CRITICAL MASS CALCULATIONS FOR COAXIAL AND VORTEX FLOW GASEOUS CORE REACTORS.
Abstract
Design point critical masses are calculated for two configurations of a gaseous core reactor. A new set of resonance and thermal cross sections, developed for this purpose, was used. The following effects and their influence on the critical mass are investigated: The relative position of the fuel region; The presence of hydrogen within the reactor cavity; The reactor operating temperature; The length-to-diameter ratio of the reactor; The presence of a nozzle; A simplified fuel density distribution; and The pressure vessel. For an optimum reactor geometry (corresponding to minimum critical mass) the critical mass of a 'vortex flow' gaseous core reactor is five times smaller than the critical mass of the 'coaxial flow' reactor. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0635160
Entities
People
- Gunter W. Tumm
Organizations
- Columbia University