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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

CURRENT RE-DESIGNS OF CALDER HALL

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4282995

The first re-design of the Calder Hall reactors was carried out by industrial firms in Britain for U.K. electricity authorities. The U.K. Atomic Energy Authority collaborated with the electricity authorities in writing the specification for these stations and in assessing the designs. The method adopted for carrying out the assessment is described. It involved a detailed consideration of each design from a number of different aspects, namely: performance, safety, fuel elements, pressure circuit, control and instrumentation, graphite structure, burst cartridge detection, and civil engineering. This re-design; and later ones now current, led to a very great advance in performance and economy over Calder Hall. The various factors responsible for the improvement are discussed, including increases in the diameter and working pressure, and improved internal geometry of the main pressure vessel; increased rating and temperature of the fuel and new heat transfer surfaces for the fuel elements. Modifications to the design which have arisen from consideration of postulated fault conditions, aud the development of major components such as main gas valves and bellows are considered. Work is reported on the leak tightness of the Calder Hall pressure circuit and on the principles of design to be applied to simliar circuits. (auth)

Research Organization:
United Kingdom Atomic energy Authority, Risley, Lancs, Eng.
NSA Number:
NSA-13-007205
OSTI ID:
4282995
Report Number(s):
A/CONF.15/P/73
Country of Publication:
Country unknown/Code not available
Language:
English