Criticality Analysis for Weapon Disassembly at the Pantex-Plant Part II: Staging

Conference · Sat May 10 00:00:00 EDT 1997

OSTI ID:543254

Knief, R. A. ^[1]

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1. Ogden Environmental & Energy Services, Albuquerque, NM (United States)

This paper very briefly describes criticality investigations for nuclear weapon dismantlement at the Pantex Plant. The investigations performed were for pit staging and build on previous criticality calculations for single pits. The KENO and MCNP computer models were used for pit and container combinations. Scenarios were based on administrative limits and actual or potential physical conditions in the facilities. Essentially all of the pit configurations modeled were subcritical by a substantial amount. It was concluded that a critical configuration involving pit/container combinations is not credible.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Ogden Environmental & Energy Services, Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• OSTI ID: 543254
• Report Number(s): LA-13277-C; CONF-9405144-; ON: DE97007297; TRN: 97:020295
• Resource Relation: Conference: Nuclear Criticality Technology Safety Project Workshop , Williamsburg, VA (United States), 10-11 May 1994; Other Information: PBD: Jun 1997; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the nuclear criticality technology safety project; Sanchez, R.G. [comp.]; PB: 184 p.
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING
NUCLEAR WEAPONS DISMANTLEMENT
CRITICALITY
PANTEX PLANT
RADIATION ACCIDENTS
CONTAINERS
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
Criticality Investigations
Pit Staging
KENO
MCNP
Conclusions