Design and initial performance of the Sandia Pulsed Reactor-III

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1976

OSTI ID:4055844

Reuscher, J A; Estes, B F

The Sandia Pulsed Reactor-III (SPR-III) is a new fast pulsed reactor which has recently undergone initial testing at Sandia Laboratories. SPR-III is a uranium-10 weight percent molybdenum fuel assembly with a 17.78 cm irradiation cavity similar in design to SPR-II which has been in operation since 1967. The basic SPR-III design utilizes the same split-core configuration which has been proven with SPR-II; however, SPR-III uses external reflectors for control and external bolts to hold the fuel plates together. The core consists of sixteen fuel plates with an inside diameter of 17.78 cm, an outside diameter of 29.72 cm, and a core height of 31.9 cm. The fuel mass is about 227 kg of fully enriched uranium-10 weight percent molybdenum alloy. SPR III has completed the initial series of startup tests which included the critical experiment, zero and low- power tests, and pulse testing. The reactor design and results from the initial testing program are described in this paper. A portion of the startup experiments with SPR-III have been completed and this paper discusses the more important aspects of the initial testing program.

• Research Organization: Sandia Labs., Albuquerque, N.Mex. (USA)
• NSA Number: NSA-33-028078
• OSTI ID: 4055844
• Report Number(s): SAND--75-6236; CONF-760111--3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*SPR-3 REACTOR-- DESIGN
220600* --Nuclear Reactor Technology--Research
Test & Experimental Reactors
N77600* --Reactors--Research
Test
Experimental
Zero-power & Training Reactors
& Subcritical Assemblies
PERFORMANCE
REACTOR START-UP