ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION-BUREAU OF MINES PROCESS HEAT REACTOR PROGRAM. Quarterly Progress Report, August 1 to October 31, 1959
Runs were made with the 250 psig pilot-scale helium recycle loop. After Run No. 10, the heat exchanger was removed from the system and clsansd. In addition, particulate matter was blown out of the loop, and a new filter was installed. During Run No. 11 a leak developed in the heliumto-air heat exchanger. The system was shut down. A waterto-helium cooler was installed, and the run was continued. The min was terminated when large deposits of particulate matter in the loop caused inconsistent helium fiows. After Run No. 11, a new helium recycle compressor was installed in the loop. A new helium cooler was constructed and installed in ths loop. This unit has two heat-exchange sections in series. Helium is cooled by indirect exchange with water in the first section and by indirect exchange with air in the second section. A maximum gas temperature of 2500 deg F was reached during Run No. 12, but a hot spot on the shell of the ISR (induction-heated simulated-nuclear reactor) caused termination of the run after 107 hr. Two tungsten-coated tubes were tested at high temperatures and pressures in a helium atmosphere to determine whether or not tungsten coatings provide greater strength than an equal thickness of alloy steel. From results of the tests, it was concluded that sprayed tungsten coatings provide no additional strength of 310 stainless-steel tubes at high temperature. A system was designed for life-testing promising commercially available alloy tubes for use in coal gasification. Two types of spherical graphite fuel elements were tested for durability at 2500 deg F in the presence of air. One type, coated with 1 to 3 mils of silicon carbide, cracked after 150 hr. The cther element, with a 1/32-in. KT type silicon-carbide coating, showed no evidence of cracking or deterioration after 482 hr at 2500 deg F. A vacuum-tight apparatas for the detection of impurities in helium was constructed. It is essentially an incandescent tungsten filament that reacts readily with impurities, particularly oxidizing contaminants. Oxides were formed which sublimed well below the melting paint of the filament. Tests completed thus far showed the necessity of completely degassing the system prior to any helium fiow. The time required to outgas the system at given temperatares is now being investigated. A laboratory-scale helium-heated coal gasifier was constructed to show the feasibility of gasifying coal-water slurries in alloy-steel tubes with heat transfered from helium at 2400 deg F. Tests on the electrostatic precipitator were completed at the datum temperature of 600 deg F and pressures of 5 to 8O psig. Duat-removal efficiency of the apparatus increased from about 55% at 5 psig to 99% at 80 psig. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Bureau of Mines. Appalachian Experiment Station, Morgantown, W. Va.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-15-013995
- OSTI ID:
- 4054517
- Report Number(s):
- TID-5841
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-61
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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