The Alco Products Criticality Facility, site location, and operating procedures are described in detail, including the handling of fissionable material and the operating procedures for the safe performance of critical experiments.

Introduction: This report is principally concerned with analysis of measurements taken on the APPR-1 core during the course of the extended Zero Power Experiments (ZPE-2). The bulk of these measurements are reported in APAE No. 21. There are some additional measurements reported in APAE Memo 115. In addition to the analysis of the ZPE-2 data some re-evaluation has been made of a few of the results obtained from the first set of Zero Power Experiments (ZPE-1). The ZPE-1 measurements are reported in APAE No. 8. During the course of analysis work it became apparent that a considerable amount of basic experimental data had been taken on the APPR-1 core. It seemed worthwhile to organize this report in such a fashion that other investigators could make maximum use of this data. It provides excellent opportunity for individuals and groups interested in basic reactor reactor analysis problems to check calculational techniques. An attempt has been made to include all of the fundamental information concerning the material content and geometry of the APPR-1. This material is in included in the Appendices. In addition, cross-section files and group constants have been listed rather extensively in order that other investigators could compare results presented in …

Abstract: An analysis and a summary are.given of the radioactivity buildup program at the Army Package Power Reactor during the last nine months. · Due to the wide fluctuation of water and crud results, only general interpretations can be made with this data. Metal test coupon data indicate a substantially greater buildup on Croloy 16-1 metal than on Type 304 stainless steel. Coupled with the decreased ability to remove the radioactivity buildup on Croloy 16-1 by conventional descaling techniques, the implication is that this metal might pose a serious problem for use as steam generator material. It was emphasized, however, that results to date ae only preliminary and extensive additional experimentation would be required to reach more definite conclusions.

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.

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: 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.