Accelerator-Source-Driven Noise Analysis for Subcriticality of Multipliers for Transmutation of LWR Waste

Conference · Sun Nov 15 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:6689955

Mihalczo, J. T. ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

High neutron fluxes produced by beams of accelerated particles multiplied by fission in actinides are being evaluated as a method of transmuting large quantities of both actinide and fission product wastes. Fissions induced in the actinides multiply the accelerator source, but the system remains subcritical. These systems consist of several fissile multiplying modules with the continuous proton beam split so as to impinge simultaneously on tungsten targets in each module. Current studies focus on processing fission products in the presence of high-level wastes from light water reactors (LWRs) at neutron multiplication values up to k = 0.95. These studies have shown that more material can be processed when the system is operating at the higher k value. For sustained operation of systems where k is adjusted such that it is maintained at k = 0.95, a method of monitoring k would enhance safety and lead to more efficient operation. This paper evaluates a variation of the ²⁵²Cf-source-driven noise analysis method of subcriticality monitoring that may prove useful during operation of these systems.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• OSTI ID: 6689955
• Report Number(s): CONF-921102--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Journal Volume: 66
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Processing
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
ACCELERATORS
ACOUSTIC MONITORING
ACTINIDE BURNER REACTORS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CALIFORNIUM 252
CALIFORNIUM ISOTOPES
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FAST REACTORS
HEAVY NUCLEI
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
High Neutron Fluxes
ISOTOPES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MEASURING METHODS
MONITORING
NUCLEI
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTOR NOISE
REACTORS
SPONTANEOUS FISSION RADIOISOTOPES
SUBCRITICALITY
Source-Drven Noise Analysis Method
TRANSMUTATION
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES