Analysis of the power limiting system for the Enrico Fermi atomic power plant

Technical Report · Sat Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1958

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4273844· OSTI ID:4273844

Talboy, Jr., James H.; Lemon, Earl H.; Jacoby, Patricia H.; Niehaus, Donald J.; Larin, Frank

A study was made of the Enrico Fermi Atomic Power Plant to determine the salient features of its power-limiting system. The transients induced by reactivity insertions and coolant flow changes were studied with an analog computer. Using these data, the power-limiting system was designed. Besides the scram action, two more responses of the system were proposed. These are "setback'' and''sequential scram.'' The setback acts to reduce the power when a preset limit is exceeded but does not shut the reactor down. The sequential scram is the response that minimizes thermal shock when the reactor must be shut down because of power transients or the multiple failure of coolant pumps. With the data obtained from the analog computer study, trip levels at which the various responses must be initiated were set. In addition, a recommendation of the flow and temperature interlock functions needed to protect the plant was made. An analysis of the statistical fluctuations of growth factors and power derivative signals is presented. A set of general specifications for the power-limiting equipment, including a block diagram of the logic circuits, was drawn up. (auth)

• Research Organization: Bendix Aviation Corp., Detroit, MI (United States). Research Labs.
• Sponsoring Organization: US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
• NSA Number: NSA-13-005945
• OSTI ID: 4273844
• Report Number(s): BAC/RL--1052
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
ANALOG SYSTEMS
CIRCUITS
COMPUTERS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
COOLANT LOOPS
DIAGRAMS
EXCURSIONS
FAILURES
FLUID FLOW
HEAT TRANSFER
HIGH TEMPERATURE
MONITORING
NEUTRON FLUX
PUMPS
REACTIVITY
REACTOR SAFETY
REMOTE CONTROL
SERVOMECHANISMS
SHUTDOWN
SIGNALS
STATISTICS
TEMPERATURE
TRANSIENTS
VARIATIONS