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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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New coolants, new fuels: A new generation of university reactors
Here’s an easy way to make aging U.S. power reactors look relatively youthful: Compare them (average age: 43) with the nation’s university research reactors. The 25 operating today have been licensed for an average of about 58 years.
G. G. Simons, A. P. Olson
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 53 | Number 2 | February 1974 | Pages 176-196
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE74-A23343
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Absolute gamma-ray heating was investigated in Assembly 2 of the Zero Power Plutonium Reactor (during operation in support of the Demonstration Reactor Benchmark critical program). Three loading configurations were studied: loading 90, normal plate core; loading 156, core with central control rod of boron carbide plus sodium; and loading 157, core with central control rod of tantalum plus sodium. All measurements were made with 7LiF thermoluminescent dosimeters encapsulated in a variety of electron-equilibrium sleeves, and the results are compared with calculated doses. This paper gives details of both the experimental procedures and the calculational techniques used to obtain gamma-radiation dose distributions.