SDR PROJECT QUARTERLY TECHNICAL PROGRESS REPORT FOR THE PERIOD NOVEMBER 1, 1957 THROUGH JANUARY 31, 1958

Technical Report · Mon Mar 31 00:00:00 EST 1958

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4336781· OSTI ID:4336781

Engineering studies have continued on the throughtube reactor design. Full-scale drawings showing the units in a complete lattice position were prepared. A bellows assembly has been added to each calandria tube to accommodate possible thermal stresses. Design of the barrier system now includes a second barrier tube bctween the stainless steel barrier and the calandria tube. The heat loss from the sodium in the fuel tubes to the D/sub 2/O in the calandria is calculated to be less than 0.3 Mw. Studies completed during the quarter indicate that sodium-water reactions do not inherently limit the feasibility of the SDR. A careful review of the literature has shown that sodium-water systoms can be designed for safety against a reaction between the two fluids. Adherence to basic safety design rules prevents shock wave formation and high temperature peaks. Adequate surge volume, low system pressures, inert gas blanketing, and oxygen exclusion are the most important of these rules. Fabrication and assembly of the apparatus for the fuel-coolant tube and header test program is nearing completion. Single-failure barrier tests were performed, using higher sodium temperatures, on six specimens of type 1100 aluminum (2S). The feasibility of using aluminum as a barrier material against hot sodium has been demonstrated. Apparatus for the multiple-failure barrier tests was installed, and a test program has been established. Detail design of the mockup test apparatus was completed. Fabrication and assembly of the apparatus at the test site is nearing completion. A test program was established which is directed at demonstrating the ability to handle sodium and water under simulated reactor temperature conditions. General studies included an investigation of reactor maintenance techniques, fuel element studies, and reactor control and core physics calculations. It was tentatively concluded that a U--10 wt.% Mo alloy is satisfactory for a slightly enriched SDR and that UO/sub 2/ is satisfactory for both a natural uranium and a slightly enriched SDR. Results of a series of two- group reactor criticality calculations indicate that a 6/1 fuel channel to control rod arrangement is satisfactory for the present design (~120 fuel tubes). A brief study was made of the advantages and disadvantages of incorporating some of the desirable features of the slab design into the present calandria design. Shielding studies were concentrated on the design requirements for the thermal shield and the bulk shield between the reactor and header rooms. Preliminary design flow sheets for the D/sub 2/O cover gas, sodium cover gas, and barrier gas systems were prepared. (For preceding period see NDA 084-3.) (auth)

• Research Organization: Nuclear Development Corp. of America, White Plains, N.Y.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• NSA Number: NSA-12-010076
• OSTI ID: 4336781
• Report Number(s): NDA-2084-5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ALUMINUM-- BLANKETS-- CHEMICAL REACTIONS-- FAILURES-- HIGH TEMPERATURE-- PLANNING-- REACTORS-- SDR-- SODIUM-- TESTING
BLANKETS-- HIGH TEMPERATURE-- INERT GASES-- OXYGEN-- PLANNING-- PRESSURE-- REACTORS-- SAFETY-- SDR-- SEPARATION PROCESSES-- SHOCK WAVES-- VOLUME
CHEMICAL REACTIONS-- MOCKUP-- PLANNING-- REACTORS-- SAFETY-- SDR-- SODIUM-- TESTING-- WATER
CONFIGURATION-- NOZZLES-- PLANNING-- REACTOR CORE-- REACTORS-- SDR-- STAINLESS STEELS-- THERMAL STRESSES-- TUBES
CONTROL ELEMENTS-- CRITICALITY-- FUELS-- PLANNING-- REACTORS-- RODS-- SDR-- TUBES-- ZONES
CONTROL-- FUEL ELEMENTS-- MAINTENANCE-- PLANNING-- REACTOR CORE-- REACTORS-- SDR
COOLA
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
PHYSICS