NUCLEAR SUPERHEAT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. Eighth Quarterly Progress Report, April-June 1961

Technical Report · Wed Oct 31 04:00:00 EST 1962

OSTI ID:4829929

A study of the effect of outlet steam temperature and pressure on the performance of the NUSU reactor was initiated. The preliminary study of the NUSU concept with 900 deg F, 925 psia outiet steam, indicated that some dfmensional changes in the double-annular fuel element are necessary. Tentative thermal analysis of the modified double-annular fuel element for the lower steam conditions, indicated a maximum wall temperature only slightly higher than the maximum at an exit steam velocity of 122 ft/sec. Steam tests showed that a significant downcomer entrainment problem exists at velocities greater than about 0.75 ft/sec. A limited study of the alternate NUSU reference design with multitube fuel elements was devoted to the peripheral boiler region of the core. Analysis of critical experiments with the NUSU double-annular fuel elements was initiated, using the Deutsch semi-empirical method of computing three-group constants. The results of calculations in the uniform core arrays using the modified Deutsch method showed good agreement with the experimental values of both reactivity and power distribution. Further study of the methods of heat- transfer analysis of the multitube fuel-element concept showed that a finer mesh network is required in the relaxation method for accurate results. An investigation of the baslc methods of calculating pressure drops was undertaken. The NUSU critical experiments were completed. Four-group burnup calculations are being made on the reference NUSU design. A series of tests on mechanical steam- water separators was concluded. Fabrication methods for the ln-pile test fucl element were developed. The thermal cycle tests of the prototype fuel element were completed. (Mi.C.G.)

• Research Organization: Combustion Engineering, Inc., Windsor, Conn. And General Nuclear Engineering Corp., Dunedin, Fla.
• NSA Number: NSA-16-003941
• OSTI ID: 4829929
• Report Number(s): GNEC-190
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BOILING
BURNOUT
BURNUP
CONFIGURATION
COOLANT LOOPS
CRITICALITY
CROSS SECTIONS
DISTRIBUTION
ENERGY
ENERGY RANGE
EPITHERMAL NEUTRONS
EQUATIONS
ERRORS
FABRICATION
FAILURES
FAST NEUTRONS
FUEL ELEMENTS
GAS COOLANT
GAS FLOW
GROUP THEORY
HEAT TRANSFER
HEATING
HIGH TEMPERATURE
HUMIDITY
MASS
MATERIALS TESTING
MEASURED VALUES
NEUTRON FLUX
NUMERICALS
NUSU
PERFORMANCE
POWER PLANTS
PRESSURE
REACTIVITY
REACTOR CORE
REACTOR TECHNOLOGY
STEAM
SUPERHEATING
SURFACES
TEMPERATURE
TESTING
THERMAL NEUTRONS
VELOCITY
WATER COOLANT
ZONES