HOMOGENEOUS REACTOR PROJECT QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT FOR PERIOD ENDING APRIL 30, 1954

Technical Report · Fri Sep 17 04:00:00 EDT 1954

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4355106· OSTI ID:4355106

McDuffie, H.F. comp.

Homogeneous Reactor Experiment. Final data were obtained on the effectiveness of Cu/sup ++/ as an internal recombiner catalyst for radiolytic gas. Homogeneous Reactor Test. Criticality calculations have been completed for three blanket configurations using D/sub 2/O. ThO/sub 2/ slurry, and unenriched UO/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ solutions. Investigations on the temperature coefficient of reactivity and kinetic studies with respect to core pressure rise were also undertaken. Startup and shutdown procedures will involve the addition and removal of fuel concentrate. Revised flow sheet and design data sheets are presented, including the reactor vessel assembly, fuel pressurizer, recombiner- condenser, outer dump tank condenser, and fuel solution evaporator. The physical properties of HRT fuel and blanket solution at 2000 psia are given. Present evidence indicates that the Xe poison level can be maintained below 1% by continuous stripping with only 2% of the decomposition gases which would be produced if no Cu/sup ++/ catalyst were present for recombination. Revised inlet and outlet valve designs for the HRT pulsafeeder system have resulted in improved performance. General Homogeneous Reactor Studies. Principal activities in engineering development consist of the design of several representative heat exchanger layouts and recombiner loops. An extensive body of data on the corrosion of stainless steel by UO/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ solutions has been accumulated. The corrosive effects of boiling HNO/sub 3/ on stainless steel, and the UO/sub 2/ SO/sub 4/ corrosion of Zircaloy were also investigated. Stress relief annealing at 1000 deg F improved the dynamic corrosion resistance of austenitic stainless steel welds corroded by UO/sub 2/SO/sub 4/. The dynamic corrosion of Zircaloy-2 and Ti by UO/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ showed no marked effect on the impact behavior of these materials. The yield of N/sub 2/ from irradiated Th(NO/sub 3/)/sub 4/ is considerably less than previous values reported for UO/sub 2/(NO/sub 3/)/sub 2/ solutions. A revised phase diagram of the UO/sub 2/F/sub 2/-H/sub 2/O system is presented. The preparation and corrosive properties of ThO/sub 2/ slurries were investigated, together with the abrasion characteristics on stainless steel and Ti. Considerations associated with chemical processing of fuel and blanket solutions, such as the solubility of rare-earth sulfates, are discussed. (T.R.H.)

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• NSA Number: NSA-12-001100
• OSTI ID: 4355106
• Report Number(s): ORNL-1753(Del.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BLANKETS
CATALYSIS
CONDENSERS
CONFIGURATION
COOLANT LOOPS
COPPER
CRITICALITY
DECOMPOSITION
DECONTAMINATION
DENSITY
EFFICIENCY
EQUATIONS
EVAPORATION
FLUID FLOW
FUEL SLURRIES
FUEL SOLUTIONS
FUELS
GASES
HEAVY WATER MODERATOR
HOMOGENEOUS REACTORS
HRE-1
HRT
HYDROGEN
IONS
MASS
OXYGEN
PHYSICS
PLANNING
POISONING
POWER PLANTS
PRESSURE
PRESSURE VESSELS
RADIATION CHEMISTRY
RADIOLYSIS
REACTIVITY
REACTOR CORE
REACTOR FUELING
REACTORS
RESEARCH REACTORS
SHUTDOWN
SPECIFIC HEAT
STARTUP
SULFATES
TEMPERATURE
THORIUM OXIDES
TRANSFER FUNCTIONS
TRANSIENTS
URANYL COMPOUNDS
VALVES
VARIATIONS
VISCOSITY
WASTE DISPOSAL
XENON