Startup experience at the University of Texas TRIGA Mark II Reactor

Conference · Wed Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:21141194

Bauer, Thomas L; Wehring, Bernard W ^[1]

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1. University of Texas at Austin, Nuclear Engineering Teaching Laboratory, Balcones Research Center, Austin, TX (United States)

After eight years of singular effort, the UT-TRIGA Mark II research reactor was licensed and is fully operational. This reactor is the focus of a new reactor laboratory facility which is located at the Balcones Research Center, a north Austin campus of The University of Texas at Austin. The UT-TRIGA reactor is licensed for 1.1 MW steady power operation and 3 dollar pulsing. A startup program was implemented upon receipt of the facility license on January 17, 1992. Several facility features are unique to this startup. Among these were the use of fuel with various burnup and a digital control system. The reactor laboratory staff with assistance from a General Atomics instrumentation engineer performed all phases of the startup program. Core loading began in February 1992 with final testing completed in May 1992. Several unusual problems were encountered during this time. Experiment authorizations have been written to resume Neutron Activation Analysis programs and isotope production. Several neutron beam tube experiments are in the design and test phase. (author)

• Research Organization: General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 21141194
• Report Number(s): INIS-US--09N0020; TOC--24
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
BURNUP
CONTROL SYSTEMS
DESIGN
ISOTOPE PRODUCTION
NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
NEUTRON BEAMS
REACTOR OPERATION
RESEARCH REACTORS
TESTING
TRIGA-2 REACTOR
TUBES