TREAT (Transient Reactor Test Facility) reactor control rod scram system simulations and testing

Conference · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:7175273

Solbrig, C W; Stevens, W W

Air cylinders moving heavy components (100 to 300 lbs) at high speeds (above 300 in/sec) present a formidable end-cushion-shock problem. With no speed control, the moving components can reach over 600 in/sec if the air cylinder has a 5 ft stroke. This paper presents an overview of a successful upgrade modification to an existing reactor control rod drive design using a computer model to simulate the modified system performance for system design analysis. This design uses a high speed air cylinder to rapidly insert control rods (278 lb moved 5 ft in less than 300 msec) to scram an air-cooled test reactor. Included is information about the computer models developed to simulate high-speed air cylinder operation and a unique new speed control and end cushion design. A patent application is pending with the US Patent Trade Mark Office for this system (DOE case number S-68,622). The evolution of the design, from computer simulations thru operational testing in a test stand (simulating in-reactor operating conditions) to installation and use in the reactor, is also described. 6 figs.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., Idaho Falls, ID (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/NE
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 7175273
• Report Number(s): CONF-9004138-4; ON: DE90010581; TRN: 90-016103
• Resource Relation: Conference: 3. Canadian Nuclear Society international conference on simulation methods in nuclear engineering, Montreal (Canada), 18-20 Apr 1990
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
TREAT REACTOR
REACTOR CONTROL SYSTEMS
ACTUATORS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CONTROL ROD DRIVES
DAMAGE
DESIGN
FUEL ELEMENTS
HYDRAULICS
IMPACT SHOCK
IRRADIATION
MASS TRANSFER
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PRESSURE EFFECTS
REACTOR CORES
REACTOR INSTRUMENTATION
REACTOR OPERATION
REACTOR SHUTDOWN
RESPONSE FUNCTIONS
SCRAM RODS
STABILITY
TRANSIENTS
VARIATIONS
AIR COOLED REACTORS
CONTROL ELEMENTS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
EXPERIMENTAL REACTORS
FLUID MECHANICS
FUNCTIONS
GAS COOLED REACTORS
GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTORS
HOMOGENEOUS REACTORS
MECHANICS
OPERATION
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
SHUTDOWNS
SIMULATION
SOLID HOMOGENEOUS REACTORS
TEST REACTORS
TESTING
THERMAL REACTORS
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
220600 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors