The measurement of eta and the limiting concentration of /sup 239/Pu in critical aqueous solutions

Journal Article · Mon Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · Nucl. Sci. Eng.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6096345

Lloyd, R C; Clayton, E D; Libby, R A

Experiments were performed with a 122-cm-diam sphere to determine criticality of aqueous solutions of plutonium in a system having low-neutron leakage. The plutonium in the chemical form of Pu(NO/sub 3/)/sub 4/ had a /sup 240/Pu content of 2.52 wt%. The critical-sphere concentration obtained in this experiment was analyzed along with data from eight additional critical experiments to evaluate the minimum critical concentration for plutonium. The limiting critical concentration was determined to be 7.62 g Pu/l for Pu(NO/sub 3/)/sub 4/ without excess acid and 7.59 g Pu/l for a /sup 239/Pu-water mixture. From these data, the Maxwellian-averaged thermal value of the number of fission neutrons emitted per neutron absorbed by /sup 239/Pu, eta, was determined to be 2.056 + or - 0.037. The value at 2200 m/s is 2.100 + or - 0.041.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, Richland, Washington 99352
• OSTI ID: 6096345
• Journal Information: Nucl. Sci. Eng.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Sci. Eng.; (United States) Vol. 82:3; ISSN NSENA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420203* -- Engineering-- Handling Equipment & Procedures
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
BARYONS
CRITICALITY
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FERMIONS
FISSION NEUTRONS
HADRONS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
MIXTURES
NEUTRON LEAKAGE
NEUTRONS
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NUCLEI
NUCLEONS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM 239
PLUTONIUM 240
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
PLUTONIUM NITRATES
RADIOISOTOPES
SOLUTIONS
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES