A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN OF A SHIELD TESTING AND MATERIALS IRRADIATION FACILITY

A conceptual design is presented for a test reactor facility to be used for shielding experiments and component irradintions necessary for airframe development for the nuclear airplane program. To meet both requirements a modified swimming-pool reactor is used, with a dry irradintion cell of 320 cu ft of useful volume provided for component testing, while shielding experiments are performed in the pool in the usual manner. A BSR-type core is operated at 1 MW to provide a fest neutron flux in the irradiation cell of 10/sup 12/n/cm/sup 2/ sec at the core face and 10/sup 11/at a distance of 4 feet. The irradiation-cell facility is designed to avoid the need of remote operations in making up service connections to the experimental piece. The reactor is contained in a cylindrical building designed for 6 psi internal pressure to meet the conditions of the maximum credible accident. The estimated cost of the facility, including the reactor and the fabrication cost for an initial fuel charge, is 874,000. (auth