Publicatie Laka-bibliotheek:
Final report on the aqueous homogeneous suspensie reactor project

AuteurKEMA, M.E.A.Hermans
1-01-8-41-15.pdf
Datum1987
Classificatie 1.01.8.41/15 (KEMA - KSTR)
Voorkant

Uit de publicatie:

Final report on the aqueous homogeneous suspension reactor project
KEMA. M.E.A.Hermans, 1987
(KEMA scientific & technical reports, ISSN 0167-8590; vol. 5, nr. 1)

Preface
During the period from 1951 to 1977 a group made up
of a few highly qualified people, working under the inspiring
guidance of Prof. Dr. J .J. Went, did studies and
experiments aimed at evaluating the potential of a socalled
aqueous homogeneous nuclear suspension reactor.
It was felt that a breeding process should also be
used for thermal reactors and that this process would
allow a highly enhanced utilization of natural uranium
and thorium. The use of an aqueous homogeneous suspension
of (U,Th)02 particles as a circulating fuel at
high temperature was the idea at the base of the new
concept. The inherent safety of the reactor against excursions
was ensured by a prompt negative temperature
coefficient of the reactivity. A simple production process,
developed in-house, for microspheres and the possibility
of the fission recoil phenomenon occurring in
the fuel, led to the expectation of an attractive fuel cycle.
The group devoting its efforts to this project found
itself attracting the interest of a number of institutes
and individuals. This community of interest proved to
be of great value and, in certain cases, led to the actual
participation of specialists in the project.
The present report was written to inform all those
parties and persons whose contribution to the project
has led to the successful operation of the final installation:
the KEMA Suspension Test Reactor (KSTR). We
now, in this preface, want to express our sincere appreciation
to all those who participated in the project or
gave it their support. The Dutch electricity supply companies
should be the first mentioned. They carried the
main financial burden of the work done at KEMA. The
Stichting voor Fundamenteel Onderzoek van de Materie
(FOM) and later the Reactor Centrum Nederland
(RCN, now ECN) were the partners within the country
for some time, while Euratom was the international
partner. Additionally, profound interest was shown
and personal effort was contributed to the project by
the Oak Ridge National Labaratory (ORNL), the
Atomie Energy Research Establishment (AERE) at
Harwell, the Cammissarial à l'Energie Atomique
(CEA) and the Société Grenobloise d'Etudes et d'Applications
Hydrauliques (SOGREAH) at Grenoble.
Both national and international guiding and safety panels
were set up to support the program. Additionally
the potential of thermal breeders was evaluated as a
combined effort with other interested parties under the
auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency in
Vienna.