²⁵²Cf-Source-Driven Neutron Noise Measurements of Subcriticality for a Slab Tank Containing Aqueous Pu-U Nitrate

Conference · Mon Oct 19 00:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:6048293

Mihalczo, J. T. ^[1]; Blakeman, E. D. ^[1]; Ragan, G. E. ^[1]; Kryter, R. C. ^[1]; Robinson, R. C. ^[1]; Seino, H. ^[2]; Matsumoto, T. ^[2]; Yamana, H. ^[2]

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1. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
2. Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation (PNC), Tokyo (Japan)

In order to study nuclear criticality safety related to the development of fast breeder technology, ²⁵²Cf-source-driven neutron noise analysis measurements were performed with a Pu-U nitrate solution in a slab tank of various heights and thickness varying 11.43 cm to 19.05 cm. The results and conclusions of these experiments are (1) a capability to measure the subcriticality of a multiplying system of slab geometry to a k_eff as low as 0.7 was demonstrated, (2) calculated neutron multiplication factors agreed with those from the experiments within ~0.02, and (3) the applicability of the method for plutonium solution systems was demonstrated. This paper describes measurements in which the height of the slab was varied for a fixed thickness and the thickness varied for a fixed height, which are the first applications of this measurement method to slab geometry.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation (PNC), Tokyo (Japan)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP); USDOE Office of Facilities, Fuel Cycle, and Test Programs
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6048293
• Report Number(s): CONF-871045-7; ON: DE87013676
• Resource Relation: Conference: International Seminar on Nuclear Criticality Safety, Tokyo (Japan), 19-23 Oct 1987; Other Information: Paper copy only, copy does not permit microfiche production
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
REACTOR NOISE
MEASURING METHODS
CALIFORNIUM 252
CRITICALITY
FBR TYPE REACTORS
NEUTRON FLUX
SAFETY
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BREEDER REACTORS
CALIFORNIUM ISOTOPES
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FAST REACTORS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
NUCLEI
RADIATION FLUX
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTORS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
Fast Breeder Technology
Slab Geometry
Nuclear Criticality Safety
Neutron Multiplication Factor
Cross-Power Spectral Densities (CRSD)
Detector-Source Configurations
Inverse Kinetics Rod Drop (IKRD)
220100* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Theory & Calculation
220900 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety