Nuclear Engineering Commons^™

Utilization Of Waste Heat From The University Of Missouri Research Reactor., Anek Punyakumleard

Masters Theses

"An analysis has been conducted to determine the economic as well as technical feasibility of using waste heat from the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) to heat the reactor containment building and the associated laboratory building.

Several methods of waste heat utilization were reviewed, including open field agriculture, animal shelter heating, aquaculture, waste water treatment, and space heating. Based on this review, it was concluded that several of these waste heat utilization methods are feasible for the MURR. However, the most practical means of utilizing the MURR waste heat appears to be for space heating in the reactor containment …

A Fluid Control System For The University Of Missouri--Rolla Nuclear Reactor, Billy Roger Mcpherson

Masters Theses

"Solid control rods and their movement through a reactor core present problems inherent in any moving machinery. The problems of binding, wear, and noise have to be dealt with in the usage of a solid control rod system. Therefore, an alternate system that eliminates or minimizes these problems would lower maintenance costs, extend the lifetime of the control system, and produce safer operating conditions.

This thesis presents a control system that has no moving parts inside the reactor core. The system is based upon a neutron-absorbing fluid containe��d in hollow tubes in the reactor core. The fluid level is operated …

Computer Simulation Of Radiation Effects In Fe₃Al By Using Alternating Direction Implicit Numerical Techniques., Dean Lewis Tibbitts

Masters Theses

"An analysis was conducted to see if the alternating direction implicit (a.d.i.) numerical technique could be applied to a many-body dynamical radiation damage model.

The computer program which resulted was named ADI. It was numerically stable for small time steps used in conjunction with low ev knock-ens. It was also able to relax the a toms in the system simultaneously in the implicit direction. However, an existing explicit computer code, which was to be replaced by ADI, proved to be more numerically stable and about 40% faster"-- Abstract, p. ii

Experimental Study Of Electron Density And Confinement Time In An Electrostatically-Plugged Cusp Device Using A Microwave Interferometer, Robert Louis Hayward

Masters Theses

"The average electron density and electron confinement time in an electrostatically plugged magnetic spindle cusp device are studied using a 20 GHz microwave interferometer. The results are compared with the predictions from approximate theoretical equations. With a magnetic induction in the point cusp of 5000 Gauss, a plasma is produced by injecting a 5 mA, 500 eV electron beam into hydrogen gas at 10^-5 Torr. The measured electron density is 2 x 10^-10 cm^-3 and the measured confinement time is 80 ysec, which agree to within a factor of two with values predicted by theory"--Abstract, page ii.

Reliability Analysis Of The University Of Missouri--Rolla Reactor, Jimmy Dale Schottel

Masters Theses

"The reliability of Nuclear Installations is becoming an important area of research. In this report an approach to reliability analysis was made. The actual failure data was utilized to predict theoretical failure distributions. These distributions were then used to determine future reliability of components, subsystems and system"--Abstract, p. ii

The Effects Of Washout In Polydispersed Metalic Aerosols, Jerry N. Burford

Masters Theses

"Experimental Collection Efficiencies are presented for drops of approximately 0.1cm radius falling through aluminium, magnesium and molybdenum oxide polydispersed aerosols. The experimentation was conducted in two identical cylindrical chambers, one being used for aerosol washout, and the other for allowing the aerosol to decay normally. The Collection Efficiency data were thus determined by comparing the aerosol concentration changes in the two chambers. The rather strong effects that induced micro-turbulence and relative humidity have on aerosol collection and aerosol decay were observed and are discussed"--Abstract, page ii.

