Critical experimental study of integral physics parameters in simulated liquid-metal fast breeder reactor meltdown cores

Journal Article · Sat Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1979 · Nucl. Technol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5621909

Bhattacharyya, S K; Wade, D C; Bucher, R G; Smith, D M; McKnight, R D; LeSage, L C

Integral physics parameters of several representative, idealized meltdown liquid-metal fat breeder reactor (LMFBR) configurations were measured in mockup critical assemblies on the Zero Power Reactor 9 at Argonne National Laboratory. The experiments were designed to provide data for the validation of analytical methods used in the neutronics part of LMFBR accident analyses. Large core distortions were introduced in these experiments (involving 18.5% core volume), and the reactivity worths of configuration changes were determined. The neutronics parameters measured in the various configurations showed large changes on core distortion. Both diffusion theory and transport theory methods were shown to mispredict the experimental configuration eigenvalues. In addition, diffusion theory methods were shown to result in a nonconservative misprediction of the experimental configuration change worths.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL
• OSTI ID: 5621909
• Journal Information: Nucl. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 46:3; ISSN NUTYB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210500 -- Power Reactors
Breeding
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220900* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
ACCIDENTS
BREEDER REACTORS
CONFIGURATION
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
KINETICS
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
LMFBR TYPE REACTORS
MELTDOWN
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CORES
REACTOR KINETICS
REACTORS
SIMULATION