Startup of the Shippingport Light Water Breeder Reactor (LWBR)

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:6413647

Woodruff, O J; Jones, T D

The LWBR core is installed in the Shippingport Atomic Power Station, which is a pressurized water reactor jointly owned by the Department of Energy and the Duquesne Light Company. The Light Water Breeder Reactor Core is a seed-blanket design, fueled with uranium-233 and thorium in the form of ceramic oxide pellets contained in Zircaloy clad rods. Core reactivity is controlled by changing the relative neutron absorptions between uranium-233 and thorium through movement of a portion of the fuel (the seed) with respect to the remainder. The core at Shippingport is rated at 236.6 megawatts thermal and the plant nominally produces 72 MW electric gross and 60 MW electric net. The features of the reactor that are significant to its operational characteristics are reviewed. The experience obtained during initial startup and power operations are discussed.

• Research Organization: Bettis Atomic Power Lab., West Mifflin, PA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-11-0014
• OSTI ID: 6413647
• Report Number(s): WAPD-T-2737; CONF-781105-104
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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REACTOR COMPONENTS
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