Analysis of Safety-Related Physics Measurements in the Initial Gas-Cooled Fast Breeder Reactor Critical Experiment
- General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)
Analyses of experiments in the initial critical assemblies for the gas-cooled fast breeder reactor (GCFR) were conducted using the calculational methods at General Atomic (GA) for GCFR design. The assemblies, constructed on the ZPR-9 facility at Argonne National Laboratory, simulated features of the 300-MW(e) GCFR demonstration reactor. Studies relating to the safety of this reactor design and to the GCFR concept in general were concerned with (1) reactivity coefficients of fuel and poison materials to evaluate loading and control requirements, (2) the worth of helium coolant in a depressurization event, (3) the Doppler effect in uranium to determine power coefficients, and (4) the effect of hypothesized steam ingress into coolant channels as a potential for reactivity addition and altering core neutronic and control characteristics. Results are reported for GA analyses of such safety-related physics measurements in two basic assemblies, the 3150-liter phase I core with a coolant void fraction of 55% and the 1300-liter phase II core with a 45% void fraction.
- Research Organization:
- General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP); US Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- E(04-3)-0167-PRJ-23
- OSTI ID:
- 7347830
- Report Number(s):
- GA-A-14090; CONF-761001-17; TRN: 77-000152
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 1976 International Meeting on Fast Reactor Safety and Related Physics, Chicago, IL (United States), 5-8 Oct 1976
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Experimental Studies of GCFR Safety Physics Parameters in the ZPR-9 Critical Assemblies
Analysis of steam-entry experiments in the Phase-I GCFR critical assembly
Related Subjects
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
GCFR REACTOR
DEPRESSURIZATION
REACTOR KINETICS
DOPPLER COEFFICIENT
MOCKUP
REACTIVITY COEFFICIENTS
REACTOR SAFETY
VOID FRACTION
ZPR-9 REACTOR
BREEDER REACTORS
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
EXPERIMENTAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
GAS COOLED REACTORS
GCFR TYPE REACTORS
HELIUM COOLED REACTORS
KINETICS
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
SAFETY
STRUCTURAL MODELS
ZERO POWER REACTORS
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
Zero-Power Critical Facilities
Mixed Oxide Fuel Rods
Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF)
Eigenvalue
Basic Neutronics
Calculated-To-Experimental Ratios (C/E Values)
Liquid Metal Cooled Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR) Assemblies
Doppler Coefficient Analyses
Control Rod Worth Studies
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
210500 - Power Reactors
Breeding