Initial Operation and Testing of the Army Package Power Reactor APPR-1

Technical Report · Fri Aug 09 00:00:00 EDT 1957

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4308431· OSTI ID:4308431

Meem, J. L. ^[1]

---

1. Alco Products, Inc., Schenectady, NY (United States)

The startup and initial operation of the APPR-1 and the results of the test program on the reactor are described. The latter program began with testing of the vapor container for leaks, checking the integrity of the entire primary and secondary systems, and testing of individual components. Pre-nuclear testing of the primary system was performed. The system was operated at full temperature and pressure using dummy fuel elements in the core. The reactor was brought critical and was generating electrical power one week later. Numerous low and high power performance tests were performed and the reactor reached its full rated power at 10 megawatts of heat. The temperature coefficient of the reactor was measured as -2.3 x 10^-4/°F and the pressure coefficient as 2 to 4 x 10^-6/psi at the operating conditions of 450°F and 1200 psi. Measurements were made to demonstrate that the reactor would be cooled by thermal convection in the event of loss of primary coolant flow. Data are presented om Xe buildup, shielding, and over-all plant heat balance, and the control of water purity in both the primary and secondary system is described. The APPR-1 has proven itself to be a reliable nuclear power plant with remarkable stability and it has operated so as to meet all design requirements.

• Research Organization: Alco Products, Inc., Schenectady, NY (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP); US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
• DOE Contract Number: AT(11-1)-318
• NSA Number: NSA-12-006812
• OSTI ID: 4308431
• Report Number(s): APAE-18
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-58
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
ABSORPTION
ACCIDENTS
ALKALI METALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COLOR
COLOR CENTERS
CONTROL
COOLANTS
CRYSTALS
ELECTRONS
ENERGY
EXCITONS
FAILURES
FLUID FLOW
GALLIUM
HALIDES
HEAT TRANSFER
IMPURITIES
IRRADIATION
LATTICES
LIGHT
LOSSES
LUMINESCENCE
MEASURED VALUES
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
METALS
OPERATION
PHOSPHORS
POISONING
POTASSIUM BROMIDES
POTASSIUM CHLORIDES
PURITY
QUANTITY RATIO
REACTIVITY
SHIELDING
SHUTDOWN
SODIUM CHLORIDES
SPECTRA
SPHERES
STABILITY
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
VACANCIES
VARIATIONS
WATER
X RADIATION
XENON
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
Endurance Test
Core Reloading
Water Purity
Temperature Coefficients
Pressure Coefficients
Power Level
Heat Balance
Xenon