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Title: Assessment of similarity of HFBR (High Flux Beam Reactor) with separate effects test

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6345717· OSTI ID:6345717

A Separate Effects Test (SET) facility was constructed in 1963 to demonstrate the feasibility of the HFBR design and to determine the core power limits for a safe flow reversal event. The objective of the task reported here is to review the capability of the test to scale the dominant phenomena in the HFBR during a flow reversal event and the applicability of the range of the power level obtained from the test to the HFBR. The conclusion of this report was that the flow during the flow reversal event will not be similar in the two facilities. The causes of the dissimilarity are the differences in the core inlet friction, bypass path friction, the absence of the check valve in the test, and the materials used to represent the fuel plates. The impact of these differences is that the HFBR will undergo flow reversal sooner than the test and will have a higher flow rate in the final Natural Circulation Period. The shorter duration of the flow reversal event will allow less time for the plate to heat up and the larger flow in the Natural Circulation Period will lead to higher critical heat flux limits in the HFBR than in the test. Based on these observations, it was concluded that the HFBR can undergo flow reversal safely for heat fluxes up to 46,700 (BTU/hr ft{sup 2}), the heat flux limit obtained from the 1963 test.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE/ER
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-76CH00016
OSTI ID:
6345717
Report Number(s):
BNL-52269; ON: DE91004905; TRN: 91-000697
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English