NUCLEAR SAFETY IN CHEMICAL AND METALLURGICAL PROCESSING OF PLUTONIUM

Technical Report · Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1961

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4837871· OSTI ID:4837871

Clayton, E. D.

A review was made of those types of criticality problems encountered in a typical plutonium processing and metal fabrication plant. A brief discussion is given of some of those criticality data which are of general interest in nuclear safety application, and of some of those data of limited application, but which are of special interest to specific processes. Curves are presented, based on multigroup diffusion theory, which show the estimated critical mass and infinite cylinder diameters for homogeneous PuO/sub 2/-water mixtures and the critical mass for Pu-- Al alloy. Applied methods of criticality control in plutonium processing and fuel element fabrication are reviewed. A list of typical administrative procedures, which have been used in effecting criticality control, is given. The proposed general program of studies for the new Hanford Plutonium Critical Mass Laboratory, which is being undertaken to obtain needed criticallty data for Pu solutions and precipitates of plutonium, is discussed. (auth)

• Research Organization: General Electric Co. Hanford Atomic Products Operation, Richland, WA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
• DOE Contract Number: AT(45-1)-1350
• NSA Number: NSA-15-032380
• OSTI ID: 4837871
• Report Number(s): HW-68929
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-61
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

HEALTH AND SAFETY
ALUMINUM ALLOYS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTROL
CRITICALITY
DIFFUSION
FABRICATION
FUEL ELEMENTS
HAPO
LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
MASS
METALLURGY
NORTH AMERICA
PLUTO
PLUTONIUM ALLOYS
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
POWER PLANTS
PRECIPITATION
RADIATION PROTECTION
RESEARCH REACTORS
SAFETY
SOLUTIONS
TABLES
USA
USAEC
WASHINGTON
WATER