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Study of new structures adapted to gas-graphite and gas-heavy water reactors; Etude de structures nouvelles adaptees aux reacteurs graphite-gaz et eau lourde-gaz

Abstract

The experience acquired as a result of the operation of the Marcoule reactors and of the construction and start-up of the E.D.F. reactors on the one hand, and the conclusions of research and tests carried out out-of-pile on the other hand, lead to a considerable change in the general design of reactors of the gas-graphite type. The main modifications envisaged are analysed in the paper. The adoption of an annular fuel element and of a down-current cooling will make it possible to increase considerably the specific power and the power output of each channel; as a result there will be a considerable reduction in the number of the channels and a corresponding increase in the size of the unit cell. The graphite stack will have to be adapted to there new conditions. For security reasons, the use of prestressed concrete for the construction of the reactor vessel is becoming more widespread; they could lead to the exchangers and the fuel-handling apparatus becoming integrated inside the vessel (the so-called 'attic' device). A full-size mode) of this attic has been built at Saclay with the participation of EURATOM; the operational results obtained are presented as well as a new original design for  More>>
Authors:
Martin, R; Roche, R [1] 
  1. Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires
Publication Date:
Jul 01, 1964
Product Type:
Technical Report
Report Number:
CEA-R-2680
Resource Relation:
Other Information: 4 refs
Subject:
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; ANNULAR FUEL ELEMENTS; APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY; CONTROL ELEMENTS; GCR TYPE REACTORS; GRAPHITE; HWGCR TYPE REACTORS; PRESSURE TUBES; PRESTRESSED CONCRETE; REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS; REACTOR VESSELS; SPECIFICATIONS; WIGNER EFFECT
OSTI ID:
20668374
Research Organizations:
CEA Saclay, 91 - Gif-sur-Yvette (France)
Country of Origin:
France
Language:
French
Other Identifying Numbers:
TRN: FR05R2680107075
Availability:
Available from INIS in electronic form
Submitting Site:
FRN
Size:
20 pages
Announcement Date:
Dec 19, 2005

Citation Formats

Martin, R, and Roche, R. Study of new structures adapted to gas-graphite and gas-heavy water reactors; Etude de structures nouvelles adaptees aux reacteurs graphite-gaz et eau lourde-gaz. France: N. p., 1964. Web.
Martin, R, & Roche, R. Study of new structures adapted to gas-graphite and gas-heavy water reactors; Etude de structures nouvelles adaptees aux reacteurs graphite-gaz et eau lourde-gaz. France.
Martin, R, and Roche, R. 1964. "Study of new structures adapted to gas-graphite and gas-heavy water reactors; Etude de structures nouvelles adaptees aux reacteurs graphite-gaz et eau lourde-gaz." France.
@misc{etde_20668374,
title = {Study of new structures adapted to gas-graphite and gas-heavy water reactors; Etude de structures nouvelles adaptees aux reacteurs graphite-gaz et eau lourde-gaz}
author = {Martin, R, and Roche, R}
abstractNote = {The experience acquired as a result of the operation of the Marcoule reactors and of the construction and start-up of the E.D.F. reactors on the one hand, and the conclusions of research and tests carried out out-of-pile on the other hand, lead to a considerable change in the general design of reactors of the gas-graphite type. The main modifications envisaged are analysed in the paper. The adoption of an annular fuel element and of a down-current cooling will make it possible to increase considerably the specific power and the power output of each channel; as a result there will be a considerable reduction in the number of the channels and a corresponding increase in the size of the unit cell. The graphite stack will have to be adapted to there new conditions. For security reasons, the use of prestressed concrete for the construction of the reactor vessel is becoming more widespread; they could lead to the exchangers and the fuel-handling apparatus becoming integrated inside the vessel (the so-called 'attic' device). A full-size mode) of this attic has been built at Saclay with the participation of EURATOM; the operational results obtained are presented as well as a new original design for the control rods. As for as the gas-heavy-water system is concerned, the research is carried out on two points of design; the first, which retains the use of horizontal pressure tubes, takes into account the experience acquired during the construction of the EL 4 reactor of which it will constitute an extrapolation; the second, arising from the research carried out on the gas-graphite system, will use a pre-stressed concrete vessel for holding the pressure, the moderator being almost at the same pressure as the cooling fluid and the fuel being placed in vertical channels. The relative merits of these two variants are analysed in the present paper. (authors) [French] L'experience acquise par l'exploitation des reacteurs de MARCOULE, la construction et le demarrage des reacteurs d'EDF d'une part, les conclusions des etudes et essais effectues hors pile d'autre part, conduisent a un changement considerable de la physionomie des reacteurs de la filiere Graphite-Gaz, Les principales modifications envisagees sont analysees dans la communication. L'adoption d'un element combustible annulaire et d'un soufflage descendant permettront d'accroitre considerablement la puissance specifique et la puissance developpee par canal; il en resultera une reduction sensible du nombre des canaux et un accroissement correlatif de la maille du reseau - L'empilement de graphite devra etre adapte a ces nouvelles conditions - Des raisons de securite conduisent a generaliser l'emploi du beton precontraint pour la construction du caisson; elles pourront amener a integrer a l'interieur de celui-ci les echangeurs et l'appareil de manutention du combustible (dispositif dit: 'en grenier'). Une maquette en vraie grandeur de ce grenier a ete construite a Saclay avec la participation d'EURATOM; les resultats d'exploitation en sont presentes, ainsi que des idees de barres de controle de conception nouvelle. En ce qui concerne la filiere Eau-Lourde-Gaz, les etudes sont poursuivies dans deux voies principales; la premiere, qui conserverait l'usage de tubes de force horizontaux, tient compte de l'experience acquise au cours de la construction du reacteur EL4 dont elle constituerait une extrapolation; la seconde, inspiree des etudes poursuivies au titre de la filiere Graphite-Gaz, ferait appel a un caisson en beton precontraint pour tenir la pression, le moderateur etant sensiblement a la pression du fluide refrigerant et le combustible etant dispose dans des canaux verticaux. Les merites respectifs de ces deux variantes sont analyses dans la communication. (auteurs)}
place = {France}
year = {1964}
month = {Jul}
}