REACTOR PROJECTS BRANCH QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT FOR APRIL, MAY, JUNE, 1958

Technical Report · Mon Jan 19 04:00:00 EST 1959

OSTI ID:4276346

Bright, G.O. ed.

A series of ramp reactivity addition tests was made with the B-12/64 core, with results indicating that there is no unexpected deviation from results obtained from the A core. Several reaetor fuse experiments were performed for Atomics International. The fuses operated quite satisfactorily, and reactivity calculations show that full poison injection was achieved about 40 milliseconds after the fuse was triggered. Compensated reactivity calculations for the B cores show behavior similar to the A core results. Design studies for a pile oscillator mechanism to be used with the Spert I-B cores were completed. Oscillator designs were tested in the reactor. Results show that a mechanism mounted in the core-center cross structure gives adequate performance with regard to wave shape, frequency, and reactivity amplitudes. In analysis of the SPERT IIi core, tentative values of critical rod positions, rod worths, temperature coefficients, and shutdown worth as func tions of temperature were obtained. Direct analog readout of oscillograph traces for use in special cases was accomplished by using a curve-follower in conjunction with the Oscar chart reader. Preliminary studies of analog computers for use with SPERT calculations show that solutions are probably feasible. A conduction boiling model for reactor self- shutdown in the short period region was developed. Predictions by the model were compared with experimental data for several cases under both boiling and subcooled conditions and the agreement found to be generally good. Calculations on the B cores show reactivity values during a transient excursion are only weakly dependent on the power history between the time of breakaway from the exponential and time of peak power. The poison model of reactor shutdown was investigated and appears to offer little promise. Performance tests were made on the SPERT boron chambers. The results indicate they satisfactorily withstood the passage of time, although four out of five were refilled due to a non-linearity with high chamber currents. Drift tests performed on electronic components revealed adequate stability. The procurement and fabrication of the necessary components to convert SPERT I for use with the APPR core were completed. The over-all completion of the SPERT II project is about 55%. The SPERT III project is approximately 98% complete. (For preceding period see IDO-16452.) (auth)

• Research Organization: Phillips Petroleum Co. Atomic Energy Div., Idaho Falls, Idaho
• DOE Contract Number: AT(10-1)-205
• NSA Number: NSA-13-011448
• OSTI ID: 4276346
• Report Number(s): IDO-16489
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ANALOG SYSTEMS-- COMPUTERS-- NUMERICALS-- REACTORS-- SPERT-1-- USES
BOILING-- MOCKUP-- REACTIVITY-- REACTOR PERIOD-- REACTORS-- SHUTDOWN-- THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY-- TRANSIENTS
BORON-- ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT-- IONIZATION CHAMBERS-- PERFORMANCE-- REACTORS-- STABILITY-- TESTING
CONTROL ELEMENTS-- CONTROL ROD WORTH-- CRITICALITY-- LEVELS-- MEASURED VALUES-- QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS-- REACTOR CORE-- REACTORS-- RECORDING SYSTEMS-- RODS-- SHUTDOWN-- SPERT-3-- TEMPERATURE-- TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT
EXCURSIONS-- NUMERICALS-- POWER-- REACTIVITY-- REACTOR CORE-- REACTORS
FABRICATION-- INSTRUMENTS-- LABORATORY EQUIPMENT-- REACTORS-- SM-1-- SPERT-1-- USES
FR
REACTORS