The adequacy of the Consolidated Edison Thorium Reactor (CETR) control rod drive line operation was evaluated and proven by the development program described in this report. This program also included evaluation of materials and fabrication processes.

The Consolidated Edison Thorium Reactor Control System has been designed to provide the operators with a reliable, safe and accurate means of controlling the plant. Manual and automatic positioning of control rods can be accomplished. The automatic plant controller has been designed to meet the design criteria under the representative CETR demanded load changes. Adaptability has been built into the plant controller by providing variable controller adjustments for variations in reactor characteristics. Extensive analog studies have been made of the various plant parameters and their effect on control was carefully evaluated. These analog studies have shown that the control system will perform in a satisfactory manner under the most adverse plant conditions.

A study has been performed to determine the corrosion product and water impurity activities in the CETR Chemical Process System. A simplified mathematical model is used to represent the physical situation; however, the magnitude of the activities, taken at the end of the core life to represent the most conservative case, is considered sufficiently accurate for engineering calculations.

Prototype testing and thorough design analyses have proven the control components for the Consolidated Edison Thorium Reactor are adequate to withstand loads imposed during operation and handling. Assumptions made in the design analyses and cycles run during prototype testing subjected the components to more rigid conditions that are anticipated during actual operation. Results indicate the control components meet their design requirements.

The Irradiation Test Program for the Consolidated Edison Thorium Reactor was conducted to obtain confirmation of the stability and performance of the reference fuel element materials and of test assemblies under design operation conditions. The irradiated specimens were tested to determine mechanical properties and corrosion resistance to borated water.