Calculated critical parameters in simple geometries for oxide and nitrate water mixtures of U-233, U-235 and Pu-239 with thorium. Final report

Technical Report · Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5748642· OSTI ID:5748642

Converse, W. E.; Bierman, S. R.

Calculations have been performed on water mixtures of oxides and nitrates of /sup 233/U, /sup 235/U, and /sup 239/Pu with chemically similar thorium compounds to determine critical dimensions for simple geometries (sphere, cylinder, and slab). Uranium enrichments calculated were 100%, 20%, 10%, and 5%; plutonium calculations assumed 100% /sup 239/Pu. Thorium to uranium or plutonium weight ratios (Th: U or Pu) calculated were 0, 1, 4, and 8. Both bare and full water reflection conditions were calculated. The results of the calculations are plotted showing a critical dimension versus the uranium or plutonium concentration. Plots of K-infinity and material buckling for each material type are also shown.

• Research Organization: Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-06-1830
• OSTI ID: 5748642
• Report Number(s): PNL-2080-16
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050800* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
054000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Health & Safety
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
42 ENGINEERING
420203 -- Engineering-- Handling Equipment & Procedures
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
CHALCOGENIDES
CONFIGURATION
CRITICAL SIZE
CRITICALITY
CYLINDRICAL CONFIGURATION
DISPERSIONS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
MIXTURES
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NUCLEI
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM 239
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
PLUTONIUM NITRATES
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
RADIOISOTOPES
REPROCESSING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SIZE
SLABS
SOLUTIONS
SPHERICAL CONFIGURATION
THORIUM COMPOUNDS
THORIUM NITRATES
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM 233
URANIUM 235
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM ISOTOPES
URANIUM NITRATES
URANIUM OXIDES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES