Critical experiments in support of the CNPS [Compact Nuclear Power Source] program

Zero-power static and kinetic measurements have been made on a mock-up of the Compact Nuclear Power Source (CNPS), a graphite moderated, graphite reflected, U(19.9% 235U) fueled reactor design. Critical configurations were tracked from a first clean configuration (184 most central fuel channels filled and all control rod and heat pipe channels empty) to a fully loaded configuration (all 492 fuel channels filled, core-length stainless steel pipe in the twelve heat-pipe channels, and approximately half-core-length boron carbide in the outer 4 control rod channels.) Reactor physics data such as material worths and neutron lifetime are presented only for the clean and fully loaded configurations