The CWS Experiments – An Experimental Study of the Effects of Chlorine on Thermal Neutron Absorption

Conference · Tue Jun 14 04:00:00 EDT 2022

OSTI ID:1886046

Cutler, Theresa E. ^[1]; Amundson, Kelsey M. ^[1]; Hutchinson, Jesson D. ^[1]; Kleedtke, Noah A. ^[1]; Wynne, Nicholas A. ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

The Chlorine Worth Study (CWS) experiments consist of layers of Zero Power Physics Reactor plates moderated by high density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and chlorinated polyvinyl chloride with the goal to produce a thermal critical experiment. A thick high density polyethylene reflector surrounds the experiments. Aluminum fuel trays and frames were used to conduct the intrinsic heat generation of the plutonium plates away from the core and out to the top plate and the platen, both acting as heat sinks. The goal of the CWS experiments was to provide benchmark critical experiments that were sensitive to chlorine and matched the sensitivity of criticality safety applications for aqueous chloride operations at PF-4 at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The specific aqueous chloride PF-4 applications were solutions of 30 g/L plutonium, 300 g/L plutonium, and 600 g/L plutonium. The CWS experiments were designed using prototype methods developed by the ARCHIMEDES and EUCLID projects at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The CWS experiments were performed in December of 2021 at the National Criticality Experiments Research Center at the Nevada Nuclear Security Site on the Planet critical assembly. It is intended that the CWS experiments will be evaluated and submitted to the ICSBEP in the future as criticality safety benchmarks.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• DOE Contract Number: 89233218CNA000001
• OSTI ID: 1886046
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-22-20549
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
benchmark
chlorine
critical experiment
integral experiments
plutonium
polyvinyl chloride