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Criticality of a {sup 237}Np Sphere

Conference ·
OSTI ID:819422
A critical mass experiment using a 6-kg {sup 237}Np sphere has been performed. The purpose of the experiment is to get a better estimate of the critical mass of {sup 237}Np. To attain criticality, the {sup 237}Np sphere was surrounded with 93 wt % {sup 235}U shells. A 1/M as a function of uranium mass was performed. An MCNP neutron transport code was used to model the experiment. The MCNP code yielded a k{sub eff} of 0.99089 {+-} 0.0003 compared with a k{sub eff} 1.0026 for the experiment. Based on these results, it is estimated that the critical mass of {sup 237}Np ranges from kilogram weights in the high fifties to low sixties.
Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
OSTI ID:
819422
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-03-5267
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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