The design, implementation and cost-benefit analysis of a dynamic testing program in the Experimental Breeder Reactor II

Dynamic tests have been performed for many years in commercial pressurized and boiling water reactors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the technological and economical feasibility of extending the current light water reactor testing procedures to both present and future liquid metal fast breeder reactors.

A 38 node linearized, lumped parameter, EBR-II system model was developed. This model was analyzed to obtain the predicted system time and frequency response for reactivity perturbations, intermediate heat exchanger secondary inlet sodium temperature perturbation frequency response, and various system nodal frequency response sensitivities. The results of this analysis indicate that the sodium pot residence time, IHX primary and secondary heat transfer coefficients and reactor core, inner reflector and out blanket heat transfer coefficient-area products can be identified through dynamic testing in EBR-II.

A dynamic test employing a pseudo random binary sequency (PRBs) was designed for EBR-II and a qualitative cost/benefit analysis performed to determine the economic feasibility of implementing a testing program. The results of this analysis indicate that the PRBS method offers a substantial economic advantage over both the rod drop and oscillator rod dynamic testing procedures.