Critical Parameters of Complex Geometries of Intersecting Cylinders Containing211 Uranyl Nitrate Solution

摘要

About three dozen previously unreported critical configurations are presented for211u001every complex geometries filled with high concentration enriched uranyl nitrate 211u001esolution. These geometries resemble a tall, thin Central Column (or trunk of a 211u001e'tree') having long, thin arms (or 'branches') extending up to four directions 211u001eoff the column. Arms are equally spaced from one another in vertical planes, and 211u001ethat spacing ranges from arms in contact to quite wide spacings. Both the Central 211u001eColumn and the many different arms are critically safe by themselves with each, 211u001ealone, is filled with fissile solution; but, in combination, criticality occurs 211u001edue to the interactions between arms and the column. Such neutronic interactions 211u001eformed the principal focus of this study. While these results are fresh to the 211u001enuclear criticality safety industry and to those seeking novel experiments 211u001eagainst which to validate computer codes, the experiments, themselves, are not 211u001erecent. Over 100 experiments were performed at the Rocky Flats Critical Mass 211u001eLaboratory between September, 1967, and February of the following year.