Critical Experiments on a Lattice of 4. 81 wt% Enriched SPERT(F1) Fuel Rods in Light Water

Conference · Sun Nov 14 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:6844654

Connor, K. J. ^[1]; Bucher, S. W. ^[1]; Rohr, R. C. ^[1]; Harris, D. R. ^[1]

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1. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY (United States)

The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Reactor Critical Facility (RCF) has been carrying out critical experiments on lattices of 4.81 wt% ²³⁵U enriched, high-density UO₂ fuel pins in light water. These SPERT(F1) fuel pins have fuel pellet diameter and clad thickness similar to light waterpower reactor fuel, and the active UO₂ stack height of 36 in. is near optimum for the purpose. This is because critical cores of light water reactor fuel are small, yet one requires a substantial asymptotic volume to measure buckling accurately. Axial bucklings particularly must be measured accurately because these heavy cores require substantial and complicated axial reflectors that are difficult to model; radial reflectors, on the other hand, are essentially infinite water. The four RCF control rods are in the reflector and are fully withdrawn during definitive measurements. Thus, these RCF cores are well suited for critical experiments in support of the power reactor industry, and in fact the RCF is the only facility carrying out such experiments in the Western hemisphere.

• Research Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• OSTI ID: 6844654
• Report Number(s): CONF-931160--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Journal Volume: 69
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220100* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Theory & Calculation
220300 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Fuel Elements
BUCKLING
CRITICALITY
EXPERIMENTAL REACTORS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL RODS
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
PHYSICS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR PHYSICS
REACTORS
RENSSELAER CRITICAL FACILITY
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
Reactor Critical Facility (RCF)
SPERT(F1) Fuel Pins
TESTING
WATER COOLED REACTORS
ZERO POWER REACTORS