Measurement and analysis of parameters in tight /sup 232/Th--/sup 235/U and /sup 232/Th--/sup 233/U lattices moderated with D/sub 2/O (LWBR Development Program)

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1974

OSTI ID:6742084

Hardy, J Jr; Volpe, J J; Klein, D

Parameter measurements and calculations in two D/sub 2/O-moderated Thorium-Uranium critical assemblies are described in detail. The first, designated ETA-I, contained 6.7 w/o /sup 235/UO/sub 2/-ThO/sub 2/ fuel rods of 0.260'' diameter, clad in aluminum. The second assembly, designated ETA-II, contained 3.0 w/o /sup 233/UO/sub 2/-ThO/sub 2/ fuel rods of 0.430'' diameter, clad in Zircaloy-2. A relatively hard spectrum was obtained in both lattices. Because leakage was small and the central flux spectra were closely asymptotic, these assemblies provide a cleanly analyzable test of important reaction cross sections. Specific parameters measured in ETA-I were: /sup 232/Th fission//sup 235/U fission (delta/sup 02/), /sup 232/Th capture /sup 235/U fission (CR*), and epithermal/thermal ratios for /sup 235/U fission (delta/sup 25/) and /sup 232/Th capture (rho/sup 02/). Corresponding measurements (with /sup 233/U) were made in ETA-II. Supplemental fast-thermal spectrum comparisons were made between the ETA assemblies and the 4/1 TRX critical assembly by means of activation detectors. The lattices were analyzed explicitly with a full energy range Monte Carlo program having a detailed cross section description. ENDF/B Version 2 and LWBR cross section sets were used. Overall agreement with experiment was very good. 28 references. (NSA 30: 1937)

• Research Organization: Bettis Atomic Power Lab., Pittsburgh, PA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AT(36-1)-GEN-14
• OSTI ID: 6742084
• Report Number(s): WAPD-TM-1089
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
LWBR TYPE REACTORS
REACTOR KINETICS
DATA COMPILATION
CAPTURE-TO-FISSION RATIO
CROSS SECTIONS
FISSION RATIO
HEAVY WATER MODERATED REACTORS
NEUTRON REACTIONS
NUCLEAR DATA COLLECTIONS
NUCLEAR REACTION KINETICS
REACTOR LATTICES
THORIUM 232
THORIUM OXIDES
URANIUM 233
URANIUM 235
URANIUM DIOXIDE
ZERO POWER REACTORS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BARYON REACTIONS
BREEDER REACTORS
CHALCOGENIDES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
EXPERIMENTAL REACTORS
HADRON REACTIONS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
KINETICS
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEI
NUCLEON REACTIONS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTION KINETICS
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
THERMAL REACTORS
THORIUM COMPOUNDS
THORIUM ISOTOPES
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM ISOTOPES
URANIUM OXIDES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
210500* - Power Reactors
Breeding