License renewal and power upgrade of the Cornell University TRIGA reactor
- Nuclear Science and Engineering Program, Ward Laboratory of Nuclear Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (United States)
The Cornell Mark II TRIGA reactor has been a principal facility for instruction and research in nuclear science and engineering at Cornell, and it has been extensively used by other departments at Cornell and by nearby universities and industries. Initially the fuel was low hydride, 8.5w/o 19%-enriched, aluminum clad; in 1974 it was changed to high-hydride, stainless-steel-clad. The maximum power has been 100 kW, with pulses to $2, and operation has been on a one-shift demand basis. Annual energy generation of 50 MWH has been typical. Standard features include a 4-inch tangential port and our 6-inch radial ports, a thermal column with hohlraum and vertical access, a central thimble, a 'rabbit', and a set of dry irradiation tubes, replacing the 'Lazy Susan'. The license was renewed and amended in November 1983; the new limits are 500 kW and $3 pulses. Physical changes to the facility included addition of a water-to-water heat exchanger and of a diffuser at the water outlet {approx} 60 cm above the core. The flow rate is 300 liters per minute in the primary (reactor) side of the heat exchanger. The temperature of the chilled water entering the secondary of the exchanger is {approx} 12?C; its flow rate is adjusted by a servo-controlled by-pass valve to maintain the desired range of pool water temperature. Steps taken to go to higher power included rearrangement of fuel elements to increase excess reactivity, recalibration of control rods, and power vs ion chamber current calibrations at successively higher power by comparing the rate of rise of pool temperature with a known rate using electrical heating elements. Steady-state operation has been done up to 480 kW (nominal) but pulsing at the newly allowed higher levels has not been tested as yet.
- Research Organization:
- GA Technologies Inc., San Diego, CA (United States); Northrop Research and Technology Center, Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 21146765
- Report Number(s):
- INIS-US-09N0074; TOC-16; TRN: US09N0091026110
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 9. biennial U.S. TRIGA users' conference, Anaheim, CA (United States), 12-14 Mar 1984; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); 4 figs; Related Information: In: 9. biennial U.S. TRIGA users' conference. Papers and abstracts, 306 pages.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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