Criticality Experiments with a Mixed-Oxide Fuel Pin Array in Plutonium-Uranium Nitrate Solutions

Conference · Sun Jun 04 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:5323324

A series of critical experiments was completed with an array of mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel pins surrounded by plutonium-uranium nitrate solutions. The experiments were performed under a joint Criticality Data Development Program between the US Department of Energy and the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel development Corporation of Japan. The critical experiments were performed in the Critical Mass Laboratory (CML) of the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL). The objectives of these experiments are to provide criticality data for a heterogeneous system of fuel pins moderated with plutonium-uranium and to determine the effectiveness of soluble gadolinium as a neutron absorber for criticality control in optimizing the physical size of equipment. Experiments have been performed in a similar configuration; however, these new experiments provide criticality data for a tighter fuel lump spacing, where soluble neutron poisons are not as effective.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• OSTI ID: 5323324
• Report Number(s): CONF-890604--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Journal Volume: 59
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220100* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Theory & Calculation
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
BATTELLE PACIFIC NORTHWEST LABORATORIES
CALCULATION METHODS
COMPUTER CODES
CONTROL
CONTROL ELEMENTS
CRITICALITY
Critical Experiments
DATA
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FAST REACTORS
FFTF REACTOR
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL PINS
FUELS
GADOLINIUM
INFORMATION
KINETICS
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
MATERIALS
METALS
MIXED OXIDE FUELS
MIXTURES
MODERATORS
Mixed-Oxide (MOX) Fuel Pins
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEUTRON ABSORBERS
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NUCLEAR POISONS
NUMERICAL DATA
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
ORNL
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM NITRATES
Plutonium-Uranium Nitrate Solutions
RARE EARTHS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR KINETICS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
RESEARCH REACTORS
S CODES
SAFETY
SODIUM COOLED REACTORS
SOLID FUELS
SOLUBLE POISONS
SOLUTIONS
SPACERS
TEST REACTORS
TESTING
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM NITRATES
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
VALIDATION