Nuclear heating in He-3 fast SCRAM rods
Nuclear heating occurs in the He-3 fill gas of the fast SCRAM rods as a result of the very neutron captures which make the rods operative. This heating gives rise to a pressure rise within the rod. If severe enough this heating could present a structural problem, but more importantly the pressurization always causes a partial backflow of the fill gas. This, in turn, reduces the residual gas content and thus reduces the effectiveness of the rod. If enough gas were expelled, the rod would no longer have the required reactivity shutdown margin. This memorandum discusses the bases for determining the heat input and estimating the resultant temperatures, pressures, and backflows to be expected under various assumed design and operational conditions. A method for mitigating the effect by means of heat-conducting fins on the interior surface of the rods is discussed and evaluated. 5 refs.
- Research Organization:
- Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE/DP
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-89SR18035
- OSTI ID:
- 6975970
- Report Number(s):
- WSRC-RP-89-770; ON: DE90009302
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
HEATING
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
PRODUCTION REACTORS
SCRAM RODS
B CODES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DESIGN
EQUILIBRIUM
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
G CODES
H CODES
HEAT TRANSFER
MODIFICATIONS
NEUTRONS
NUSSELT NUMBER
PRESSURE EFFECTS
REACTOR CONTROL SYSTEMS
REACTOR OPERATION
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
STRUCTURAL MODELS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
THERMODYNAMICS
TRANSIENTS
BARYONS
COMPUTER CODES
CONTROL ELEMENTS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY TRANSFER
FERMIONS
HADRONS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEONS
OPERATION
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
SIMULATION
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
220700 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Plutonium & Isotope Production Reactors