Possibility of Experimental Validation of Criticality Safety Methodology in Support of Underground Fuel Storage Efforts
- State Scientific Center of Russian Federation, Obninsk (Russian Federation). Institute of Physics and Power Engineering
- Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Critical systems which might be formed in geologic repositories as a result of long-term degradation of the storage media, leaching of plutonium from the storage media, and the redistribution of low concentrations of plutonium into underground sand layers or lenses can be characterized by positive reactivity feedback. Formation of such a system cannot be excluded when considering the burial of high enriched uranium or plutonium contaminated wastes or spent nuclear fuels. Although the probability of formation of a critical system under such conditions is very low, the reliable prediction of neutron multiplication properties appears to be of great interest from a criticality safety viewpoint. At the present time, all estimations of criticality are based only on evaluated neutron data because critical experiments are not available for large systems containing small quantities plutonium distributed throughout a typically encountered matrix material such as silicon dioxide. The possibility of providing such an experiment using the large Russian critical assemblies, BFS-1 or BFS-2, is considered. It is shown that critical systems containing small amounts of hydrogenous material (polyethylene) with positive reactivity feedback can by modeled in the BFS Facility.
- Research Organization:
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); State Scientific Center of Russian Federation, Obninsk (Russian Federation). Institute of Physics and Power Engineering
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-94ID13223
- OSTI ID:
- 565640
- Report Number(s):
- INEL/CON-97-00636; CONF-970926-; ON: DE98050309; TRN: 98:002508
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: American Nuclear Society (ANS) Topical Meeting on Criticality Safety Challenges in the Next Decade, Chelan, WA (United States), 7-11 Sep 1997; Other Information: PBD: 1997
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CRITICALITY
BFS REACTOR
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
SAFETY ANALYSIS
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
High Enriched Uranium
Plutonium Contaminated Wastes
Spent Nuclear Fuels
BFS Facility
Thermally Fissile Material (FTM)