Neutron economy

Neutron economy is defined as the ratio of an adjoint weighted average of the excess neutron production divided by an adjoint weighted average of the fission production.

The distribution of neutron energies in a nuclear reactor differs from the fission neutron spectrum due to the slowing down of neutrons in elastic and inelastic collisions with fuel, coolant and construction material. Neutrons slow down in elastic and inelastic collisions, until they are absorbed via Neutron capture or lost by leakage. Neutron economy is the balanced account, in a reactor, of the neutrons created and the neutrons lost through absorption by non-fuel elements, resonance absorption by fuel, and leakage while fast and thermal energy ranges.