Analytical representation for solution of the neutron point kinetics equation with time-dependent reactivity and free of the stiffness character

In this work, we report a genuine analytical representation for the solution of the neutron point kinetics equation free of the stiffness character, assuming that the reactivity is a continuous and sectionally continuous function of time. To this end, we initially cast the point kinetics equation in a first order linear differential equation. Next, we split the corresponding matrix as a sum of a diagonal matrix with a matrix, whose components contain the off-diagonal elements. Next, expanding the neutron density and the delayed neutron precursors concentrations in a truncated series, and replacing these expansions in the matrix equation, we come out with an equation, which allows to construct a recursive system, a first order matrix differential equation with source. The fundamental characteristic of this system relies on the fact that the corresponding matrix is diagonal, meanwhile the source term is written in terms of the matrix with the off-diagonal components. Further, the first equation of the recursive system has no source and satisfies the initial conditions. On the other hand, the remaining equations satisfy the null initial condition. Due to the diagonal feature of the matrix, we attain analytical solutions for these recursive equations. We also mention that we evaluate the results for any time value, without the analytical continuity because the purposed solution is free on the stiffness character. Finally, we present numerical simulations and comparisons against literature results, considering specific the applications for the following reactivity functions: constant, step, ramp, and sine. (author)