Further investigation of spectral temperature feedbacks

Journal Article · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1997 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:552475

Kornreich, D E ^[1]

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

A renewed interest in the phenomenon of possible positive temperature reactivity feedback coefficients in dilute fissile solutions has occurred over the past 10 y. Examination of the geologic disposal of fissile materials often includes the study of the possibility of autocatalytic reactions (those with positive feedback coefficients of reactivity) as the result of the different effective multiplications for fissile material in wet and dry ground. However, another postulated autocatalytic reaction occurs for dilute solutions of plutonium. Such solutions have been seen, through calculations, to have positive temperature reactivity feedback coefficients. Including a non 1/{nu} neutron poison like gadolinium enhances the effect (although larger feedback coefficients are unimportant if criticality cannon be achieved).

• OSTI ID: 552475
• Report Number(s): CONF-971125--
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Vol. 77; ISSN 0003-018X; ISSN TANSAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
CRITICALITY
FISSILE MATERIALS
NEUTRON SPECTRA
PLUTONIUM
TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT
URANIUM COMPOUNDS