Feasibility Study Of An Electromagnetic Trap Fusion Reactor., Dennis Gilbert Blondin

Masters Theses

"Through the use of detailed particle and energy balances, electromagnetic traps with magnetic cusps are found to be unsatisfactory for continuous operation when using only neutral particle beams to sustain a thermonuclear plasma. Low power multiplication characteristics inherent in this CTR design probably preclude supplemental plasma heating methods. However, by using an alternate Yin-Yang magnetic system, continuous CTR operating regimes are found at an ion temperature of 20 keV while assuming only neutral particle beam heating. Although these regimes require applied electrostatic potentials approaching a half-million volts, this device demonstrates a capability for efficient power production"-- Abstract, p. ii

Post Irradiation Changes Of The Elastic Modulus Of Aluminum, Dale A. Powers

Masters Theses

"Aluminum samples of 99.99% and 99.999% purity were irradiated to neutron fluences of 3·8·10¹⁸ nvt and 1.4·10¹⁹ nvt (E greater than 0.1 Mev) at one-third of the melting temperature. The change in Young's modulus of elasticity after isothermal annealing in the temperature range of 110⁰C to 130⁰C was measured. After 2.5 hours of annealing, the modulus reached a steady state value which was decreased by 0.25% ± 0.17% from the unannealed value. Electron microscopy suggests the hardening mechanisms were dispersion hardening by silicon precipitates and void hardening"--Abstract, page ii.

Waste Heat Utilization From A Direct Cycle High Temperature Gas Cooled Nuclear Reactor For District Heating And Air Conditioning, John Joseph Blase

Masters Theses

"An analysis was conducted to determine the economic as well as technical feasibility of waste heat utilization from the proposed direct cycle high temperature gas cooled nuclear reactor, as designed by the General Atomic Company.

The rejected heat from this system is at considerably higher temperatures than those normally encountered in conventional steam-electric Rankine cycles. By taking advantage of these higher rejection temperatures, heat was translated into energy available to a district heating and air conditioning service. The transportation of this energy was considered to be in the form of heated and chilled water.

A refrigeration capacity on the order …

Possible Damage Mechanism In Dresden 2 Class Boiling Water Reactor Fuel, Donald Lee Moffett

Masters Theses

"A thermal hydraulic analysis of a typical hot channel of a Dresden 2 class boiling water reactor is studied for possible severe local overheating. The COBRA-II thermal hydraulic analysis code is modified to include critical heat flux calculations for each subchannel. The effects of flow distribution, inlet mass velocity variations, dimensional tolerances, enrichment variations, and input parameters are examined in detail. Bulk channel results are in good agreement with the published data, but the assembly wall side of the corner fuel rod has a minimum critical heat flux ratio of less than unity for a number of the situations examined. …

Calculation Of The Neutron Flux In The Side Regions Of The Prestressed Concrete Reactor Vessel Of A High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor, Richard Robert Kent Jr.

Masters Theses

"Neutron flux in the side regions of the High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor's (HTGR) Prestressed Concrete Reactor Vessel (PCRV) was determined using the Monte Carlo method. One quarter of the PCRV was modeled, with all major structures inside it, e.g. steam generator, auxiliary cooling loop, etc. imaged at their exact position and size. Initial neutron energies range from .001 eV to 3 MeV. Three neutron interactions were considered: absorbtion, elastic scattering, and inelastic scattering.

The flux was calculated for two different PCRV temperatures, 155° F and 647° F. The thermal flux showed a minor increase at the higher temperature. In …

Neutronics Calculations Of Two Fusion Reactor Blankets, James Edward Struve

Masters Theses

"At the present state of engineering development, the most probable fusion reactor fuel cycle will use deuterium and tritium in the reaction ²₁D + ³ ₁T → ¹₀n + ⁴₂He. This reaction is exothermic and provides 17.6 Mev of energy of which 14.1 Mev are given to the neutron. The reaction will take place in a plasma environment inside an evacuated chamber. This chamber will be surrounded by a "blanket" which will serve to transform the kinetic energy of the neutron into heat and produce tritium for subsequent use in the fuel cycle. …

Use Of Radioactive Iodine Evolved Into Reactor Cooling Water To Locate Defective Fuel Elements, Carl Mozel Stroud

Masters Theses

"The relative amount of radioactive iodine evolved in reactor cooling water by each fuel element provides an excellent indication of defective cladding on fuel elements. The radioactive iodine evolved into the reactor cooling water from a defective fuel element should be higher than the average radioactive iodine evolved by other fuel elements into the cooling water by an order of magnitude or more.

