MARITIME GAS-COOLED REACTOR PROGRAM. Quarterly Progress Report for the Period Ending September 30, 1961

Technical Report · Wed Oct 30 23:00:00 EST 1963

OSTI ID:4681608

Included in the MGCR Project are the design, construction, and test operation of a 10-Mw(t) reactor experiment as an intermediate stage to determine the operating characteristics of BeO-moderated gas-cooled systems and to lend greater assurance of success to the subsequent prototype plant. This reactor experiment is known as the Experimental Beryllium Oxide Reactor (EBOR). A number of core design analyses and changes were made. These included: thermal studies to determine allowable temperature conditions for the core element support riser top plate; an investigation to ascertain the need for the bottom head of the thermal shield; and a decision to abandon the concentric duct flow restrictor concept in favor of a pressure vessel design that receives all of the helium flow through the concentric duct. An analysis of the loss-ofcoolant accident for the annular EBOR fuel element was made. Experiments to determine the circumferential variation of the heat transfer coefficient around a fuel rod were initiated. The irradiation of the MGCR-HDR-3 test fuel element in the Hanford DR-1 Gas Loop continued satisfactorily. The ball-nut lead screw environmental test program was completed. A modified 135 Nitralloy screw and tungsten carbide balls were found to constitute the best combination. The assembly of the MGCR control rod drive environmental test loop and associated instrumentation was completed. A revised design of the low-pressure turbine-compressor set is 70% complete. Compressor and turbine model testing was continued. Compressor model tests were carried out to determine the effect of stage loading and the effect of stator seal clearance on the performance of the compressor. Emphasis was placed on the incorporation of the DSN multigroup transport code into the EBOR and the critical assembly calculations. In addition, the GAM-1 and GATHER codes for the solution of epithermal and thermal spectra problems, respectively, and for the determination of spectra-averaged cross sections for subsequent diffusion theory calculations, were brought into use. The critical assembly program is continuing. Following the experiments on the lightly loaded simulated water-flooded assembly, the loading was doubled and additional measurements made. Dose rate calculations pertaining to both dry and wet fuel handling were made. The performance of the MGCR-4 fuel irradiation capsule in the MTR continued satisfactorily. The examination of BeO pellets from the MGCR-1 irradiation capsule was also continued. Crushing strengths of up to 88,000 psi were recorded. Extended time creep- rupture testing of Hastelloy-X, in various environments, is being directed toward the determination of the reason for the shorterthan-predicted rupture lives of various specimens. Investigations to determine the aqueous corrosion properties of various metallic materials were started. (auth)

• Research Organization: General Atomic Div. General Dynamics Corp., San Diego, Calif.
• NSA Number: NSA-17-024676
• OSTI ID: 4681608
• Report Number(s): GA-2568
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ACCIDENTS
BERYLLIUM MODERATOR
BERYLLIUM OXIDES
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
COMPRESSORS
CONTROL ELEMENTS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
COOLANT LOOPS
CORROSION
CRACKS
CREEP
CRITICAL ASSEMBLIES
CROSS SECTIONS
DIFFUSION
DR-1
DSN-CODE
EBOR
EPITHERMAL NEUTRONS
FABRICATION
FUEL ELEMENTS
G-CODES
GAS COOLANT
GAS FLOW
GROUP THEORY
HASTELLOY
HDR
HEAT TRANSFER
HELIUM
IN PILE LOOPS
INSTRUMENTS
IRRADIATION
MACHINE PARTS
MATERIALS TESTING
MEASURED VALUES
METALS
MGCR
MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS
MTR
NICKEL ALLOYS
PELLETS
PERFORMANCE
PIPES
PLANNING
PLATES
POWER PLANTS
PRESSURE
PRESSURE VESSELS
PROGRAMMING
RADIATION DOSES
REACTOR CORE
REACTOR FUEL
REACTOR TECHNOLOGY