The MIT Nuclear Reactor Startup

Journal Article · Mon Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1959 · Nuclear Science and Engineering

OSTI ID:4236830

Barnett, E. ^[1]; Lanning, D. ^[1]; Profio, E. ^[1]; Schwartz, D. ^[1]; Thompson, T. J. ^[1]

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1. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)

The MIT Reactor is heavy water cooled and moderated and operates at 1 Mw. The fuel loadings utilize highly enriched MTR-type fuel elements arranged in concentric rings about the central position. The fuel is contained in a 4-ft- diam. aluminum tank surrounded by a 2-ft layer of graphite. There is a 2-ft D₂O reflector above and below the core. The critical mass of the 19-element core consisting of 105-g elements was measured as 1950 g. Three other core configurations were studied. Initial operations at 1 Mw have shown that the temperature in the boral at the thermal shield is about 60 °C.

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP); US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
• NSA Number: NSA-13-017377
• OSTI ID: 4236830
• Journal Information: Nuclear Science and Engineering, Journal Name: Nuclear Science and Engineering Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 2; ISSN 0029-5639
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
ALUMINUM
ALUMINUM ALLOYS
BORON CARBIDES
CRITICALITY
ENRICHMENT
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUELS
GRAPHITE
HEAVY WATER
HEAVY WATER COOLANT
HEAVY WATER MODERATOR
LAYERS
MASS
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
MITR
MTR
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
OPERATION
REACTOR CORE
REACTOR FUELING
REACTORS
REFLECTORS
STARTUP
TEMPERATURE
THERMAL INSULATION
VESSELS