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U.S. Department of Energy
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ANALYSIS OF SRE POWER EXCURSION OF JULY 13, 1959

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4834977
While the reactor core and coolant were contaminated with tetralin and its decomposition products, the SRE experienced a power excursion. The power level rose from about 4 to 14 Mw, or to 70% of full rated power, before the reactor was scrammed. The shortest period reached was about 7.5 sec. The results were presented of a study whose purpose was to determine the cause of the excursion. A description of reactor operating conditions and a chronology of events preceding the excursion were presented. The extent of fuel channel plugging and the temperature within severely plugged channels were discussed. It was concluded that the most probable cause of the excursion and relatively short reactor period was the evacuation of sodium from several fuel channels, which produced a sudden reactivity increase of about 0.3%. The conditions under which the channels could be evacuated of sodium were directly attributable to the presence of substantial quantities of organic material in about one-fourth of the fuel channels in the reactor. (auth)
Research Organization:
Atomics International. Div. of North American Aviation, Inc., Canoga Park, Calif.
DOE Contract Number:
AT(11-1)-GEN-8
NSA Number:
NSA-15-030212
OSTI ID:
4834977
Report Number(s):
NAA-SR-5898
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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