Subcritical Measurements of the WINCO Slab Tank Experiment Using the Source-Jerk Technique

Conference · Sun Nov 26 04:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:5659408

Spriggs, G. D. ^[1]; Hansen, G. E. ^[1]; Martin, R. E. ^[1]; Plassmann, E. A. ^[1]; Pederson, R. A. ^[1]; Schlesser, J. A. ^[1]; Krawczyk, T. L. ^[2]; Smolen, G. R. ^[2]; Tanner, J. E. ^[3]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
2. Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
3. Westinghouse Idaho Nuclear Co., Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Subcritical measurements of the WINCO slab tank using the source-jerk techniques are presented. This technique determines subcriticality by analyzing the transient response produced by the sudden removal of an extraneous neutron source (i.e., a source jerk). We have found that the technique can provide an accurate means of measuring k in configurations that are close to critical (i.e., 0.90 < k < 1.0). As the system becomes more subcritical (i.e., k < 0.90), spatial effects introduce significant biases depending on the source and detector positions. A comparison between the measurements and Monte Carlo code calculations is also presented.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP); USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 5659408
• Report Number(s): CONF-891118-8; ON: DE89017764
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050800* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
054000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Health &amp; Safety
070205 -- Radiation Sources-- Industrial Applications
Radiation Processing-- (1987-)
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING
990220 -- Computers
Computerized Models
&amp; Computer Programs-- (1987-1989)
COMPUTER CALCULATIONS
CONSOLIDATED FUEL REPROCESSING PROGRAM
COORDINATED RESEARCH PROGRAMS
Close to Critical
Comparison
ENERGY SOURCES
FISSILE MATERIALS
FISSIONABLE MATERIALS
FUELS
K
MATERIALS
MEASURING METHODS
MONTE CARLO METHOD
NEUTRON SOURCES
NUCLEAR FUELS
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
PARTICLE SOURCES
RADIATION SOURCES
REACTIVITY
REACTOR MATERIALS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SPENT FUELS
SUBCRITICALITY
Source-Jerk Techniques
Subcriticality
TEST FACILITIES
Transient Response
WINCO Slab Tank