MOLTEN-SALT REACTOR PROGRAM QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT FOR PERIOD ENDING OCTOBER 31, 1957
Nuclear Calculations. Additional calculations were made of the nuclear characteristics of two-region homogeneous molte-salt converter reactors. Critical inventory calculations revealed that for a 9-ft.-diameter core the minimum inventory would be about 100 kg of U/sup 235/. Regeneration ratios were obtained as a function of inventory for a 600Heating of Core Vessel. It was estimated that for operation of the Reference Design Reactor at 600 Mw in a pure Ni core vessel 6 ft in diameter with 1 mole% ThF/sub 4/ in the fuel, core gamma rays will liberate 13.4 w/cm/sup 3/ in the core vessel wall. Heating by gamma rays emitted in the blanket was found to be 0.97 w/cm/sup 3/, and capture gamma rays originating in the wall were found to contribute 1.63 w/cm/sup 3/ to the heating. Heat Transfer Systems. One system being studied tramsfers heat from the fuel salt to a coolant salt to Na to water, and the other system substitates Hg for the Na. The electrical output for a 600 Mw (thermal) reactor would be 258.6 Mw with the Na system, and 295.8 Mw with the Hg system. Metallurgy. Investigation of container materials for molten salts for reactor operation up to 1300 deg F reveals that Ni-base alloys are the most suitable. Since the corrosion resistamce and high-temperature strength of Inconel are marginal, INOR- 8 has been developed and its properties are being studied. Radiation Damage. An in-pile INOR-8 thermal convection loop for operation in the LITR with a BeF/sub 2/ --LiF--UF/sub 4/ fuel mixture is described. Chemistry. Phase diagrams are presented for the LiF--BeF/sub 2/, NaF--BeF/sub 2/, NaF-- LiF--BeF/sub 2/, LiF-- BeF/sub 2/ --UF/sub 4/, NaF-BeF/sub 2/ -- UF/sub 4/, LiF-- ThF/sub 4/, and NaF-- ThF/sub 4/ systems. An analysis of the corrosion mechanism of fluoride fuels contained in Inconel or INOR-8 alloys indicates that Cr deposition will not result under anticipated conditions of the MSR. (L.M.T.)
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W 7405-ENG-26
- NSA Number:
- NSA-12-005654
- OSTI ID:
- 4311627
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL-2431
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-58
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
MOLTEN-SALT REACTOR PROJECT QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT FOR PERIOD ENDING APRIL 30, 1959
MOLTEN-SALT REACTOR PROGRAM QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT FOR PERIOD ENDING OCTOBER 31, 1958
Related Subjects
ALLOYS- ALUMINUM ALLOYS- BERYLLIUM FLUORIDES- CHROMIUM- CHROMIUM ALLOYS- DEPOSITS- FUSED SALT FUEL- GAS FUEL- INCONEL ALLOYS- INOR-8- - LITHIUM FLUORIDES- LITR- MIXING- MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS- NICKEL ALLOYS- NIOBIUM ALLOYS- PHASE DIAGRAMS- POWER PLANTS- QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS- REACTORS- SODIUM FLUORIDES- THORIUM FLUORIDES- TITANIUM ALLOYS- URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE e
BERYLLIUM FLUORIDES- CHROMIUM ALLOYS- FUELS- FUSED SALT FUEL- IN PILE LOOPS- INOR-8- LITHIUM FLUORIDES- LITR- MIXING- MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS- NICKEL ALLOYS- POWER PLANTS- RADIATION EFFECTS- REACTORS- URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE
BLANKETS- FUSED SALT FUEL- GAMMA RAD