PROPERTIES OF EXPONENTIAL AND CRITICAL SYSTEMS OF THORIA-URANIA AND HEAVY WATER, AND THEIR APPLICATION TO REACTOR DESIGN
Technical Report
·
OSTI ID:4307022
Physics statics information was obtained through a series of heavy water exponential and critical expert-ments employing quarter-inch diameter fuel rods with thorium-U/sup 235/ atom ratios of 25 and 50. Bucklings were determined for exponential triangular lattices of 1 1/2 to 7 1/2 in. pitch. Void und temperature coefficient of buckling also were measured. Systems of concentric zones having different bucklings were investigated. Critical experiments with a 3/4 in. triangular lattice spacing and height to diameter ratios from 0.8 to 2.8 gave buckling and reflector savings information. Migration area was determined both by differential water worth and by variation of enrichment. Reactivity worth of voids and control rods was investigated. Thermal utilization and resonance escape were also measured. Physics considerations in boiling reactor design are assisted by these statics experiments and also the observed operating characteristics of BORAK-IV. In seeking compatibility among reactivity, void coefficient, conversion ratio, safety aad stability, yet heeding boundary conditions imposed by mechanical, hydraulic and heat transfer considerations, judicious compromises are necessary. Illustrative of these design principles, a small 40 Mw ThO/sub 2/-UO/sub 2/-D/sub 2/O prototype boiling reactor having 400 kw/liter of coolant is presented. Although quite small, its attractiveness is further enhanced when extrapolated in size and power to those of practical interest. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., Lemont, Ill.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-12-015025
- OSTI ID:
- 4307022
- Report Number(s):
- A/CONF.15/P/600
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BOILING
BUCKLING
CONFERENCE
CONTROL ELEMENTS
CONVERSION
COOLANT LOOPS
CRITICAL ASSEMBLIES
CRITICALITY
DIFFUSION LENGTH
EFFICIENCY
ENRICHMENT
EXPONENTIAL PILES
FUEL ELEMENTS
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDRAULICS
MASS
MEASURED VALUES
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
MODERATORS
PHYSICS
PLANNING
REACTIVITY
REACTOR CORE
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTORS
REFLECTORS
RESONANCE ESCAPE PROBABILITY
RODS
STABILITY
STANDARDS
TEMPERATURE
THERMAL UTILIZATION
THORIUM
THORIUM OXIDES
URANIUM 235
URANIUM DIOXIDE
ZONES
BUCKLING
CONFERENCE
CONTROL ELEMENTS
CONVERSION
COOLANT LOOPS
CRITICAL ASSEMBLIES
CRITICALITY
DIFFUSION LENGTH
EFFICIENCY
ENRICHMENT
EXPONENTIAL PILES
FUEL ELEMENTS
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDRAULICS
MASS
MEASURED VALUES
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
MODERATORS
PHYSICS
PLANNING
REACTIVITY
REACTOR CORE
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTORS
REFLECTORS
RESONANCE ESCAPE PROBABILITY
RODS
STABILITY
STANDARDS
TEMPERATURE
THERMAL UTILIZATION
THORIUM
THORIUM OXIDES
URANIUM 235
URANIUM DIOXIDE
ZONES