A Preliminary Study of the Nuclear Stability of Fluidized Bed Reactors

Technical Report · Mon Jan 12 04:00:00 EST 1959

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4296804· OSTI ID:4296804

Benumof, R. ^[1]; Rosenthal, M. W. ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

A preliminary study was made of the nuclear stability of reactors in which particles containing U²³³ and Th²³² are fluidized by liquid water. D₂O moderated reactors were found to be least sensitive to changes in bed height at thorium concentrations in the range 80-120 g/liter, H₂/O reactors in the range 1500-2400 g Th/liter, and mixed H₂O-D₂O reactors at thorium concentrations between those for pure moderators. A reactor operated at the thorium concentration at which it is least sensitive to change in bed height was found to be stable in response to a cyclical variation in height.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP); US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• NSA Number: NSA-13-008235
• OSTI ID: 4296804
• Report Number(s): CF-59-1-31
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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NEUTRON FLUX
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