The DR-1 Loop, located in the C test hole of the DR Reactor, provides a high temperature, recirculating gas-cooled facility for the irradiation of experimental fuel elements. The loop is being utilized currently by General Atomic, a Division of General Dynamics, to evaluate fuel elements in support of their work on the Maritime Gas-Cooled Reactor Program, a program which is directed at the development of a ship propulsion unit consisting of a gas-cooled reactor driving a closed cycle gas turbine. The loop irradiations for this program require that the experimental fuel elements be maintained at specific test conditions. It is also necessary that all of the loop components be kept within certain operating limits. Therefore, the power generation rate of each experimental fuel element must be evaluated and established as accurately as possible prior to insertion in the loop. One method of establishing the enrichment required to obtain a required heat generation rate in an experimental element is to irradiate a nuclear mock-up of the assembly in the Hanford Test Reactor to determine the relative neutron density within the assembly and the reactor. This report presents the results of such irradiations using the MGCR-III mock-up.

Report describing the thermal hydraulics facilities at Hanford Laboratories as well as its operation, equipment, and systems.