AC power control in the Core Flow Test Loop

This work represents a status report on a development effort to design an a.c. power controller for the Core Flow Test Loop. The Core Flow Test Loop will be an engineering test facility which will simulate the thermal environment of a gas-cooled fast-breeder reactor. The problems and limitations of using sinusoidal a.c. power to simulate the power generated within a nuclear reactor are adressed.

The transformer-thyristor configuration chosen for the Core Flow Test Loop power supply is presented. The initial considerations, design, and analysis of a closed-loop controller prototype are detailed. The design is then analyzed for improved performance possibilities and failure modes are investigated at length. A summary of the work completed to date and a proposed outline for continued development completes the report.