Anticipated heat generation rate of MGCR-III fuel element as a function of enrichment

Technical Report · Thu Jun 02 04:00:00 EDT 1960

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10148156· OSTI ID:10148156

Bunch, W L

The DR-1 Loop, located in the C test hole of the DR Reactor, provides a high temperature, recirculating gas-cooled facility for the irradiation of experimental fuel elements. The loop is being utilized currently by General Atomic, a Division of General Dynamics, to evaluate fuel elements in support of their work on the Maritime Gas-Cooled Reactor Program, a program which is directed at the development of a ship propulsion unit consisting of a gas-cooled reactor driving a closed cycle gas turbine. The loop irradiations for this program require that the experimental fuel elements be maintained at specific test conditions. It is also necessary that all of the loop components be kept within certain operating limits. Therefore, the power generation rate of each experimental fuel element must be evaluated and established as accurately as possible prior to insertion in the loop. One method of establishing the enrichment required to obtain a required heat generation rate in an experimental element is to irradiate a nuclear mock-up of the assembly in the Hanford Test Reactor to determine the relative neutron density within the assembly and the reactor. This report presents the results of such irradiations using the MGCR-III mock-up.

• Research Organization: General Electric Co., Richland, WA (United States). Hanford Atomic Products Operation
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 10148156
• Report Number(s): HW--65482; ON: DE94011302
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220300
220600
DR-1 REACTOR
FUEL ELEMENTS
HEAT FLUX
HEAT TRANSFER
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
POWER GENERATION
RESEARCH
TEST
TRAINING
PRODUCTION
IRRADIATION
MATERIALS TESTING REACTORS