20-mw D₂O-Moderated Experimental Boiling Water Reactor Design Studies

Technical Report · Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1957

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4327544· OSTI ID:4327544

Iskenderian, H. P. ^[1]

---

1. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Lemont, IL (United States)

Criticality and reactivity calculations have been made for some specific lattice designs for use in the present EBWR reactor vessel. D₂O has been considered as a coolant-moderator. More specifically, critical enrichments, temperature coefficients, the effects of small amounts of H₂O in the D₂O, and the effects of power excursions on reactivity have been studied. The accuracy of these calculations is limited by that of the method of the two-group diffusion theory and the four-factor formula. The value of the constant "η" used in the four-factor formula refers to thermal energies and does not allow for the increase d value of "α" (capture to fission ratio) of U²³⁵ at resonance energy levels. This has resulted in a lower critical enrichment than required. This should not affect appreciably, however, the accuracy of the various reactor characteristics studied in this report, such as temperature coefficient of reactivity, effects of H₂O additions in the moderator on reactivity, and power excursions.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP); US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31-109-ENG-38
• NSA Number: NSA-11-006884
• OSTI ID: 4327544
• Report Number(s): ANL-5685
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-57
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
BOILING
CONFIGURATION
CRITICALITY
DIFFUSION
EBWR
ENERGY LEVELS
ENRICHMENT
EQUATIONS
ERRORS
EXCURSIONS
GROUP THEORY
HEAVY WATER COOLANT
HEAVY WATER MODERATOR
IMPURITIES
MULTIPLICATION FACTORS
POWER
REACTIVITY
REACTOR CORE
REACTORS
RESEARCH REACTORS
RESONANCE ESCAPE PROBABILITY
TEMPERATURE
THERMAL NEUTRONS
THERMAL UTILIZATION
TRANSPORT THEORY
URANIUM 235
VESSELS
WATER COOLANT
ZONES
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
Reactivity Calculations
U235
Four-Factor Formula
Resonance
Power Excursions