Integral Experiment Request 554 CED-1 Summary Report

Mathieu N. Dupont, David E. Ames, Gary A. Harms, William B. J. Marshall, Marco T. Pigni

Research output: Book/ReportCommissioned report

Abstract

This Critical Engineering Decision 1 report for the Integral Experiment Request 554 describes the effects of adding a commercially available neutron absorber material to a known light-water low-enriched uranium assembly. The assembly in question is the Seven Percent Critical Experiments at Sandia National Laboratories. The neutron absorber plates considered for the experiment are called Boralcan, which are made of boron carbide (B4C) particles embedded in 1100 aluminum alloy. The concentrations of B4C and 1100 aluminum, as well as the thickness and size of the plates, were changed, and the fuel rod configuration was adapted to ensure that the assembly would be critical in each case studied. A total of 10 critical configurations with a neutron absorber plate inserted are described in this report. No results of high-quality integral experiments involving neutron absorbers made with B4C and 1100 aluminum plates are currently publicly available. Sensitivity to the neutron absorber plate material definition, isotopes, and cross sections of specific regions and configurations are also analyzed. The study results indicate that these experiments are achievable with sufficiently low uncertainties and minimal modification to the assembly. The experimental uncertainty can be further decreased with an additional characterization of the plates by x-ray computerized tomography or neutron radiography methods.
Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationUnited States
DOIs
StatePublished - 2022

Keywords

  • 73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
  • Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
  • Integral Experiments
  • Seven Percent Critical Experiments
  • B4C
  • Neutron Absorber Plates

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