THE GAS-COOLED HIGH TEMPERATURE REACTOR FOR SHIP PROPULSION (in German)
General Atomic has been developing a gas-cooled reactor system jointly for the USAEC and US Maritime Commission. Gas cooling, in a closed cycle at high pressure, permits high-temperature operation and consequently high thermal efficiency. Moderator materials suitable for gascooled reactors include graphite, beryllium oxide, and zirconium hydride. Graphite-moderated reactors are best adapted to the very large power ranges. Beryllium oxide seems appropriate in the range of 20 to 75 Mw electrical and zirconium hydride seems appropriate in the range below 30 Mw down to about 7.5 Mw electrical. The most promising coolants for gas-cooled reactors are helium and carbon dioxide. Helium is most appropriate in large power reactors where adequate volume in the reactor is available for coolant, and where the gas flow rate is high enough for efficient compression by axial compressors. Carbon dioxide is better adapted to smaller systems, where it eases the problems of gas compression at low flow rates and heat transport from physically small cores. The General Atomic ship reactor project, which is directed at a power level of 30,000 SHP (or 22.5 Mw electrical), uses beryllium oxide as moderator and helium as coolant. Fuel elements, control drives and moderator structures were developed and tested, and an experimental reactor (EBOR) located in Idaho will provide a full environment test. In addition the turbomachinery for a closed cycle plant using the reactor as heat source was designed and components were tested. This reactor system also has promise in a central station power plant for an intermediate power level. Further improvement in the economic promise of this system can be expected as better high temperature construction materials become available. General Atomic has also studied a reactor system for smaller power output (22,000 SHP or 16 Mw electrical), using zirconium hydride as moderator and carbon dioxide as coolant. However, experimental and design work on thrs system are not as far along as on the BeO system. Much of the information gained in the TRIGA reactor project is applicable to this system. Development of canning techniques will permit the use of higher hydrides of zirconium, up to ZrH/sub 1.8/, which do not suffer the low temperature phase change during thermal cycling. This system appears interesting for power levels up to 40,000 SHP. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- General Atomic Div., General Dynamics Corp., San Diego, Calif.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-16-021826
- OSTI ID:
- 4827811
- Journal Information:
- Atomkernenergie (West Germany) Merged with Kerntechnik to form Atomkernenerg./Kerntech. Acta Radiol. Changed to Acta Radiol.: Oncol., Radiat. Phys., Vol. Vol: 7; Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-62
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- German
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Related Subjects
BERYLLIUM OXIDES
CARBON DIOXIDE
COMPRESSORS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
DEFORMATION
ECONOMICS
EFFICIENCY
FUEL CANS
FUEL ELEMENTS
GAS COOLANT
GAS FLOW
GRAPHITE MODERATOR
HEAT TRANSFER
HEAT TREATMENTS
HELIUM
HIGH TEMPERATURE
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
MODERATORS
MOTION
PHASE DIAGRAMS
PLANNING
PRESSURE
PROPULSION
REACTOR CORE
REACTORS
SHIPS
TESTING
THERMODYNAMICS
TURBINES
VOLUME
ZIRCONIUM HYDRIDES