Helium-3 Circuit Design Techniques

He-3 pressure control loop is an advanced facility to adjust the power of the tested fuel element. This loop adjusts the power rapidly, evenly and flexibly, and the irradiated parameters can be controlled accurately. The loop can be used to carry out power ramp test and power cycling test. It can also be used to control the power of test fuel rods during steady state irradiation. It is a proper choice to adjust the power of the fuel irradiated in China Advanced Research Reactor (CARR), which will be used as a significant facility to conduct fuel performance research.Power ramp testing methods are investigated by referring to a great deal of foreign literature, and compared with eath other. The preliminary neutron physics is analyzed if the He-3 facility is used to control the power of tested fuel elements in CARR. It is suggested that the best method to perform ramp test in CARR should be establishing a He-3 pressure control loop. The preliminary design of the He-3 facility has been completed, including determination of the facility parameters, draw of the flow chart, and design of some key equipment, etc., which provides a better technical foundation to establish the He-3 facility for CARR.