ORNL-1771 - Oak Ridge National Laboratory

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CAYjMIUM FRACTION ' ~
PERlOD ENDING SEPTEMBER JO, 7954
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RADIAL DISTANCE f FWM CLNTER OF CURVE (In 1
Fig. 4.3. Power Distribution of Mid-Plane of Reactor. The paired points on the bare aluminum foil
activation curve nt 6.4,6.9, and 7.1 in. were obtained from foils placed on opposite sides of the same uro-
nium foil.
metals, such cis Inconel, nickel, and cadmium.
Upon completion of the experiments on this as-
sembly, it is planned to construct a larger reactor
of the same shape that will consist of three regions,
with the beryllium island and reflector separated
by the fuel annulus. The diameters of the beryllium
island and the fuel annulus will be about 10.4 and
20 in., respectively. Initially, the assembly will
have no structural materials, such as Inconel core
shells, and it will provide a further check of the
calculational methods.
SUPERCRITICAL-WATER REACTOR
J. S. Crudele J. W. Noaks
Pratt and Whitney Aircraft Division
The Supercritical-Water Reactor (SCWR) critical
assembly was described previously4 as consisting
of an aqueous solution of enriched UO,F, con-
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*E. L. Zimmermon, J. S. Crudele, and J. W. Nooks,
ANP Quar. Prog. Rep. Mar. IO, 1354, ORNL-1692, p 45.
tained in stainless steel tubes distributed in an
organic liquid in a pattern designed to give a uni-
form radial thermal-neutron flux. The liquid, Furfural
(C,H,O,), which also serves os c1 neutron reflector
on the lateral surface of the cylindrical tube bundle,
has a hydrogen density approximately the same as
that of water under the temperature and pressure
conditions designed for the SCWR, It simulates
the nuclear properties of supercritical water as
well as can be determined without further knowledge
of the effect of binding energies on diffusion and
slowing down lengths. Stainless steel was inserted
in the fuel tubes to represent the reactor structure.
The loading of the critical assembly was calcu-
lated by Pratt & Whitney Aircraff Division person-
nel,' by use of a four-group diffusion theory method,
ta be 15.34 kg of U235 and 261 kg of stainless
steel in CI 76.2-crn equilateral right cylinder with a
'private conlrnunication from George Chase, Fox
Project, Pratt S Whitney Aircraft Division.
47