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EXTERNALLY MODERATED REACTORS

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4336739
A reactor-statics theory is presented for a group of thermal systems having sphericai symmetry. Members of the group are characterized by two basic regions: a nonmoderating interior region with fuel is surrounded by a moderating exterior. Two classes of reactor interior regions are considered. One class, which comprises the interiors of cavity reactors,'' has lowdensity cores that cannot scatter thermal neutrons (the U/sup 235/F/sub 6/ core approximates this class of interiors). Interiors of the second class have high scattering probabilities for thermal neutrons (e.g., the cores of externally moderated liquid metal fueled reactors). Graphs are included to facilitate the analysis of general systems with external moderation. The theory is applied to criticality surveys of cavity reactors, to special features of LMFH systems, to studies of flux profiles, and to preliminary considerations of some possible applications of the externally moderated concept. (auth)
Research Organization:
RAND Corp., Santa Monica, Calif.
NSA Number:
NSA-12-010079
OSTI ID:
4336739
Report Number(s):
R-316(RAND)
Country of Publication:
Country unknown/Code not available
Language:
English