Water-Reflected 233U Uranyl Nitrate Solutions in Simple Geometry

Technical Report · Wed Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/788636· OSTI ID:788636

Elam, K R

A number of critical experiments involving {sup 233}U were performed in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Building 9213 Critical Experiments Facility during the years 1952 and 1953. These experiments, reported in Reference 1, were directed toward determining bounding values for the minimum critical mass, minimum critical volume, and maximum safe pipe size of water-moderated solutions of {sup 233}U. Additional information on the critical experiments was found in the experimental logbooks. Two experiments utilizing uranyl nitrate (UO{sub 2}(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}) solutions in simple geometry are evaluated in this report. Experiment 37 is in a 10.4-inch diameter sphere, and Experiment 39 is in a 10-inch diameter cylinder. The {sup 233}U concentration ranges from 49 to 62 g {sup 233}U/l. Both experiments were reflected by at least 6 inches of water in all directions. Paraffin-reflected uranyl nitrate experiments, also reported in Reference 1, are evaluated elsewhere. Experiments with smaller paraffin reflected 5-, 6-, and 7.5-inch diameter cylinders are evaluated in U233-SOL-THERM-004. Experiments with paraffin reflected 8-, 8.5-, 9-, 10-, and 12-inch diameter cylinders are evaluated in U233-SOL-THERM-002. Later experiments with highly-enriched {sup 235}U uranyl fluoride solution in the same 10.4-inch diameter sphere are reported in HEU-SOL-THERM-010. Both experiments were judged acceptable for use as criticality-safety benchmark experiments.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US); USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 788636
• Report Number(s): R01-111416
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
42 ENGINEERING
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
BENCHMARKS
CRITICAL EXPERIMENT
CRITICAL MASS
CRITICALITY
GEOMETRY
HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM
HOMOGENEOUS
MODERATED
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
PARAFFIN
U-233
URANIUM 233
URANYL FLUORIDES
URANYL NITRATE
URANYL NITRATES
WATER-REFLECTED