Publicatie Laka-bibliotheek:
Final report on the aqueous homogeneous suspensie reactor project
Auteur | KEMA, M.E.A.Hermans |
1-01-8-41-15.pdf | |
Datum | 1987 |
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.