Critical Masses of Uranium Diluted with Matrix Material [Slides]

Conference · Mon Oct 07 04:00:00 EDT 2002

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/976359· OSTI ID:976359

Sanchez, Rene G. ^[1]; Loaiza, David J. ^[1]; Kimpland, Robert H. ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Critical masses of square-prisms of highly enriched uranium diluted in various X/235U ratios with matrix material and polyethylene were measured. The Configuration cores were 22.86-cm and 45.72-cm square and were reflected with 8.1 3-cm and 10.1 6-cm thick side polyethylene reflectors, respectively. The configurations had 10.1 6-cm thick top and bottom polyethylene reflectors. For some configurations, the Rossi-a, which is an eigenvalue value characteristic for a particular configuration, was measured to establish a reactivity scale based on the degree of subcriticality. Finally, the critical mass experiments are compared with values calculated with MCNP and ENDF/B-VI cross-sections.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 976359
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--02-6189
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING
CONFIGURATION
CRITICAL MASS
CRITICALITY
CROSS SECTIONS
EIGENVALUES
ENDF/B-VI
HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM
Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU)
MATRIX MATERIALS
MCNP
Measurements
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
POLYETHYLENES
REACTOR PHYSICS
SAFETY
URANIUM