Radioactive iodine with non-radioactive iodine carrier is adsorbed on DOWEX SBR resin in the iodide form. The iodide is eluted from the resin with sodium hypochlorite and extracted into carbon tetrachloride. The iodine is reduced to iodide …

Break-Even Criteria For A Pulsed D-T Reactor, Kenneth Franklin Keller

Masters Theses

"To those who keep track of such things and are in a position to make predictions, it appears that the use of controlled thermonuclear reactions to economically produce electric power is well within a lifetime from now. Indeed, experiments presently being conducted are putting us closer and closer to the development and construction of demonstration fusion reactors. Understandably, the people working on such products and processes are optimistic about their results. This is as it should be if our nation is to avoid major energy shortages in the future.

Unfortunately, the tenor of this paper is pessimistic. This is not …

Calculation Of Gamma-Ray Albedo Using The Monte Carlo Method, Ezatholah Aslani-Amoli

Masters Theses

"Gamma-ray number, energy and dose albedo are calculated with the Monte Carlo technique. A plane monoenergetic beam was considered at normal incidence upon single material shields at initial gamma energy up to 10 MeV. Aluminum, iron and lead are used as shield material. The contribution of secondary photons which are produced as a result of various photon interactions in the shield are taken into account. These secondary photons are annihilation gammas, X rays and bremsstrahlung gammas. In certain cases, they constitute a considerable fraction of the reflected radiation.

Annihilation gammas predominate in the reflected radiation for all energies above 1.02 …

Use Of Isotopes To Reduce Neutron-Induced Radioactivity And Augment Thermal Quality Of The Environment Of An Underground Nuclear Explosion, Nathaniel Fred Colby

Masters Theses

"The use of isotopes to include radioactive waste products to reduce the neutron-induced activity of an underground nuclear explosion and its application in the field of geothermal power stimulation is discussed. A shield composed of selected isotopes surrounding a fusion device will capture excess neutrons producing isotopes with short half-lives. Subsequent rapid decay will prolong the high temperature in the vicinity of the explosion and decrease the activity. Long-lived isotopes created by neutron capture in the host rock would be minimized. The investigation is conducted for strontium-90, cesium-137, cerium-144, technetium-99, rhodium-103 and -105. Of these, the first three appear to …

Computer Simulation Of The Primary Recoil Spectra And Damage Cross Section Of Fe₃Al Using Endf/B Ii Data, Daniel Willard Smith

Masters Theses

"A computer program, using Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF/B II) information, was used to develop energy-exchange kernels which delineate the energy transfer probabilities between neutrons and Fe₃Al lattice atoms. The kernels combine all available information on elastic and inelastic scattering contained in the ENDF/B II data.

The computer program used to generate the primary recoil spectra is SAKI, a modified version of RICE (1). SAKI is designed to calculate energy-exchange probabilities in any binary alloy as well as damage cross sections and optimum cutoff energies for use in comparing displacement effects in different reactor spectra."--Abstract, page ii.

Experimental Study Of Neutron Reflection From A Cylindrical Surface, Dale Lee Holtzscher

Masters Theses

"The reflection patterns for an elliptical neutron beam impinging upon cylindrical and planar surfaces were measured. The flux intensity as a function of distance from the surface of either planar or cylindrical reflectors decreased monotonously with distance. No "focusing" of the neutron beam appeared in the case of the cylindrical reflectors but the flux did not decrease as rapidly as in the planar case. For the elliptical neutron beam the experimentally determined neutron flux distribution agrees with calculation"--Abstract, page ii.

