METHODS FOR CALCULATING THE RADIATIVE HEAT RELEASE IN THE REACTOR VESSEL AND SHIELD

Journal Article · Fri Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1963 · At. Energ. (USSR)

OSTI ID:4073572

Broder, D L; Popkov, K K

Absorption of neutron and gamma radiation causes the heating of the reactor vessel and shield placed within the radiation field. In some reactors the flux incident on the vessel may reach 10/sup 13/ to 10/sup 14/ neutron/cm/sup 2/ sec and therefore the specific heat release could amount to several watts per cm/sup 3/ and in the shield directly adjoining the vessel it may approach 10/sup 2/ watt/cm/sup 3/. The heavy-walled vessels designed to withstand pressures of the order of 100 atm may be subjected to serious, radiation-heat-generated stresses which must be taken into account when calculating the strength of the system. The most important sources of heat generation are: gamma radiation from the fission products; radiative capture in the structural and shielding materials; and the B/sup 10/(n, alpha )Li/sup 7/ reaction for B-containing materials. The gamma radiation due to inelastic scattering of fast neutrons and the energy losses by the elastic scattering of neutrons on the relatively heavy Ce and Ni nuclei may be neglected. Thus simplified, the heat generated Q may be expressed as the sum of 2 components, depending on the absorption of gamma radiation and the alpha particles, in the expression: Q == Q/sub gamma / + Q/ sub alpha / watt/cm/sup 3/. A computational method was developed for calculating these components. The distribution of radiative capture sources in a steel shield surrounded by a moderator is expressed by 2 exponents. While calculating the heat generated by the absorption of alpha particles, the simultaneously emitted 0.478 gamma quantum must also be taken into consideration. (TTT)

• Research Organization: Originating Research Org. not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-18-009610
• OSTI ID: 4073572
• Journal Information: At. Energ. (USSR), Journal Name: At. Energ. (USSR) Vol. Vol: 15
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: Russian

Related Subjects

ABSORPTION
ALPHA PARTICLES
BORON 10
CAPTURE
CONFIGURATION
DISTRIBUTION
ELASTIC SCATTERING
ENERGY
EQUATIONS
FAST NEUTRONS
FISSION PRODUCTS
GAMMA RADIATION
GAMMA SOURCES
HEAT TRANSFER
HEATING
HIGH TEMPERATURE
INELASTIC SCATTERING
IRON
IRRADIATION
LITHIUM 7
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
MODERATORS
NEUTRON FLUX
NEUTRONS
NICKEL
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
PLANNING
POWER PLANTS
PRESSURE
PRESSURE VESSELS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION SOURCES
RADIOACTIVITY
REACTOR CORE
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTOR TECHNOLOGY
SCATTERING
SHIELDING
SHIELDING MATERIALS
SPECIFIC HEAT
STEELS
TEMPERATURE
THERMAL NEUTRONS
THERMAL STRESSES
THICKNESS
VESS