[en] Results of PARET/ANL and RELAP5/MOD2 computations on one of the Spert-IV tests are compared to select the code that best predicts the peak power and fuel plate temperature resulting from reactivity-induced transients for use in the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) upgrade safety-related analysis. The D-12/25 core of the Spert-IV tests was selected for comparison because the test was performed under forced coolant circulation in a low-pressure and low-temperature environment, and this test used plate-type fuel as does MURR. The square-shaped D-12/25 core consisted of a 5 x 5 array of 20 fuel assemblies, 4 control rod assemblies, and 1 transient rod assembly. Control of the reactor was accomplished by the use of four boron/aluminum control rods, and the power excursion was initiated by a step reactivity addition established by ejecting the poison section of the transient rod from the core

[en] Nuclear engineering is a discipline that has special conditions, not common, in general, to most other engineering disciplines, with the exception of aerospace/aeronautical engineering. The conditions demanded by quality assurance, procedural control, certified training, documentation, and reporting expose the nuclear engineering profession to demands that were unheard of two decades ago. These requirements strike with a cruel shock to the dedicated, ambitious, and imaginative new graduate just entering the nuclear industry. Yet, it is essential that the recent graduate accept and work effectively and efficiently within these constraints, which were developed to assure as close to absolute safety for out industry as is possible with reasonable rules and regulations. Compliance with the institutional and regulatory issues is a demanding aspect of the nuclear engineering profession. Today's demands on exactness and reliability in nuclear engineering may be tomorrow's demands on all the other engineering professions. Consequently, at the Columbia campus of the University of Missouri, student training benefits from the fact that our research reactor operates as a round-the-clock production facility, with tight and exacting controls. The one-semester graduate laboratory course is designed to permit the students to learn as much as possible about the true realities of a regulated nuclear engineering and science industry, concentrating on the meaningful analyses and measurements that are a routine part of normal reactor operations

[en] The University of Missouri research reactor (MURR) facility is located in Research Park, 1 mile south of the Columbia campus. The reactor is a 10-MW pressurized loop, in-pool-type, light-water-moderated, beryllium-and-graphite-reflected core, serviced by six radial beam tubes for research, and has sample irradiation facilities in both a flux trap and in the graphite region. The reactor operates at full power 150 h/week, 52 week/yr, making it one of the best operating schedules and the most extensively used of any university research reactor. This extensive utilization includes many programs, such as radioisotope applications, neutron activation analysis, etc., that depend heavily on fume hoods, glove boxes, and hot cells that put a tremendous demand on the exhaust system. The exhaust system is required to be operable whenever the reactor is operating and must have the capability of being operated from an emergency electrical generator on loss of site electrical power. The originally installed exhaust ventilation system was below needed capacity and, with increased program requirements and system age, the necessity to upgrade the system was paramount. The challenge was to complete the upgrade construction while continuing to operate the reactor and maintain all the other ongoing programs, rather than take the easy way of an extended shutdown. This paper discusses how MURR met this challenge and solved these problems, problems that are similarly experienced by almost all research reactors to some degree when major work is required on critical systems

No abstract available

[en] The research, education, and service capabilities of the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) are being enhanced through a five-part upgrade. The existing reactor is a 10-MW pressurized loop type, already operating at >90% availability to support demand from researchers and industry. The upgrade is focused to meet the increasing demand for more neutrons and higher specific activity radioisotopes, especially for the biomedical community, cold neutrons, and expanded laboratory and office space. The upgrade includes an extended-life fuel element, a power increase, instrument and control (I ampersand C) and electrical system upgrade, a cold neutron source (CNS), and a building addition. This paper focuses on the upgrade accomplishments since November 1987

[en] The University of Missouri-Columbia is investing its resources for a significant expansion of the research capabilities and utilization of MURR to provide it the opportunity to deliver on its obligation to become the nation's premier educational institution in nuclear-related fields and so that it can provide scientific personnel and a state-of-the-art research test bed to support the national need for highly trained graduates in nuclear science and engineering

[en] The University of Missouri-Columbia (MU) is in the process of upgrading the research and operational capabilities of the MU Research Reactor (MURR) and associated facilities. The plans include an expanded research building that will double the laboratory space, the addition of new research programs, instrumentation and equipment, a cold neutron source, and improved reactor systems. These enhancements, which are in various stages of completion, will greatly expand the present active multidisciplinary research programs at MURR

No abstract available

[en] The University of Missouri operates MURR, currently a 10-MW research reactor, to provide an intense source of neutron and gamma radiation for research and applications by experimenters from the four campuses of the University and by experimenters from other universities, government, and industry. The reactor has been continually upgraded during its 18-yr history, escalating from 30 h/week at 5 MW in 1968 to the schedule of the last 7 yr of averaging over 155 h/week at 10 MW. The research programs in the condensed matter sciences (neutron and gamma-ray diffraction and inelastic scattering neutron interferometry, etc.) and in the life sciences (nuclear medicine, radiation therapy, etc.) continually demand increased neutron fluxes. During the last several years, very significant advances have been made in neutron detection systems, in data collection and analysis systems, and in neutron beam filtering techniques, all of which have improved the utilization of available neutrons. The staff of MURR, approx.18 months ago, began an evaluation of the feasibility of further increasing the reactor power level. The results obtained to date are the subject of this paper

[en] The University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) is working on licensing a new fuel design. There are two goals for this new fuel design: (1) reduce the fuel cycle cost of the current 10-MW operation; and, (2) provide a core capable of operating at a significantly higher power level for our upgrade. For the first goal, a fuel element with a higher ²³⁵U loading, a higher fissions per cubic metre burnup limit, and a uniform power density are desired. The uniform power density, i.e., low peaking factors, is also very important in obtaining the second goal. The various options considered to achieve these goals (core and element shape, fuel plate design, fuel type, and burnable poisons and varying the amounts of fuel loaded per plate) are described along with the results obtained for the new core design