In-Pile Performance of NRL-1: Thimble at MTR
Abstract
A preliminary description of the NRL-1 experiment has been given in a previous report 1 . Briefly, the experiment will be performed in a circulating water loop constructed principally of carbon steel . Operation with a portion of the loop, called the in- pile thimble, inserted in the HB-1 beam ~hole of the MTR is planned to determine the feasibility of using carbon steel as a principal construction material in high temperature water cooled nuclear reactors. Absorption of gamma radiation and thermal neutrons in the walls of the in- pile thimble introduces thermal stresses which are additional to the stresses normally encountered in unfired pressure vessel operation. This report is concerned with a detailed examination of the performance of the in-pile thimble under these conditions of elevated temperature, high pressure, 11 gamma 11 heating, and irradiation. The discussion is confined to the portion of the thimble extending into the reactor tank, since only that portion is subjected to significant thermal stress. The remainder of the in pile thimble has been designed in accordance with the applicable unfired pressure vessel codes.A somewhat similar problem has been discussed by Fromm2 for the ANL-2 experiment at MTR. The principal differences between the two are summarized in Table 1.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1954
- Accession Number
- AD1220485
Entities
People
- J. R. Ambrose
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory