Fast Burst Reactors In The U.S.A.
- Los Alamos Scientific Lab., Los Alamos, NM (United States)
In order to increase the fission yield per burst, efforts have been directed toward the development of cores which maintain dimensional stability when subjected to more extreme temperature cycles than may be tolerated in normal uranium metal. There also have been attempts to eliminate inertial difficulties related to the quenching delay associated with the finite time for translating fission energy into surface or volume expansion. This delay leads to an effective broadening of the bursts at a given yield. The second series of burst reactors as referred to here are those which employ an alloy of uranium, specifically 10 weight percent molybdenum (U-10 w/o Mo), in which extensive metallurgical tests have indicated relatively small crystal growth and excellent phase stability during or following repeated large temperature cycles (~500°C). Research Reactor) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Molly-G or FBR (Fast Burst Reactor) at White Sands Missile Range, and Super Kukla at Lawrence Radiation Laboratory; three additional models similar to HPRR and Molly-G are in the final planning stages, one at Sandia Corporation, one at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, and one at LASL. None of these reactors has produced more than a total of ~300 bursts to be compared with many thousands for a typical reactor of the first series. Accordingly, such devices may be considered in a relatively early stage of development.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- NSA Number:
- NSA-19-031607
- OSTI ID:
- 4594044
- Report Number(s):
- LA--DC-6786; SM--62/53; CONF--650
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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