Use of Soluble Neutron Absorbers for Criticality Control - Part 1: ²³⁵ U-Boron

Conference · Sun Nov 10 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:7016854

The American National Standard Nuclear Criticality Safety in Operations with Fissionable Materials Outside Reactors, ANSI/ANS-8.1-1988, provides guidance for criticality control in operations involving fissile materials. Neutron-absorbing materials dissolved in solutions of fissile materials can result in less restrictive limits than those derived from ANS-8.1 without compromising nuclear criticality safety. A standard (ANS-8.14) is under development that prescribes subcritical limits applicable to operations in which soluble neutron absorbers are used for criticality control of aqueous homogeneous solutions. The initial version of the standard will only provide limits for solutions in which ²³⁵U is the only fissile material present and natural boron is used as the soluble poison. The subcritical limits are presented as a function of the ²³⁵U concentration, at various constant boron concentrations, for mass, volume, cylinder diameter, and slab thickness. Also presented in the standard is the limiting subcritical ²³⁵U concentration in an infinite system.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• OSTI ID: 7016854
• Report Number(s): CONF-911107--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Journal Volume: 63
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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