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ORNL-1535.txt
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MAFRT iy MARMET A ENERGY ?l"sL M-'lfl'f'u
RO i
3 4456 D3yg5p; g
CENTRAL RESEARCH LIBRARY
DOCUMENT COLLECTION
LIBRARY LOAN COPY
DO NOT TRANSFER TO ANOTHER PERSON
If you wish someone else to see this document,
send in name with document and the library will
arrange a loan.
ORNL-1535
This document consists of 136 pages.
Copy ;‘57 of 208 copies. Series A.
Contract No. W-7405-eng-26
THERMODYNAMIC AND HEAT TRANSFER ANALYSIS
OF THE
ATIRCRAFT REACTOR EXPERIMENT
Bernard lubarsky
NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR AERONAUTICS
B. L. Greenstreet
AIRCRAFT NUCLEAR PROPULSION DIVISION
OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY
DATE ISSUED
AUG 10 1953
OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY
Operated by
CARBIDE AND CARBON CHEMICALS COMPANY
A Division of Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation
Post 0Office Box P
0ak Ridge, Tennessee
MARTIN MARIETTA ENERGY SYSTEMS LIBRARIES
T B0
3 445k 0349507 3
-
-3 O W N~
9-14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24,
51-53.
54.
55.
56.
57-68.
69.
70-77.
78.
79.
80-84.
85.
86.
87-88.
89-94,
95.
96.
97.
?QEDJO_—‘ECUJ>.F‘EQDEODJ:UFJFJDJ
ORNL 1535
Special
INTERNAL DISTRIBUTION
G. Affel 25. H. F. Poppendiek
S. Bettis 26. P. M. Reyling
P. Blizard 27. H. W. Savage
C. Briant 28. E. D. Shipley
B. Briggs 29. J. A. Swartout
E. Center 30. H. L. Watts
B. Cottrell 31. A. M. Weinberg
D. Cowen 32. G. D. Whitman
A. Cristy 33. G, C. Williams
K. Ergen 34. C. E. Winters
B. Emlet (Y-12) 35. E. Wischhusen
P. Fraas 36-40. ANP Library
L. Greenstreet 41-45. Central Files
R. Grimes 46. Central Files, ORNL R.C.
E. Larson 47. Metallurgy Library
N. Lyon 48. Reactor Experimental
D. Manly Engineering Library
L. Meem 49-50. Central Research Library
J. Miller
EXTERNAL DISTRIBUTION
Air Force Engineering Office, Oak Ridge
Air Force Plant Representative, Burbank
Air Force Plant Representative, Seattle
ANP Project Office, Fort Worth
Argonne National Laboratory (1 copy to Kermit Anderson)
Armed Forces Special Weapons Project (Sandia)
Atomic Energy Commission, Washington
Battelle Memorial Institute
Bechtel Corporation
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Bureau of Aeronautics (Grant)
Bureau of Ships
California Research and Development Company
Carbide and Carbon Chemicals Company (Y-12 Plant)
Chicago Patent Group
Chief of Naval Research
Commonweal th Edison Company
FOREWORD
The Aircraft Reactor Experiment utilizes the circulating fluoride-fuel as
the primary reactor coolant. It is necessary, however, to employ an additional
coolant whose primary function is to cool the reflector and pressure shell.
Although liquid sodium will be used as the reflector coolant, the use of NakK
had been assumed during the preceding year. Consequently, aconsiderable amount
of consistent, detailed data on the performance characteristics for the reactor
system using NaK as the reflector coolant has been assembled. These data are
presented in this report. A sufficient number of calculations based upon the
use of sodium has been made to assure that the performance with sodium will not
deviate significantly from that calculated for NaK. Sodium 1s being used 1n
preference to NaK because it can be more easily sealed at the pump shaft.
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION .
REACTOR
Pressure Pulse Resultlng from a Sudden Change 1in React1v1ty
Core Power Distribution . ..
