DEVELOPMENT OF HYDRAULIC BALL (KY-BALL) CONTROL SYSTEM. Progress Report No. 1, July-September 1962

Technical Report · Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1962

OSTI ID:4769304

Weems, S J; Turner, S E; Taylor, Jr, R W

Reactor fuel cell parameter studies were initiated to indicate the dia. of the Hy-Ball control columns which show the most promise. These studies are based on a 974-Mw(t) boiling water reactor for a 300-Mw(e) plant; the fuel configuration (typical of present day technology) consists of rods made up of UO/ sub 2/ pellets clad with 0.520 in. OD by 0.025 in. wall zircaloy-2. The largest size Hy-Ball column (as limited by water-hole peaking) under consideration contains 13/8 in. dia. balls operating in a 17/18 in. ID tube. The smallest size column (replaces a single fuel element in a uniform array) contains 1/2 in. dia. balls operating in a 9/16 in. ID tube. Of these two sizes, it was tentatively concluded that the smaller ball column (1/2 in.) is preferred because of the reduction in control system capacity, the higher control worth per unit of core volume, greater design flexibility, and lower water-hole flux peaking. The water-hole peaking factor of the 9/16 in. ID Hy-Ball column is approximately 1.025. Calculations of the approximate equilibrium unrodded, unflattened core for a three-radial zone out-in fuel shuffling program indicate a radial maximum- to-average power ratio of about 1.2 and an axial peaking factor of about 2.5. Partial core length Hy-Ball columns and/or burnable poison will be considered for reduction of the axial peaking factor. A cold water test loop (air-water, 80 deg F, 150 psig) was constructed and operational tests were begun on a 11/2 in. ID transparent plastic simulated Hy-Ball column using balls ranging in dia. from 15/ 16 in. to 11/16 in. and using solid cylinders having a dia. of 17/16 in. Scram timedisplacement information and lifting flow rntes were obtained. The simulated reactor Hy-Ball column system is pressurized with air to effect fast scrams by forcing the water within the column downward and out through the controlline. Scrams of 10 ft ball stacks were achieved in less than 1 sec by using a high driving pressure. A reference design of a hot test loop for operation at 1250 psia, 572 deg F was established, Specifications were prepared, and requests for bids on the expected long lead items (the recirculation pump and autoclaves) were submitted to vendors. The hot test loop will consist of two 6 in. ID by 20 ft autoclaves (simulating reactor vessels) together with the necessary pump, piping and valves for operation of Hy-Ball colunms. An extra leg of the recirculation loop is provided for the separate testing of additional remote controlled valves. (auth)

• Research Organization: General Nuclear Engineering Corp., Dunedin, Fla.
• DOE Contract Number: AT(39-1)-207
• NSA Number: NSA-17-002472
• OSTI ID: 4769304
• Report Number(s): GNEC-251; EURAEC-456
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-63
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

REACTOR TECHNOLOGY
AIR
BOILING
CONTROL
CONTROL ELEMENTS
CONTROL ROD WORTH
CONTROL SYSTEMS
FLUID FLOW
FUEL CANS
FUEL ELEMENTS
IN PILE LOOPS
MOCKUP
OPERATION
PELLETS
PIPES
POLYMERS
PRESSURE
PUMPS
REACTORS
REMOTE CONTROL
RODS
SPHERES
TEMPERATURE
TESTING
TUBES
URANIUM DIOXIDE
VALVES
VESSELS
VOLUME
WATER
WATER COOLANT
ZIRCALOY