PM-1 NUCLEAR POWER PLANT PROGRAM. Quarterly Progress Report No. 2 for June 1 to August 31, 1959

Abstract

The objective of the contract is the design, development, fabrication, installation, and initial testing and operation of a prepackaged air- transportable pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant, the PM-1. The specified output is 1 Mwe and 7 million Btu/hr of heat. The plant is to be operational by March 1962. The principal efforts were completion of the plant parametric study and preparation of the preliminary design. A summary of design parameters is given. Systems development work included study and selection of packages for full-scale testing, a survey of in-core instrumentation techniques, control and instrumentation development, and development of components for the steam generator, condenser, and turbine generator, which are not commercially available. Reactor development work included completion of the parametric zeropower experiments and preparrtions for a flexible zeropower test program, a revision of plans for irradiation testing PM-1 fuel elements, initiation of a reactor flow test program, outliring of a heat tnansfer test program, completion of the seven-tube test section (SETCH-1) tests, and evaluation of control rod actuators leading to specification of a magnetic jack-type control rod drive similar to that reported in ANL-5768. Completion of the prelimirary design led to initiation of the final design effort, which will bemore » the principal activity during the next two project quarters. Preparations for core fabrication included procurement of core cladding material for the zero-power teat core, arrangement with a subcontractor to convent UF/sub 6/ to UO/sub 2/ and to commence delivery of the oxide during the next quarter, development of fuel element fabrication and ultrasonic testing techniques, study of control rod materials, UO/sub 2/ recovery techniques, and boron analysis methods. Preliminary work on site preparation was pursued with receipt of USAEC approval for a location on the eastern slope of Warren Peak at Sundance, Wyoming. A survey of this site is underway. A preliminary Hazards Summary Report is in preparation. (For preceding period see MND-M-1812.) (auth)« less