TEMPERATURES IN THE MSRE CORE DURING STEADY-STATE POWER OPERATION

Technical Report · Thu Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1962

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4749259· OSTI ID:4749259

Engel, J R; Haubenreich, P N

Over-all fuel and graphite temperature distributions were calculated for a detailed hydraulic and nuclear representation of the MSRE. These temperature distributions were weighted in various ways to obtain nuclear and bulk mean temperatures for both materials. At the design power level of 10 Mw, with the reactor inlet and outlet temperatures at 1175 deg F and 1225 deg F, respectively, the nuclear mean fuel temperature is 1213 deg F. The bulk average temperature of the fuel in the reactor vessel (excluding the volute) is 1198 deg F. For the same conditions and with no fuel permeation, the graphite nuclear and bulk mean temperatures are 1257 deg F and 1226 deg F, respectively. Fuel permeation of 2% of the graphite volume raises these values to 1264 deg F and 1231 deg F, respectively. The effects of power on the nuclear mean temperatures were combined with the temperature coefficients of reactivity of the fuel and graphite to estimate the power coefficient of reactivity of the reactor. if the reactor outlet temperature is held constant during power changes, the power coefficient is the reactor inlet and outlet temperatures is held constant, the power coefficient is --0.047% ( DELTA k/k)/Mw. (auth)

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• NSA Number: NSA-17-015500
• OSTI ID: 4749259
• Report Number(s): ORNL-TM-378
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
DISTRIBUTION
FUSED SALT FUEL
GRAPHITE MODERATOR
HIGH TEMPERATURE
LIQUID FLOW
MSRE
POROSITY
REACTIVITY
REACTOR TECHNOLOGY
REACTORS
TEMPERATURE
VARIATIONS