QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT FOR JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER 1958

Technical Report · Fri May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1959

OSTI ID:4257350

Bright, G.O. ed.

SPERT I: Most of the data obtained during experiments with B'' cores are presented in summary form. The effect of small (< 1 ft/sec) moderator flow rates was investigated. The critical experiment with the APPR core was completed; the effect of water height on control rod worth was determined. SPERT III: A new calculation was made to determine a value for the self-shielding effect in fuel plates. Tentative results for reactivity values and temperature coefficients were obtained from the IBM-704 program. THEORETlCAL: A method of treating thermal shutdown effects in Spert I was developed using a two-term exponential form for describing the power burst in the calculation of the reactivity compensated at the time of peak power. Comparison with experiment shows good agreement, especially in the short period region. An analytic treatment of transient heat conduction during reactor power excursions is presented, and an application to moderator displacement calculations in the Spert A-17/28 core is shown. An approximate linear form which represents the non- linear expansivity of water with temperature was developed. ENGlNEERING: Spert I reactor and plant modifications which were necessary for accommodation of the APPR core were completed. Design criteria for a pile oscillator were set and fabrication of the unit was completed. The status of Spert II component design and procurement is shown, with the plant estimated to be about 60% complete. An acceptance test was completed on the Spert III plant. Hydraulic tests conducted on several arrays of fuel assemblies and filler pieces indicate uniform flow distribution across the core is obtained. (For preceding period see IDO-16489.) (D.E.B.)

• Research Organization: Phillips Petroleum Co. Atomic Energy Div., Idaho Falls, Idaho
• DOE Contract Number: AT(10-1)-205
• NSA Number: NSA-13-018648
• OSTI ID: 4257350
• Report Number(s): IDO-16512
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BUILDINGS-- FABRICATION-- FLUID FLOW-- INSPECTION-- MEASURED VALUES-- PLANNING-- POWER PLANTS- - REACTOR CORE-- REACTOR OSCILLATORS-- REACTORS-- SM-1-- SPERT-1-- SPERT-3
COMPUTERS-- FUEL ELEMENTS-- IBM 704-- NUMERICALS-- PLATES-- REACTIVITY-- REACTOR CORE-- REACTORS-- SHIELDING-- SPERT-3-- TEMPERATURE-- TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT
CRITICAL ASSEMBLIES-- ELEMENTS-- FLUID FLOW-- MODERATORS-- REACTOR CORE-- REACTORS-- SM-1-- SPERT-1-- WATER
EQUATIONS-- EXCURSIONS-- EXPANSION-- HEAT TRANSFER-- HEATING-- POWER-- REACTIVITY-- REACTORS-- SHUTDOWN-- SPERT-1-- TEMPERATURE-- TRANSIENTS-- WATER MODERATOR
REACTORS