The PNC/SNL SERAPH advanced test reactor feasibility study

Technical Report · Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5535422

Harms, G A; Pickard, P S; Kelly, J G; Wright, S A ^[1]; Tanaka, Nobuo ^[2]; Suo-Anttila, A J ^[3]

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1. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
2. Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp., Tokyo (Japan)
3. Science Applications International Corp., Albuquerque, NM (USA)

This study examined the feasibility of the Safety Engineering Reactor for Accident Phenomenology (SERAPH), a research reactor with the capability to perform a wide array of safety experiments important in the design of commercial nuclear reactors. The study proceeded in two phases. In Phase 1, the experimental needs were examined and a wide-ranging survey of many fuel/coolant options for the SERAPH driver reactor was done. In Phase 2, the most promising candidates identified in Phase 1 were studied in more detail. A reactor with heavy-water coolant, BeO-PuO{sub 2} fuel matrix, and a standard pin geometry was found to have the required experiment capabilities while using relatively current technology. A reactor with helium coolant, BeO-PuO{sub 2} fuel matrix, and a unique geometrical configuration was found to have significantly higher capabilities but with greater technical risk. 5 refs., 34 figs., 36 tabs.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 5535422
• Report Number(s): SAND-90-1634; ON: DE91014323
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220600 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors
220900* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BERYLLIUM COMPOUNDS
BERYLLIUM OXIDES
BURNUP
CARBON
CHALCOGENIDES
COMPUTER CODES
CONTROL SYSTEMS
COOLANTS
DESIGN
ELEMENTAL MINERALS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENGINEERING
EXPERIMENT PLANNING
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FLUIDS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUELS
GAS COOLED REACTORS
GASES
GRAPHITE
GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTORS
HEAVY WATER COOLED REACTORS
HELIUM
HTGR TYPE REACTORS
M CODES
MATERIALS
MINERALS
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR FUELS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANNING
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM DIOXIDE
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
RARE GASES
REACTIVITY
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CONTROL SYSTEMS
REACTOR CORES
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
SAFETY
SAFETY ENGINEERING
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM DIOXIDE
URANIUM OXIDES
WATER COOLED REACTORS