Calculation Of Buildup Factors For Multilayer Slab Shields Using The Monte Carlo Method, John Paul Kuspa

Masters Theses

"Gamma-ray beams normally incident upon slab shields of varying compositions are studied using a computer program based upon the Monte Carlo technique. Initial gamma energies of 1, 4, 6, and 8 MeV are considered. The shielding materials used were aluminum, iron, and lead. Both single and double material shields were investigated, at a variety of thicknesses up to a maximum of five mean free paths. Two secondary gamma processes are included in this simulation: annihilation gammas from pair production and bremsstrahlung from the electrons. The primary effort is the calculation of the dose, energy, and number buildup factors for these …

Irradiation Enhanced Decomposition Of A Nickel-Carbon Solid Solution, Bryce Linn Shriver

Masters Theses

"This investigation was performed to determine the effects of room temperature neutron irradiation on the distribution of carbon in a nickel--0.3 wt. % carbon alloy. The experiment consisted of comparing the amount of carbon in solid solution and the internal stresses of both unirradiated and irradiated (10¹³ fn-cm⁻² < Φ_F < 10¹⁸ fn-cm⁻²) samples following isochronal anneals between 100ºC and 1200ºC by using the magnetic disaccommodation technique. The results indicate that the amount of carbon remaining in solid solution decreases with increasing neutron dose. At temperatures below 200ºC this is due to the trapping of carbon by mobile irradiation-produced defects. Between 200ºC and 600ºC the formation of metastable carbides is enhanced by the presence of irradiation-produced defects. No differences are observed in irradiated and unirradiated samples above 600ºC"--Abstract, page iii.

A Comparison Of Computer Codes For Fast Neutron Dosimetry By The Foil Technique, Jau Wen Chen

Masters Theses

"A comparison of the major codes currently used for fast neutron dosimetry based on the foil technique has been made. These codes are SAND II, SPECTRA and RDMM. The comparison is based upon the deviation of calculated from-measured activities, the input data decks, the obtained information, and the computer time required. Four sets of data were used to be compared upon the above four viewpoints, the conclusion reached is that the SPECTRA computer code is the most satisfactory for the UMR Reactor fast neutron spectrum"--Abstract, page ii.

Electric Field Strength Dependency Of The Rate Of Radiation Induced Degradation In Silicon Planar Devices, Cyrus Hoshang Irani

Masters Theses

"The investigation of electric field strength dependence of the rate of damage introduction, caused by gamma and neutron irradiations in matched is reported. Groups of devices (with varying biases applied to the emitter-base and collector-base junctions to allow study of the electric field strength dependence) were exposed to ionizing gamma radiation from a Co-60 source. Similar experiments were conducted to study the field strength dependence of the rate of space-charge volume damage introduction, caused by fast neutrons (E> l0keV, fission source). The experimental results indicate that the rate of surface degradation, as reflected by the increase of the normalized surface …

Optumr A Digital Computer Program To Cost Optimize A District Heat Piping Network To Remove Waste Heat From Nuclear Power Reactors, James Richard Hendricks

Masters Theses

"The thermal pollution problem of a nuclear reactor electrical generating facility can be eliminated if an economical, productive use for the waste heat can be found. The computer program presented here is designed to investigate the economic feasibility of utilizing this waste heat to heat buildings. The program optimizes a district heating network using the reactor's rejected heat and performs a comparative analysis with a selected conventional heat rejection system. The results indicate that the system is feasible only if the reactor can be sited relatively close (5 miles) to an urban center. Increasing national concern regarding thermal pollution and …

Study Of Neutron Reflection From A Curved Surface Using The Monte Carlo Method, Marion Jay Rackley

Masters Theses

"The reflection patterns for neutrons impinging on both an infinite parabola and an infinite slab were studied using the Monte Carlo method. In the first case neutrons were sent into an infinite parabola (z =x²/2) moving on the XZ plane parallel to the z axis at 5 points, namely: y = 1.5, x = -1.5; y = 1.5, x = -.75; y = 1. 5, x = 0. 0; y = 15, x =.75; y = 1.5, x = 1.5. The results were that there appeared to be a "focusing" of the scattered neutrons. In the second case, neutrons were …

Solution Of The Two-Dimensional Multigroup Neutron Diffusion Equation By A Synthesis Method, William Ray Heldenbrand

Masters Theses

"A method, called the higher mode synthesis method, for the solution of the two-dimensional neutron diffusion equation is developed. In this method, the two-dimensional eigenfunction is expanded in terms of one-dimensional fundamental and higher eigenfunctions. A substitute, weight, and integration procedure is applied and the two-dimensional equation is reduced to a one-dimensional equation in terms of expansion coefficients. The expansion coefficients are combined with the trial functions in order to obtain the two-dimensional eigenfunction. This procedure results in a significant reduction of computation time as compared with standard iteration methods"--Abstract, page ii.

