Delta Force
Banned
I came across something interesting on liquid cooled organically moderated and cooled reactors too. It's only liquid cooled, not gas, but it does involve a Commonwealth member.
The United States Atomic Energy Commission built an organically cooled and moderated reactor, Piqua, which was decommissioned after only three years due to coolant decomposition and fouling that caused some control rods to become stuck.
In contrast, the Canadian WR-1 heavy water moderated organically cooled reactor operated successfully for twenty years. The initial plan was to start the reactor with light coolant, heat things up, and the load heavier coolant, but the light coolant decomposed slowly enough that the switch was never made. The reactor was successful enough that Ontario Hydro also considered switching from heavy water cooled CANDU reactors to organically cooled CANDU reactors, which were estimated to be 10% less expensive to build and operate. Ontario Hydro stuck with heavy water CANDU reactors to simplify training and logistics, but apparently India is now considering a similar reactor design.
The United States Atomic Energy Commission built an organically cooled and moderated reactor, Piqua, which was decommissioned after only three years due to coolant decomposition and fouling that caused some control rods to become stuck.
In contrast, the Canadian WR-1 heavy water moderated organically cooled reactor operated successfully for twenty years. The initial plan was to start the reactor with light coolant, heat things up, and the load heavier coolant, but the light coolant decomposed slowly enough that the switch was never made. The reactor was successful enough that Ontario Hydro also considered switching from heavy water cooled CANDU reactors to organically cooled CANDU reactors, which were estimated to be 10% less expensive to build and operate. Ontario Hydro stuck with heavy water CANDU reactors to simplify training and logistics, but apparently India is now considering a similar reactor design.