An Assessment of Potential Pathways for Release of Gaseous Radioactivity Following Fuel Damage During Run 14 at the Sodium Reactor Experiment

Creator

David A. Lochbaum
Santa Susana Field Laboratory

Files

Document Type

Report

Date

10-5-2006

Description

An assessment of potential pathways for release of gaseous radioactivity following fuel damage during Run 14 at the Sodium Reactor Experiment. The Sodium Reactor Experiment (SRE) featured a sodium-cooled, graphite-moderated nuclear reactor. As implied by its name, the primary purpose of SRE was not to generate electricity but rather to test the performance of the sodium-cooled, graphite-moderate reactor design, fuel element designs, and the performance of materials. The reactor would be started up and operated for a period, then shut down for examinations and/or to reconfigure test conditions. These periods of reactor operation were termed power runs. Run 14 took place on July 12, 1959. During run 14, the thermocouples that monitored the temperatures at the exit of individual fuel channels in the reactor core and plotted them continuously on a recorder in the control room showed large (greater than 100ºF) differences. Some differences were to be expected due to variances in fuel element power levels and fuel channel cooling flow rates, but the magnitude of the observed differences could not be explained.

This research was completed money allocated during Round 2 of the Citizens’ Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund (MTA Fund). Clark University was named conservator of these works.

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Publisher

Santa Susana Field Laboratory

Format

pdf

Keywords

nuclear weapons, nuclear weapons testing, environment, non-governmental organizations, United States Department of Energy, tribal governments, environmental cleanup, radioactive fallout, radioactive waste

Rights

Copyright belongs to the authors. Clark University was chosen by the non-profit peace and environmental groups as the conservator of these reports; our right to distribute these works ensures they remain available to the public in perpetuity as intended. Reuse at your own discretion with with due deference to copyright holders.

Location

Santa Cruz, CA

Recommended Citation

Lochbaum, David A. and Santa Susana Field Laboratory, "An Assessment of Potential Pathways for Release of Gaseous Radioactivity Following Fuel Damage During Run 14 at the Sodium Reactor Experiment" (2006). Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). 2.
https://commons.clarku.edu/ssfl/2