Subcritical Measurements Using the ²⁵²Cf Source-Driven Neutron Noise Analysis Method

Conference · Wed Sep 17 04:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:5665180

Mihalczo, J. T. ^[1]; Blakeman, E. D. ^[1]; Ragan, G. E. ^[1]; Kryter, R. C. ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Instrumentation and Controls Division

This paper describes recent measurements of the subcritical neutron multiplication factor using the ²⁵²Cf source-driven neutron noise analysis method. This work was supported by a program of collaboration between the United States Department of Energy and the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation of Japan related to the development of fast breeder technology. The experiment reported consists of a configuration of two interacting tanks of uranyl nitrate aqueous solution with different uranium concentrations in each tank. The ²⁵²Cf-source-driven neutron noise analysis method obtains the subcriticality from the signals of three detectors: the first, a parallel plate ionization chamber with ²⁵²Cf electroplated on one of its plates that is located in or near the system containing the fissile material, and produces an electrical pulse for every spontaneous fission that occurs and thereby serves as a timed source of fission neutrons; and the second and third detectors that are placed in or near the system containing fissile material and serve to detect particles from the fission chain multiplication process.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Instrumentation and Controls Division
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP); USDOE Office of Facilities, Fuel Cycle, and Test Programs
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 5665180
• Report Number(s): CONF-860906-1; ON: DE86005592
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210500* -- Power Reactors
Breeding
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
BREEDER REACTORS
CALIFORNIUM 252
CALIFORNIUM ISOTOPES
Californium Neutron
Cross-Power Spectral Density (CPSD)
DISPERSIONS
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FAST REACTORS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
Fast Breeder Technology
Fissile Material
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
LMFBR TYPE REACTORS
MIXTURES
MULTIPLICATION FACTORS
Monte Carlo Calculations
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NUCLEI
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
Pulsed Neutron
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTOR NOISE
REACTORS
Rossi-α
SOLUTIONS
SUBCRITICALITY
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANYL COMPOUNDS
URANYL NITRATES
United States Department of Energy and the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation of Japan
Uranium Metal
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES