Nuclear stability, homogeneous

During the 24-month period in which the reactor was in operation, starting in April 1952, liquid was circulated for a total of about 4500 hr. The reactor was critical a total of 1950 hr and operated above 100 kw for 720 hr. The maximum power level attained was 1600 kw. The reactor was shut down in the spring of 1954 and dismantled to make room for the Homogeneous Reactor Test (HRE-2), having successfully demonstrated the nuclear stability of a circulating-fuel reactor. The characteristics of the HRE-1 are summarized in Table 7-2. 

M phosphate buffer of pH = 7.5). The catalyst system is rather a stabilized colloid of palladium metal or of high nuclearity Pd-clusters, than a homogeneous solution. Experiments to check the permeability of the catalyst are underway. 

Construction of the reactor (Homogeneous Reactor Experiment No. 1) was started in September 1950, and completed in January 1952. After a period of nonnuclear testing with a natural-uranium fuel solution, HRE-1 reached criticality on April 15, 1952. Early in 1954 it was dismantled after successfully demonstrating the nuclear and chemical stability of a moderately high-power-density circulating-fuel reactor, fueled with a solution of enriched uranyl sulfate. 

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