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Reactor Kinetics Quarterly Progress Report: October-December 1956

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4312816· OSTI ID:4312816
 [1]
  1. North American Aviation, Inc., Canoga Park, CA (United States). Atomics International Div.
The KEWB I reactor was operated at its design power of 50 kw. Investigation of the energy coefficient of radiolytic-gas production shows the rate of gas evolution to be linearly decreasing with increasing reactor core pressure. Experimental transient studies with initial core temperature and initial core pressure as parameters result in lower peak reactor powers with both increased core temperature and decreased core pressure. The radiolytic-gas evolution is found to play a dominant role in reactor shutdown, but the effectiveness of the gas as a shutdown mechanism cannot be predicted by assuming that gas bubbles instantaneously contribute to reactivity compensation. The power and temperature transfer functions for a water boiler reactor are obtained for the case of m groups of delayed neutrons including the effects of temperature and radiolytic-gas generation. The nature of the reactor transfer function is investigated, and a number of asymptotic and approximate expressions for the function are given. The derivation and limitations of the space-independent reactor kinetic equations are discussed briefly. (For preceding period see NAA- SR-1811.)
Research Organization:
North American Aviation, Inc., Canoga Park, CA (United States). Atomics International Div.
Sponsoring Organization:
US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
DOE Contract Number:
AT(11-1)-GEN-8
NSA Number:
NSA-12-004457
OSTI ID:
4312816
Report Number(s):
NAA-SR--2134
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English