Nuclear Parameter Study In One, Two, And Three Dimensions, Jan Robert Lojek

Masters Theses

"A parameter study comparing one-, two-, and three-dimensional reactor design analyses was undertaken. Computer programs (codes) were used extensively for the computations and running times on the IBM 360/50 were observed. The values of primary concern were neutron flux shapes, effective multiplication factors, and fuel depletion. Dresden I nuclear power plant with fuel type 1 represents the model reactor. Cross section calculations were performed using the nuclear codes HRG and TEMPEST II, FEVER, EXTERMINATOR-2, AND FLARE generated the nuclear parameters"--Abstract, page ii.

Zap - A Computer Program To Predict Fission Product Concentrations As A Function Of Neutron Flux, Irradiation And Cooling Times, Bruce Earl Koopmann

Masters Theses

"The development of a computer code was undertaken to calculate the fission product nuclide concentration for spent fuel discharged from a nuclear reactor, as a function of irradiation time, cooling time, neutron flux, and element cross section. The necessary input data was prepared from the basic nuclear data for fission of uranium-235 and plutonium-239. Calculations are also made for total or selective element beta heating and total gamma flux according to user selected input groups. These calculations would be useful in fuel element shielding, cooling, shipping and processing studies"--Abstract, page ii.

Fast Neutron Induced Resistivity Changes In Order-Disorder Fe₃Al, Bruce A. Betts

Masters Theses

"Resistivity measurements were made of ordered, disordered and intermediate states of order-disordered specimens of Fe₃Al while being irradiated by neutrons. All the specimens were irradiated at ambient temperature, approximately 35°C in a modified Bulk Shielding Swimming Pool type reactor. The ordered and near ordered specimens increased in resistivity indicating disordering whereas the disordered and near disordered specimens decreased in resistivity indicating an ordering process was occuring [sic]. By extrapolation, an equilibrium condition was determined and estimated at 130-135 micro-ohms-cm resistivity that would remain constant during irradiation because the ordering and disordering affects of neutron irradiation would be in equilibrium"--Abstract, page …

The Design Of A Molten Fueled, Vortex Reactor, For Use As A Rocket Propulsion Device, Robert Philip Schmitt

Masters Theses

"The purpose of this investigation is to design a nuclear reactor which can be used as a rocket propulsion device. The reactor investigated is fueled with a molten uranium-bismuth alloy and utilizes a two phase vortex flow principle. Hydrogen is employed as a coolant and rocket propellant. The hydrogen is heated directly by the fuel thus eliminating the need for heat exchangers. The major part of the investigation consists of a two group neutron diffusion study to show the operational feasibility of this type of reactor and to obtain an optimum design. the study shows that this type of reactor …

Semiempirical Determination Of The Differential Fast Flux Spectrum For U-235 Fission With Water Moderator, Henry Anthony Till

Masters Theses

"The differential fast flux spectrum of the UMR Pool Research and Training Reactor core was determined by simultaneous activations of threshold foil detectors by neutron-nucleon reactions. This represents one phase of the composite neutron environment at two sample irradiation locations and the center of a fuel element during a power operation of 200 Kw (th). To accomplish this measurement a semiempirical least-squares approximation fitting activation date to a theoretical Cranberg U-wet fission spectrum was applied. This is a technique designed specifically for water moderated systems and takes into consideration both virgin and down-scatter neutrons. Gamma decay photopeaks were reduced using …