywhere[2] | 0.71 | ||
Resonance escape probability | fission neutrons slowed to thermal energies without absorption/total fission neutrons | 0.87 | ||
Fast fission factor | total number of fission neutrons/number of fission neutrons from just thermal fissions | 1.02 |
The symbols are defined as:[3]
The multiplication factor, k, is defined as (see Nuclear chain reaction):
In an infinite medium, neutrons cannot leak out of the system and the multiplication factor becomes the infinite multiplication factor, , which is approximated by the four-factor formula.