Temperature Profile 1in a Typlcal Sectlon of the Core Lattlce .
Flow of Reflector Coolant Through Core
Heat Removal by the Beflector Coolant. .
Pressure Drop in Fuel Manifolds and Core Tubes .
Temperature Gradients in Thermal Sleeves .
Formation of Nonplugging Solids 1n Fuel Tube 1in the
Event of a Small Leak
FUEL HEAT DISPOSAL SYSTEM ..
Performance of Fuel Heat Disposal System . .
Temperature in Fuel System Because of Afterheat 1in
the Event of Complete Pump Failure .
REFLECTOR COOLANT HEAT DISPOSAL SYSTEM .
ROD AND INSTRUMENT COOLING SYSTEM.
Cooling of the Control Rods and Instruments
Cooling of the Safety Rods
Cooling of the Regulating Rod
Cooling of Fission Chambers
Helium Pressure Drops
Division of Flow of Helium . . . .o .o
Performance of Rod and Instrument Coollng System Heat Exchanger
MONITORING AND PREHEAT SYSTEM
Heat Loss Through Insulation .
Reactor Preheating . . .
Helium Leakage Through Clearance Holes 1n the Reactor
Thermal Shield
Space Cooler Performance .. . .
Temperature Patterns 1n the Monltorlng Annulus in the Event
of Heat Failure
HELIUM SUPPLY AND VENTING SYSTEM .
True Holdup of Fission Gases 1n Tanks e e e
Temperatures in the Helium Vent Lines Containing Fission Gases
Vacuum Pump Performance
PAGE
11
13
17
19
33
38
41
43
43
49
54
64
64
65
66
68
73
76
76
79
79
81
87
90
92
103
103
107
111
Vi1l
DUMP AND FILL SYSTEM .
Fuel Dump Tank Cooling .
Heating of Fill Tank with Centrally Located D1p Tube
OTHER INVESTIGATIONS .
Afterheat in Fission Products .o .
Temperature Difference Between Thermocouple on plpe Wall
and Bulk Fluid .
REFERENCES .
viil
117
117
119
122
122
123
127
Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
The Aircraft Reactor Experiment
(ARE) is an experimental, high-tempera-
ture, circulating-fuel reactor being
constructed by the Aircraft Nuclear
Propulsion Division of the Oak Ridge
National Laboratory. The fuel is a
mixture of fused fluorides, including
uranium tetrafluoride; the moderator
1s beryllium oxide; and the structural
material 1s Inconel. Figure 1 shows
a schematic diagram of the reactor,
the heat disposal equipment, and the
other process equipment necessary to
the operation of the reactor; also
shown in Fig. 1 are the design-point
pressures, temperatures, and flows at
various polnts 1in the system. This
report contalns a summary of the more
pertinent analytical investigations
of thermodynamic and heat transfer
properties of the ARE.
Considerably more investigations
have been carried out than have been
presented; the investigations omitted
fall in one of the following categories:
1. investigations relating to systems
and items of equipment not actually
used 1n the ARE,
2. 1nvestigations relating to systems
and 1tems of equipment used in the
ARE but with different fluids than
those actually used,
3. 1investigations in which estimated
fuel properties were used that
were found to be incorrect when
additional experimental determi-
nations of fuel properties were
made,
4. routine calculations of tempera-
tures and pressures at various
points of the system that were of
interest only to the detail
designer.
For convenience, the investigations
are presented as they relate to the
following subdivisions of the ARE:
Reactor
Fuel heat disposal system
Reflector coolant heat disposal system
Control rod cooling system
Preheating and monitoring system
Helium supply and vent system
Fi1ll and dump system
the
are
The physical properties of
materials used in the reactor
given i1n Table 1.
TABLE 1.
PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS
MATERTAL THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY VISCOSITY SPECIFIC HEAT DENSITY REFERENCE®
[Bew/bhr*£e? (°F/fe)) (1b/hr*ft) (Beu/1b*°F) (1b/£e>)
1. Air 0.0156 at 90.3°g 4.54.x10'§ at 90, 3°F 0.2399 at 90.3°F 0.0722 at 90.3°F 1
0.0180 at 190.3°F 5.15x 10 at 190.3°F 0.2409 at 190.3°F 0.0611 at 190.3°F
2. Aluminum 116 at 64°F 0.2220 at 32°F 168.5 at 68°F 2
119 at 212°F 0.2297 at 212°F
3. Beryllium oxide 0.84 at 1100°F 0.46 at 1100°F 142 3; 68°F (Porosity 3
0.73 at 1300°F 0.48 at 1300.F o
0.68 at 1500°F 0.50 at 1500°F 1770;t 68°F (Porosity
4. Copper 222 at 64°F 0.1008 at 30°F 555.0 at 68°F 2
220 at 212°F 0.1014 at 212°F
5. Fused fluorides 1.5 30.3 at 1150°F 0.26 187
21.8 at 1325°F
16.5 at 1500°F
6. Helium 0.0885 at 100°F 0.050 at 100°F 1.24 0.0098 at IOOZF 4 and 2
0.1250 at 550°F 0.075 at 550°F 0.0054 at 550°F
0.1650 at 1200°F 0.101 at 1200°F 0.0033 at 1200°F
7. Inconel 12.4 at 1200°F 0.109 at 77 to 212°F 530 5
13.1 at 1472°F
8. Insulation
{(cf., chap. 6)
9. NaK 14,10 at 212°F 0.496 at 752°F 0.210 at 752°F 48.4 at 752°F 6
15.38 at 752°F 0.353 at 1292°F 0.209 at 1112°F 46.1 at 1022°F
0.213 at 1472°F 43.9 at 1292°F
10. Stainless steel 10.4 at 300°g 0.1178 at 212§F 489 at 32°F 7 and 8
15.7 at 1500°F 0.1519 at 752°F
11. Steel 26 at 212°F 0.1178 at 212°F 489 at 32°F 8
21 at 1112°F 0.1519 at 752°F
12. Water 0.343 at 32°F 2.43 at 68°F 0.99947 at 68°F 62.36 at 68°F 9
0.363 at 100 °F 1.59 at 104°F 0.99869 at 104 °F 62.35 at 104°F
0.393 at 200°F 1.13 at 140°F 1.00007 at 140°F 62.26 at 140°F
*The references are
given at the
end of this report,
TG VALVE BACKUP SYSTEM
: TO STACK
¥ 2-in. GATE VALVE
§ 2rin GATE EX(STING EQUIPMENT SHOWN DOTTED [o Cha SURGE TANK 3
————— 1
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SUPPLY HEADRER (FUEL)
SUPPLY HEADER
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FREEZE VALVE 5 FILL
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Ha d? . - VAPCR TRAP :
th A
TANK NO.3 TANK ND.2 TANK NO, 4
TANK NO.4 TANK NO.5 TANK NO. 6 ‘\ Nak FUEL CARRIER FUEL CARRIER
Na No No He
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BULKHEADP‘ . $ g
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TO :
Q FLOW IN gpm —(F— FuEc NGRMAL OFERATING POSITION FLOW CONDITIONS ARE BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION
o FROM He SUPFLY TRAILER OF VALVES THAT THE COOLANT HAS THE FOLLOWING PROPERTIES:
He SCRUBBER - RESERVE MANIFOLD | PRESSURE IN psig ——Na}—— SODIUM p =187 brtt3
———1=<3+—QPEN .~
o, —{ne)— HELIM #% 7 TO 43 cp 4T OPERATING CONDITIONS
12 He BOTTLES /N TEMPERATURE IN °F —(w WATER Cp= 0.26 Btu/ib-°F
. —er——pt— CLOSED
PRESSURE IN INCHES OF WATER, GAGE —@\r— AUXILIARY COOLANT VOLUME OF MAIN SYSTEM {APPROX.):
Yt Low . VT VAPOR TRAP — < THROTTLING INTERNAL - 1513
\( } IN cfm EXTERNAL 6.0 12
TOTAL: 7.5t
"y
s
g. 1. Reactor and Heat Disposal Equipment.
