MOLTEN-SALT REACTOR PROGRAM QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT FOR PERIOD ENDING JANUARY 31, 1958

Technical Report · Wed May 14 04:00:00 EDT 1958

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4308239· OSTI ID:4308239

Reactor Design Studies. Preliminary layouts were prepared of the reactor system based on the use of five fuel pumps and two blanket-salt pumps. Total power is assumed to be 638 Mw. Parameter studies of tworegion molten salt reactors were continued through nuclear calculations on the UNIVAC, Oracle, and IBM704. Comparisons of Li--Be and Na--Be salts showed that the Na--Be salt requires 1.2 to 2 times the U/sup 235/ inventory required by Li --Be. A preliminary fill-anddrain system design was completed which satisfies design criteria. The system vessel consists of 48 20-ft lengths of 12-in.-diam pipe arranged in 6 vertical banks. A hydrostatic bearing was designed for use in fuel pumps which differs from conventional bearings in that the pockets rotate on the impeller. Pump design studies established the characteristics of the five fuel pumps for use in the BeF/sub 2/--LiF--UF/sub 4/ fueled reactor. Studies of pump arrangement and salt-lubricated pump bearings were continued. Further developments in remote maintenance techniques and testing of spectal flanges are reported. Heat exchanger tests are being conducted to determine the heat transfer characteristics of various salts in contact with a number of structural materials. Additional dynamic corrosion studies of INOR-8 and Inconel in fuel salts were conducted. Three proposed entrance-exit systems are being evaluated through the use of glass models; one straight-through system and two concentric- flow systems. Studies of the properties of salt systems having various compositions were continued. Preliminary studies were made of naturalconvection molten-salt reactors. Comparison with forced-circulation reactors of 60-Mw indicated a 42% greater fuel inventory is required in the convection reactor. Materials Studies. Studies are under way for determining the effect of carburization on the properties of reactor structural materials. Precious-metal brazing alloys being considered for use in fused salt heat exchangers were corrosion tested in fuel mixtures. Elasticity, thermal conductivity, and tensile property measurements were made on air-melted heats of INOR8. The sorptive properties of charcoal for Xe were significantly improved by heat treatment. Phase equilibrium studies were made of ThF/sub 4/ and UF/sub 4/ in mixtures of LiF--BeF/sub 2/. The solubility of PuF/sub 3/ in Becontaining fluoride salts was investigated. A survey was made of the properties of fused chlorides of interest as secondary heat transfer fluids. LiCl --RbCl appears most attractive. Solubility studies were made of noble gases in NaF-KF --LiF, HF in NaF--ZrF/sub 4/ , and fission product fluorides in NaF--BeF/sub 2/ and LiF -BeF/sub 2/. Precipitation of fission product oxides from fluoride melts was also investigated. (For preceding period see ORNL-2431.) (D.E.B.)

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• NSA Number: NSA-12-010077
• OSTI ID: 4308239
• Report Number(s): ORNL-2474
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ACTIVATED CARBON-- ADSORPTION-- COAL-- FUSED SALT FUEL-- FUSED SALTS-- HEAT TREATMENTS-- PLANNING-- POWER PLANTS-- REACTORS-- WOOD-- XENON
AIR-- CHROMIUM ALLOYS-- ELASTICITY-- FUSED SALT FUEL-- FUSED SALTS-- INOR-8-- MEASURED VALUES-- MELTING-- MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS-- NICKEL ALLOYS-- PLANNING-- POWER PLANTS-- REACTORS-- TENSILE PROPERTIES-- THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
ALLOYS-- BRAZING-- CARBIDES-- CHEMICAL REACTIONS-- CORROSION-- FUELS-- FUSED SALT FUEL-- FUSED SALTS-- HEAT EXCHANGERS-- MATERIALS TESTING-- METALS-- MIXING-- PLANNING-- POWER PLANTS-- QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS-- REACTORS-- USES
ALUMINUM ALLOYS-- CHROMIUM ALLOYS-- CORROSION-- FUSED SALT FUE
PHYSICS