REACTOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, PROGRESS REPORT, MAY 1961

General research and development on water-cooled and sodium-cooled reactors are reported along with specific developments on EBWR, BORAK-V, EBR-I, and EBR-H. Thermal and fast reactor safety studies are summarized in terms of fuel-coolant chemical reactions, kinetics of oxidation and ignition of reactor materials, core meltdown studies, and a sodium vapor pressure furnace. Evaluations were made of improved fast reactors for central station power and of a 50-Mwe Prototype Organic Power Reactor (POPR). Developments in instruments, reactcr fuels and materials, reactor components, heat engineering, separations processes, and advanced reactcrs are discussed. (M.C.G.