Criticality safety of an annular tank for fissile solution
Experiments performed to determine the criticality safety of annular tanks for storing fissile solutions are described. Six annular tanks were built in four nesting sizes to obtain experimental criticality data which could be used to validate computer codes employed in the design of such a safe storage system for an industrial plant. Each tank had an annular solution region thickness of 38 mm. The height of this region was 2.13 m, held 0.3 m off the floor by a stainless steel skirting. Walls were 6.4 mm-thick type 304L stainless steel. The uranyl nitrate solution contained 357 g U/l and had a density of 1.5 kg/m/sup 3/. The uranium was enriched to 93.2% /sup 235/U with other isotopes: 5.4% /sup 238/U, 1.0% /sup 234/U, and 0.4% /sup 236/U. The solution contained 0.5 molar nitric acid and a total impurity content of less than 1500 ppM. Important neutron absorbers, boron and cadmium, averaged 10 ppM and 30 ppM, respectively. Boron-loaded concrete and boron-loaded plaster were selected for the neutron moderator/absorber interior to the annular tank. Three configurations of tanks and reflector were taken to criticality and are reported. The critical uranium solution height in all tanks containing solution as a function of boron content in earthen interior material, tank array configuration, and other variables. (LCL)
- Research Organization:
- Rockwell International Corp., Golden, CO (USA). Rocky Flats Plant
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP03533
- OSTI ID:
- 6065186
- Report Number(s):
- RFP-3233; CONF-811103-21; ON: DE81027258
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: ANS winter meeting, San Francisco, CA, USA, 29 Nov 1981
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
TANKS
DESIGN
URANYL NITRATES
CRITICALITY
ANNULAR SPACE
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FISSILE MATERIALS
LIQUIDS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
CONFIGURATION
CONTAINERS
DATA
FISSIONABLE MATERIALS
FLUIDS
INFORMATION
MATERIALS
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NUMERICAL DATA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SPACE
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANYL COMPOUNDS
420203* - Engineering- Handling Equipment & Procedures