Plutonium criticality experiments

SEP 01, 1965

For both reactor design and safety in nuclear‐fuel processing, one needs to know masses, concentrations, and dimensions of critical plutonium systems. Behavior is similar to that of uranium, but different enough that extrapolation is difficult and experiments are necessary. Experiments at a Hanford facility have examined criticality in water solutions and plutonium assemblies.

DOI: 10.1063/1.3047719

E. D. Clayton

Plutonium, the man‐made element of atomic number 94, has established itself mainly as the fissile component of nuclear weapons. It is always made in the operation of a uranium‐fueled reactor and has been manufactured in large quantities since its introduction in World War II. It has long been considered inevitable that plutonium will become an important reactor fuel. It offers hazards and puzzles to reactor physicists, and for two reasons in particular they must know the conditions under which assemblies containing it become critical. First, they must design processing systems that will not have accidental and dangerous chain reactions. Second, they need data for reactor design.

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References

1. H. C. Paxton et al., Critical Dimensions of Systems Containing U 235, Pu 239, and U 233, Technical Note No. TID‐7028, June 1964 (unpublished).
2. F. E. Kruesi, J. O. Erkman, D. J. Lanning, Critical Mass Studies of Plutonium Solutions, Technical Note No. HW‐24515, DEL, May 19, 1952 (unpublished).
3. G. A. Jarvis et al., Nucl. Sci. Engrg. 8, 525 (1960).https://doi.org/NSENAO
4. R. H. Masterson et al., Limiting Concentrations for Pu 239 and U 235 in Aqueous Solutions, Technical Note No. HW‐77089, March 27, 1963 (unpublished).

More about the authors

E. D. Clayton, University of Washington and Battelle-Northwestern Critical Mass Laboratory, Hanford , WA..