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Title: Methods for Verification of the Hydrogen and Boron Content of the RCSB for Storage of HEU at the HEUMF

Abstract

BoroBond{trademark}, which is a ceramic material containing natural boron carbide (B{sub 4}C, a neutron absorber) and water (a neutron attenuator), is the filler material of the Rackable Can Storage Boxes (RCSBs) that will store highly enriched uranium in cans at the Highly Enriched Uranium Materials Facility (HEUMF). Both attenuation and absorption are essential for criticality safety of the fissile material stored in RCSBs. This BoroBond{trademark} material has not yet been used for storage of highly enriched uranium (HEU). To characterize the neutron attenuation and neutron absorption properties of this material, ORNL has performed an extensive series of measurements (over 900) which included: fast neutron and gamma time-of-flight transmission utilizing the Nuclear Materials Identification System (NMIS), thermal and epithermal neutron counting with {sup 3}He proportional counters, and activation analysis with gamma ray spectrometry using a high purity germanium (HPGe) detector. These measurements were performed for a series of 12 x 12-inch square blocks of thickness varying from 2 to 12 inches, with natural B{sub 4}C contents of approximately 0, 2.3, 4.6, and 9 wt%, and varying water contents achieved by baking the blocks to remove approximately 5/6 of the water. These measurements were also performed with a special mockup of themore » RCSB of BoroBond. material with {approx} 4.6% natural B{sub 4}C. All three methods used Cf-252 sources. This report does not describe these measurements in any detail, but presents a method of verifying and quantifying the B{sub 4}C and hydrogen content of the RCSBs at the factory, upon receipt at Y-12, and at any time later while in use at the HEUMF. The data from these measurements can be used to assess the uniformity of the BoroBond in the RCSB and be stored for future comparisons. The details of these measurements are given in ORNL/TM-2002/254.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
US Department of Energy (US)
OSTI Identifier:
814349
Report Number(s):
ORNL/TM-2002/253
TRN: US0304200
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 21 Nov 2002
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
08 HYDROGEN; 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; ACTIVATION ANALYSIS; BORON; BORON CARBIDES; EPITHERMAL NEUTRONS; FAST NEUTRONS; FISSILE MATERIALS; HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM; HYDROGEN; IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS; NEUTRON ABSORBERS; PROPORTIONAL COUNTERS; SPECTROSCOPY; STORAGE; VERIFICATION

Citation Formats

Mihalczo, JT. Methods for Verification of the Hydrogen and Boron Content of the RCSB for Storage of HEU at the HEUMF. United States: N. p., 2002. Web. doi:10.2172/814349.
Mihalczo, JT. Methods for Verification of the Hydrogen and Boron Content of the RCSB for Storage of HEU at the HEUMF. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/814349
Mihalczo, JT. 2002. "Methods for Verification of the Hydrogen and Boron Content of the RCSB for Storage of HEU at the HEUMF". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/814349. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/814349.
@article{osti_814349,
title = {Methods for Verification of the Hydrogen and Boron Content of the RCSB for Storage of HEU at the HEUMF},
author = {Mihalczo, JT},
abstractNote = {BoroBond{trademark}, which is a ceramic material containing natural boron carbide (B{sub 4}C, a neutron absorber) and water (a neutron attenuator), is the filler material of the Rackable Can Storage Boxes (RCSBs) that will store highly enriched uranium in cans at the Highly Enriched Uranium Materials Facility (HEUMF). Both attenuation and absorption are essential for criticality safety of the fissile material stored in RCSBs. This BoroBond{trademark} material has not yet been used for storage of highly enriched uranium (HEU). To characterize the neutron attenuation and neutron absorption properties of this material, ORNL has performed an extensive series of measurements (over 900) which included: fast neutron and gamma time-of-flight transmission utilizing the Nuclear Materials Identification System (NMIS), thermal and epithermal neutron counting with {sup 3}He proportional counters, and activation analysis with gamma ray spectrometry using a high purity germanium (HPGe) detector. These measurements were performed for a series of 12 x 12-inch square blocks of thickness varying from 2 to 12 inches, with natural B{sub 4}C contents of approximately 0, 2.3, 4.6, and 9 wt%, and varying water contents achieved by baking the blocks to remove approximately 5/6 of the water. These measurements were also performed with a special mockup of the RCSB of BoroBond. material with {approx} 4.6% natural B{sub 4}C. All three methods used Cf-252 sources. This report does not describe these measurements in any detail, but presents a method of verifying and quantifying the B{sub 4}C and hydrogen content of the RCSBs at the factory, upon receipt at Y-12, and at any time later while in use at the HEUMF. The data from these measurements can be used to assess the uniformity of the BoroBond in the RCSB and be stored for future comparisons. The details of these measurements are given in ORNL/TM-2002/254.},
doi = {10.2172/814349},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/814349}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Nov 21 00:00:00 EST 2002},
month = {Thu Nov 21 00:00:00 EST 2002}
}