Abstract: This technical report covers the investigation of 17-4 PH steel components used in the SM-1, SM-1A and PM-2A nuclear power plants, which consist of control rod drive racks, pinions, seal shafts and associated parts. Evidence supporting the continued use of 17-4 PH steel in these applications is presented. Alco's current procurement and processing specifications for 17-4 PH steel are included. The evidence presented is in the form of stress calculations, test and environmental data and the results of non-destructive and destructive metallographic analyses.

Abstract; SM-1 Reactor Core I Rearranged and Spiked, and Core II with Special Components were analyzed under various off-design conditions to induce nucleate boiling. The steady state code, STDY-3, written for the thermal analysis of pressurized water cores, was employed for the analysis. The code performs a complete steady state parallel channel thermal analysis for both nominal and hot channels. Thermal characteristics of individual elements were investigated while changing the parameters of primary pressure or inlet temperature to introduce the phenomenon of nucleate boiling in the the core. Reduction of system pressures to 1000, 800, and 600 psia and increasing core inlet temperatures to 465 and 500 degree F were studied as the means to induce boiling in the core. This analysis indicates that SM-1 Core I Rearranged and Spiked can be safely operated at the reduced pressure of 910 psia without introducing extensive boiling in the core. SM-1 Core II with Special Components can be operated at 800 psia or at an inlet temperature of 500 degree F at 1200 psia.

This program is intended to be utilized for the establishment of flow requirements of a tailored flow core.

The specifications reported in this study are based on the results of development performed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory under the supervision of the Metallurgy Division.

A computer program designed to solve matrix inversion equations on an IBM 650

Abstract: A cyclic stress analysis of the SM-1 primary system was carried out. Problems encountered in the fabrication of PM-2A Core II and SM-lA Core II are described, and the results of an examination of damaged SM-lA Core I stationary fuel elements reported. A preliminary study of the radiation damage to SM-1 reactor vessel was made and the possibility of annealing the vessel discussed. Performance analyses are presented for five cores: SM-1 Core, SM-1 Core 1 rearranged and spiked, SM-1 Core II with special components, PM-2A Core 1, and SM- 1A Core 1. Preliminary critical experiments were made with SM-2 elements in a SM- 1 core configuration and nuclear and thermal analyses of the use of SM-2 elements in SM-1, SM-1A, and PM-2A completed. A throttling steam calorimeter was selected for measuring moisture carry-over on the PM-2A steam generator. Test procedures for evaluating the shielding of the SM-1, SM-lA, and PM-2A plants are summarized. Radiochemical and chemical analyses of SM-1 coolant and crud are summarized, and methods of activity control discussed. Preliminary results of studies of the properties of reactor pressure vessels under irradiation and no irradiation conditions are summarized briefly.

The detection of flux peaking in the APPR control rods in the water region immediately above the fuel elements resulted in an investigation into the effects of this peak.

The calculational models employed in the nuclear analysis of the SM-2 were applied to various critical experiments performed upon the SPERT-III core

The Early program is based on the design to compute the peak power and total energy release which will occur in a reactor due to a step increase of reactivity.

The Early program is based on a design to compute the peak power and total energy release which will occur in a reactor due to a step increase of reactivity.

Abstract: This technical report contains the description and results of an experimental program to evaluate the effect of utilizing Type 3 (SM-2) replacement cores in existing Army field plants SM-1, SM-1A and PM-2A. This program, conducted at the Alco Products Critical Facility, employed SM-2 mockup fuel elements similar in composition to Type 3 fuel elements to determine start-up characteristics of Type 3 cores in SM-1, SM-1A and PM-2A core configurations. measurements include comprehensive power distribution, temperature coefficients, initial critical bank positions, control rod calibrations, critical rod configuration and material coefficients, all obtained under cold, clean, core conditions. The 45 element SM-1 and SM-1A configuration with SM-2 mockup fuel elements contain 36.4 Kg U-235 and an estimated 67.9 gm B-10, while the 37 element PM-2A configuration with SM-2 mockup elements contains 30.0 Kb U-235 and an estimated 56 gm B-10.

Abstract: This technical report summarizes the results of research and development tasks performed during Phase I of this contract and presents recommendations for future development work. Work is reported in the areas of plant assembly and relocation, housings and footings, waste heat dissipation, instrumentation, refueling systems, waste disposal, shielding, core nuclear thermal and hydraulic studies, gaseous waste processing (BWR), and critical experiments on a 5 x 5 array of Type 3 fuel elements.

Phase I - Plant Transient Analysis. Behavior of the basic and refined kinetic models differs only slightly. It is therefore suggested that the basic model be used in any studies where the improvement in fidelity attainable fro the refined model is not warranted by the complexities introduced by the addition of function generator to the analog circuitry and derivation of the function to be programmed. The parameter responses of both kinetic models appear to be essentially similar to those of the plant with the exception of the primary pressure. In the pressurizer analysis it was noted that the primary system pressure surges of the model should be higher than those of the plant because of the adiabatic steam compression assumed in the model derivation. the fact that the mode surge is very much greater indicates that the compression process is far from adiabatic. A more detailed and complex model of the pressurizer, one that evaluates heat transfer in the steam pocket boundaries, would therefore reduce the costly conservatism otherwise necessary in the specification of pressurizer vessel size. Phase II - Xenon Reactivity Transients. On the basis of this study an analog computer circuit has been presented which accurately represents bank …

Abstract: This technical report covers the zero power experiments performed on PM-2A Core II at the Alco Critical Facility. PM-2A Core II is the first replacement core for a portable pressurized reactor at Camp Century, Greenland. Core II is the same as Core I with the exception that Core II has an increased burnable poison (B-10) content. The zero power experiment consisted of fuel element uniformity test; core assembly test, development of an on-site loading procedure and an analysis of experimental data. Physical characteristics determined include distribution of fuel and B-10 in the fuel plates, minimum critical mass, control rod bank calibration, and integral rod worth. The report concludes with an analysis of the experimental data including estimated uniform and non-uniform burnup rates.

Abstract: The most adverse power distribution and power peaking factors have been developed for Type 3 replacement cores for SM-1, SM-1A, and PM-2A. Also included is the 37 element Type 3 core for SM-1, which is known as SM-1 Core III and is a prototype of a Type 3 core for PM-2A. The power distributions were compared with measured distributions obtained on type 3 fuel elements in SM-1, SM-1A and PM-2A core configurations. Using the measured data as a standard, correction factors were obtained and applied to the analytical predictions of the most adverse power distribution.

The investigation in this report were conducted to determine the required shielding to reduce radiation to a workable level, to determine the heeating in the various core components so coolant flow rates could be determined, and to determine the thermal stress and temperature distribution in the structural and load bearing members.

A preliminary analysis of the SM-1 primary system showed it was safe from strain cycling damage with possible exception of steam generator tube sheet and primary pump casing

In order to calculate the gamma dose rates in the primary shielding of thermal reactors, four programs were written for thew IBM 650 computer.

Abstract: The pressurized water reactor preliminary design presented in this volume is the preferred design developed under Phase I of the PL-3 contact. This technical report presents plant design criteria, summary of plant selection, plant description, reactor and primary system description, thermal and hydraulic analysis, nuclear analysis, control and instrumentation description, shielding description, auxiliary systems, power plant equipment, waste disposal, buildings and tunnels, services, operation and maintenance, logistics, erection, cost information and a training program outline.

The test was designed and performed to experimentally determine fuel burnup distribution in the SM-1 Core I spent fuel elements

Abstract: A study has been made of the radiochemical composition and the specific activity of insoluble corrosion products (crud) removed from the primary system of the APPR-1. This report presents the results of analysis of twelve crud samples collected during the interval from September 3, 1957 to December 1, 1957. The samples were radiochemically analyzed for long-lived gamma emitting nuclides only. Data are presented on the measured values of the specific activity of crud, the ratios of the nuclide specific activities, and the concentration of crud (crud level) in the circulating primary water. Also included in data, based on the analysis of a single sample, comparing the specific activity of the deposited and circulating corrosion products.

A method is sought for predicting the reactivity differences between fuel elements attached to control absorbers and fixed fuel elements

Preface; Subsequent to the analysis in the body of this report metallurgical developments indicated that it would not be feasible to build the APPR-1 Core II with the increased boron loading specified herein. At the time of the issuance of this report the Core II boron loading is to be the same as that for Core I. At the time of procurement of the core in the fall, if metallurgical developments warrant, the increased boron loading will be employed. The loading discussed in the body of the report and the first three appendices is that designed to meet the specifications outlined in the introduction. Appendix IV discusses changes in the loading to account for the various methods of employing boron.

Abstract: The reactor analysis of the critical experiment and the APPR-1 resulted in a loading of the APPR-1 of 31.096 gm of B-10 with 22.5 kg U-335. This loading will result in adequate reactivity for a core life of 13 MWYR based on uniform burnup of U-335 and B-10. Calculations indicate that five of the seven control rods provided are more than adequate to shut the reactor down at any time. The temperature coefficient of reactivity should be at least -2 x 10-4 [delta] K/0F.