Criticality Safety of an Annular Tank for Fissile Solution

Conference · Sun Nov 29 04:00:00 EST 1981 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:6937114

Rothe, R. E. ^[1]

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1. Rockwell International Corp., Golden, CO (United States)

Experiments performed to determine the criticality safety of annular tanks for storing fissile solutions are described. Six annular tanks were built in four nesting sizes to obtain experimental criticality data which could be used to validate computer codes employed in the design of such a safe storage system for an industrial plant. Each tank had an annular solution region thickness of 38 mm. The height of this region was 2.13 m, held 0.3 m off the floor by a stainless-steel skirting. Walls were 6.4 mm-thick type 304L stainless steel. The uranyl nitrate solution contained 357 g U/l and had a density of 1.5 kg/m³. The uranium was enriched to 93.2% 235U with other isotopes: 5.4% 238U, 1.0% ²³⁴U, and 0.4% ²³⁶U. The solution contained 0.5 molar nitric acid and a total impurity content of less than 1500 ppM. Important neutron absorbers, boron and cadmium, averaged 10 ppM and 30 ppM, respectively. Boron loaded concrete and boron-loaded plaster were selected for the neutron moderator/absorber interior to the annular tank. Three configurations of tanks and reflector were taken to criticality and are reported. The critical uranium solution height in all tanks containing solution as a function of boron content in earthen interior material, tank array configuration, and other variables.

• Research Organization: Rockwell International Corp., Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• OSTI ID: 6937114
• Report Number(s): CONF-811103-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Journal Volume: 39
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
42 ENGINEERING
420203* -- Engineering-- Handling Equipment & Procedures
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDES
Annular Tanks
CONTAINERS
CRITICALITY
Configurations
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
ENRICHED URANIUM
Experiments
FISSILE MATERIALS
FISSIONABLE MATERIALS
Fissile Solutions Storage
HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM
ISOTOPE ENRICHED MATERIALS
MATERIALS
METALS
MIXTURES
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIATION PROTECTION
SOLUTIONS
STORAGE
TANKS
Tank Array Configuration
URANIUM
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANYL COMPOUNDS
URANYL NITRATES
Variables Consideration