Critical Experiments for PL-2 and Their Analysis

Technical Report · Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1962

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4620135· OSTI ID:4620135

Gailar, O. ^[1]; Harding, R. S. ^[1]; Knapp, R. W. ^[1]

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1. Combustion Engineering, Inc., Windsor, CT (United States)

As part of the Army Boiling Water Reactor Program, an 8.5 MW(t), compact, air-transportable plant has been designed known as the PL-2 plant. It features a low enrichment UO₂ core, light water moderated, containing discrete boron elements for flux suppression and control. It is intended that the core attain a minimum full power life of three years and be capable of shutdown with any one control rod fully withdrawn. To support the design of the PL-2 core, a series of critical experiments was performed and comparisons made with theoretical predictions. Critical experiments started January 16, 1962, and initial criticality was achieved on January 17 in a minimum size core containing 248 fuel rods. By the time the experimental program was concluded on April 18, 1962, approximately 38 distinct fuel and poison combinations and configurations were investigated.

• Research Organization: Combustion Engineering, Inc., Windsor, CT (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP); US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
• DOE Contract Number: AT(11-1)-1062
• NSA Number: NSA-17-040336
• OSTI ID: 4620135
• Report Number(s): CEND-164
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-63
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ALUMINUM
BORON
CONTROL ELEMENTS
CRITICALITY
DISTRIBUTION
FUEL CANS
FUEL ELEMENTS
MEASURED VALUES
MOCKUP
MULTIPLICATION FACTORS
PL-2
POISONING
POWER
POWER PLANTS
REACTIVITY
REACTOR CORE
REACTORS
SHUTDOWN
STAINLESS STEELS
STARTUP
ZONES
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
Criticality
Control Elements
Boron
Distribution
mockup
Critical Experiments
Fuel Rods