COMPARISON OF ZIRCALOY AND STAINLESS STEEL AS THE STRUCTURAL MATERIALS IN THE CORE OF THE N.S. SAVANNAH

The savings in fuel enrichments realized by changing the major structural material in the N.S. Savannah reactor core from stainless steel to Zircaloy-2 were studied. The basis of comparison was equal cold initial reactivity. By changing the major structural material from stainless steel to Zircaloy-2, the result is that for equal cold initial reactivity the uranium enrichment can be decreased from 4.2% to 3.1%. This, in turn, results in a savings of $1,300,000 in initial fuel investment--or $50,000 per year in use charges at a 4% rate. Futher studies in control rod worth, temperature coefficient or reactivity, and Zircaloy-2 costs must be made to determine the effect on the net cost.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document is available for review at the Department of Commerce Library, Main Commerce Building, Washington, D.C., under reference number KT-503.
• Corporate Authors:

  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  Engineering Practice School
  Cambridge, MA  United States  02138

  Union Carbide Nuclear Company

  ,    
• Authors:
  • Bast, J A
  • Morse, C J
  • Eversole, J G
  • Davis, G J
• Publication Date: 1959-11-9

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 68 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Materials selection; Nuclear fuels; Nuclear powered ships; Nuclear reactor cores; Nuclear reactors; Radioactive materials
• Old TRIS Terms: Materials evaluation; Nuclear reactor materials
• Subject Areas: Energy; Marine Transportation; Materials; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00026172
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Maritime Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: KT-503
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Feb 6 1973 12:00AM