RADIOCHEMISTRY DURING START-UP AND EARLY OPERATION OF THE NUCLEAR SHIP SAVANNAH

Three general types of radionuclides comprise the radioactivity content of the primary coolant in a pressurized water reactor: fission products, neutron-activated corrosion products, and activation products formed in coolant constituents and impurites. An experimental program correlates the concentrations of these radioactive species in the reactor primary coolant of the N.S. Savannah with important reactor and primary system operating parameters and with radiological safety procedures. It provides data for evaluation, reliability, or performance of specific components of the shipboard reactor plant. Data were required to evaluate the integrity of fuel element cladding, to estimate the uranium contamination of heat transfer surfaces in the core and corrosion in primary system surfaces, and to monitor the performance of the demineralizer, off-gas, and water-purification systems. Additional information was needed to determine base levels for the radioactivity content and any leakage of radioactivity from the primary to the secondary coolant systems, and to ensure that radioactivity concentrations in liquid wastes would not exceed maximum permissible concentrations.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document is available for review at the Department of Commerce Library, Main Commerce Building, Washington, D.C., under reference number NSEC-72.
• Corporate Authors:

  Nuclear Science and Engineering Corporation

  P.O. Box 10901
  Pittsburgh, PA  United States 

  New York Shipbuilding Corporation

  Camden New Jersey
  ,   United States 
• Authors:
  • Battist, L
  • Winnowski, W S
  • Dieterly, D K
  • Koch, R C
• Publication Date: 1962-7

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 85 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Nuclear powered ships; Nuclear reactor coolants; Radiation doses; Radiation monitoring
• Old TRIS Terms: Radiological safety
• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00026497
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Maritime Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: NSEC-72 Final Rpt
• Contract Numbers: MA-1675
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Feb 6 1973 12:00AM