Chapter 2
REACTOR
PRESSURE PULSE RESULTING FROM A
SUDDEN CHANGE IN REACTIVITY
The self-controlling features of
the ARE are due to the expansion of
the fuel with increasing temperature.
A transient increase in reactivity
produces an attendant increase 1in
temperature that increases the volume
of the fuel. Since the reactor has a
relatively fixed volume, some of the
fuel i1s forced out of the core and
the reactivity is reduced. The entire
process occurs 1n a very short time,
and therefore 1t 1s necessary to know
what pressures will be set up in the
fuel tubes when the fuel 1is rapidly
forced out of the core. Figure 2
shows the reactor and connecting piping
to the surge tanks. The fuel can
expand out of the reactor 1n either
direction, but since the path to the
surge tank in one direction (upstream)
is considerably shorter than in the
other, i1t will be assumed that all
the excess fuel takes the shorter path
to the surge tank (this is a con-
servative simplification). Further
assumptions that have been made are:
1. The fuel 1s incompressible.
2. The pressure pulse 1is of suffi-
ciently short duration that the fuel
in the external piping remains es-
sentially fixed in temperature.
3. The Ltemperature and power
variations 1n the reactor core will be
neglected; all the reactor fuel 1s
assumed to be at the mean reactor
temperature, and the power generation
in the fuel 1s always equal to the
mean power generation.
4. The effects of the pressure
pulse on the fuel pumps will be neg-
lected. Precisely what effect this
pulse would have on the pumps 1s
unknown, but the pulse will probably
be of sufficiently short duration that
no permanent damage will be done.
Figure 3¢ 1is a schematic diagram
of the system to be analyzed. There
are two, distinct cases to consider:
the reactor in which the temperature
and the density of the fuel change
with time and the external piping 1in
which the temperature and density of
the fuel are constant., The reactor
will be considered first (Fig. 3b).
The impulse-momentum equation for any
section 1s
(1) - F dt = d(mv)
where
F = differential force on fuel volume,
1b,
t * time, sec,
m = mass in fuel volume, slugs,
v = velocityof fuel volume, ft/sec.
For a fuel volume of cross section 4,
thickness dx, and position x,
(2) m = pA Ax
where
© = mass density, slugs/fta,
A = tube cross-sectional area, ft?,
x = distance along the tube measured
from the reactor outlet, ft,
Since the fuel is incompressible,
all the incremental fuel volume being
generated between zero and x by in-
creasing temperature must pass acCcross
x (on the way to the reactor inlet and
thence to the surge tank) as rapidly
as the i1ncremental volume 1s being
generated. The rate at which incre-
mental volume is being generated
between zero and x 1is
(3) 4V BA 40
dt 7 de
where
V = volume from x = 0 to any arbi-
trary x, ft3,
coefficient of volumetric ex-
™
E
pansion, per 'F,
8 = fuel temperature, °F,
Since the rate at which the incremental
volume is being generated must be equal
to the rate at which the volume 1s
crossing x,
(4) vA = [BA df
VR TR
df
v o= v - v, = Bx—
o = B P
where v is the incremental velocity
(v - v,) 1n ft/sec and the subscript
0 refers to conditions at time zero.
The impulse-momentum equation,
Eq. 1, may be rewritten for the volume
A Dx as
dv dm
(5) AF = m— + oy —
dt dt
Differentiating Egqs. 2 and 4 gives
d d
(6) ‘—m = A Ax P
dt dt
and
dv dv d?5