Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Criticality Characteristics of Mixtures of Plutonium, Silicon Dioxide, Nevada Tuff, and Water

Conference ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/374125· OSTI ID:257308
 [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
The major objective of this study has been to examine the possibility of a nuclear explosion should 50 to 100 kg of plutonium be mixed with SiO2, vitrified, placed within a heavy steel container, and buried in the material known as Nevada tuff. To accomplish this objective, the authors have created a survey of critical states or configurations of mixtures of plutonium, SiO2, tuff, and water and examined these data to determine those configurations that might be unstable or autocatalytic. They have identified regions of criticality instability with the possibility of autocatalytic power behavior. Autocatalytic behavior is possible but improbable, for a very limited range of wet systems.
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:
W-7405-ENG-36
OSTI ID:
257308
Report Number(s):
LA-UR--96-1285; CONF-960804--21; ON: DE96009228
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English