Application of Low Critical Mass Studies to Reactor Design

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Recent theoretical and experimental work has established minimum critical masses for uranium and plutonium reactor fuels. Studies at Los Alamos show a minimum of 300 to 600 g in the critical mass of 235U for H2O or D2O moderator and D2O or Be reflectors. An H2O-moderated, Be-reflected core containing 0.070 g 235U/mliter has a very low critical mass, which is of interest in the design of small power reactors and has attractive features for a new high neutron flux reactor concept. This report relates nuclear parameter studies to specific design objectives and shows how special effects of geometry and materials are important to such studies.

This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit: