A survey is made of integral experiments useful for testing thorium and /sup 233/U nuclear data in thermal reactor applications. Emphasis is on homogeneous /sup 233/U--H/sub 2/O criticals and simple, water-moderated /sup 233/U--thorium and /sup 235/U--thorium lattice experiments. Thorium--/sup 233/U-graphite experiments are also discussed briefly. Although the available experiments provide a fairly consistent test of important nuclear data, their accuracy and scope leave much to be desired. In detailed Monte Carlo analyses, ENDF/B-IV data are found to perform reasonably well. Adequate (though partly fortuitous) agreement is found with integral measurements of thorium resonance capture in lattices. A new, harder fission spectrum for /sup 233/U can correct the principal discrepancy observed with ENDF/B-IV, a bias trend in K/sub eff/ attributed to an underprediction of leakage.

Selected prebreeder core concepts are described which could be backfit into a reference light water reactor similar to current commercial reactors, and produce uranium-233 for use in water-cooled breeder reactors. The prebreeder concepts were selected on the basis of minimizing fuel system development and reactor changes required to permit a backfit. The fuel assemblies for the prebreeder core concepts discussed would occupy the same space envelope as those in the reference core but contain a 19 by 19 array of fuel rods instead of the reference 17 by 17 array. An instrument well and 28 guide tubes for control rods have been allocated to each prebreeder fuel assembly in a pattern similar to that for the reference fuel assemblies. Backfit of these prebreeder concepts into the reference reactor would require changes only to the upper core support structure while providing flexibility for alternatives in the type of fuel used.

Critical heat flux experiments were performed with an alternating heat flux profile in an internally heated annulus. The heated length was 84 inches with a square wave alternating heat flux profile over the last 12 inches having a maximum-to-average heat flux ratio of 1.76. Test data were obtained at pressures from 800 to 2000 psia, mass velocities from 0.25 x 10/sup 6/ to 2.8 x 10/sup 6/ lb/hr-ft/sup 2/ and inlet temperatures ranging from 400 to 600/sup 0/F. Two different electrically heated test sections were employed both with 72 inch uniform and 12 inch alternating heat flux sections. The second test section had a 0.44 inch hot patch with a peak-to-average heat flux ratio of 2.7 superimposed on the alternating flux profile at the exit end. Critical heat flux results with the alternating heat flux profile and with the superimposed hot patch were shown to be equivalent to those obtained in previous tests with a uniform heat flux profile except for several data points at low mass velocity and high enthalpy for which there is an apparent experimental bias in the uniform heat flux results.

Current commercial light water reactor cores operate without recylce of fuel, on a once-through fuel cycle. To help conserve the limited nuclear fuel resources, there is interest in increasing the energy yield and, hence, fuel utilization from once-through fuel irradiation. This report evaluates the potential increase in fuel utilization of light water reactor cores operating on a once-through cycle assuming 0.2% enrichment plant tails assay. This evaluation is based on a large number of survey calculations using techniques which were verified by more detailed calculations of several core concepts. It is concluded that the maximum fuel utilization which could be achieved by practical once-through pressurized light water reactor cores with either uranium or thorium is about 17 MWYth/ST U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ (Megawatt Years Thermal per Short Ton of U/sub 3/O/sub 8/). This is about 50% higher than that of current commercial light water reactor cores. Achievement of this increased fuel utilization would require average fuel burnup beyond 50,000 MWD/MT and incorporation of the following design features to reduce parasitic losses of neutrons: reflector blankets to utilize neutrons that would otherwise leak out of the core; fuel management practices in which a smaller fraction of the core is replaced at each …