Design of a Small Aqueous Homogeneous Breeder Reactor

The design of a small experimental breeder reactor which it is believed will not be subject to the chemical difficulties characteristic of the HRE-2 is presented. The reactor simulates in a small size the nuclear, chemical, mechanical, and hydrodynamic characteristics believed typical of large reactors of this type. The simulation is made possible largely by the use of a beryllium reflector between the uranyl sulfate solution core and the thoria pellet fertile blanket. The nuclear calculations indicate an initial gross breeding ratio of 1.07 for a completely blanketed reactor fueled with U²³³.