Subcritical limits for special fissile actinides

Journal Article · Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1980 · Nucl. Technol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7052095

Clark, H K

Critical masses and subcritical mass limits in oxide-water mixtures were calculated for actinide nuclides other than /sup 233/U, /sup 235/U, and /sup 239/Pu that have an odd number of neutrons in the nucleus: S/sub n/ transport theory was used together with cross sections, drawn from the GLASS multigroup library, developed to provide accurate forecasts of actinide production at Savannah River. The subcritical limits are 201 g for /sup 241/Pu, 13 g for /sup 242//sup m/Am, 90 g for /sup 243/Cm, 30 g for /sup 245/Cm, 900 g for /sup 247/Cm, 10 g for /sup 249/Cf, and 5 g for /sup 251/Cf. Association of /sup 241/Pu with an equal mass of /sup 240/Pu increases the /sup 241/Pu limit to a value greater than that for pure /sup 239/Pu. Association of /sup 242//sup m/Am with /sup 241/Am increases the limit for the mixture to that for dry, theoretical density AmO/sub 2/ at isotopic concentrations of /sup 242//sup m/Am less than approx. 6%. Association of /sup 245/Cm with /sup 244/Cm increases the limit according to the formula 30 + 0.3 /sup 244/Cm//sup 245/Cm up to the limit for dry CmO/sub 2/. A limiting mass of 8.15 kg for plutonium containing at least 67% /sup 238/Pu as oxide was calculated that applies (provided /sup 240/Pu exceeds /sup 241/Pu) with no limit on moderation. 1 figure, 5 tables.

• Research Organization: Savannah River Lab., Aiken, SC
• OSTI ID: 7052095
• Journal Information: Nucl. Technol.; (United States), Vol. 48:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
AMERICIUM 242
CRITICAL MASS
CALIFORNIUM 249
CALIFORNIUM 251
CURIUM 243
CURIUM 245
CURIUM 247
PLUTONIUM 241
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
FISSILE MATERIALS
SUBCRITICALITY
THEORETICAL DATA
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AMERICIUM ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CALIFORNIUM ISOTOPES
CURIUM ISOTOPES
DATA
DISPERSIONS
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FISSIONABLE MATERIALS
HEAVY NUCLEI
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
INFORMATION
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MASS
MATERIALS
MIXTURES
NUCLEI
NUMERICAL DATA
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIOISOTOPES
SOLUTIONS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
652016* - Nuclear Properties & Reactions
A=220 & above
Theoretical- Spontaneous & Induced Fission- (-1987)
220100 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Theory & Calculation