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Title: Benchmark Evaluation of Uranium Metal Annuli and Cylinders with Beryllium Reflectors

Conference ·
OSTI ID:983343

An extensive series of delayed critical experiments were performed at the Oak Ridge Critical Experiments Facility using enriched uranium metal during the 1960s and 1970s in support of criticality safety operations at the Y-12 Plant. These experiments were designed to evaluate the storage, casting, and handling limits of the Y-12 Plant and to provide data for the verification of cross sections and calculation methods utilized in nuclear criticality safety applications. Many of these experiments have already been evaluated and included in the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) Handbook: unreflected (HEU-MET-FAST-051), graphite-reflected (HEU-MET-FAST-071), and polyethylene-reflected (HEU-MET-FAST-076). Three of the experiments consisted of highly-enriched uranium (HEU, ~93.2% 235U) metal parts reflected by beryllium metal discs. The first evaluated experiment was constructed from a stack of 7-in.-diameter, 4-1/8-in.-high stack of HEU discs top-reflected by a 7-in.-diameter, 5-9/16-in.-high stack of beryllium discs. The other two experiments were formed from stacks of concentric HEU metal annular rings surrounding a 7-in.diameter beryllium core. The nominal outer diameters were 13 and 15 in. with a nominal stack height of 5 and 4 in., respectively. These experiments have been evaluated for inclusion in the ICSBEP Handbook.

Research Organization:
Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE - NE
DOE Contract Number:
DE-AC07-05ID14517
OSTI ID:
983343
Report Number(s):
INL/CON-10-17601; TRN: US1004451
Resource Relation:
Conference: 2010 American Nuclear Sociey Annual Meeting,San Diego, California,06/13/2010,06/17/2010
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING
BENCHMARKS
BERYLLIUM
CALCULATION METHODS
CASTING
CRITICALITY
CROSS SECTIONS
ENRICHED URANIUM
EVALUATION
OR-CEF REACTOR
SAFETY
STORAGE
URANIUM
VERIFICATION
Y-12 PLANT
Benchmark
Beryllium Reflectors
Critical Experiments
Highly Enriched Uranium
ICSBEP