Open AccessCSER-025: PFP storage of 9.25 inch tall, 4.4 kg Pu cans on existing vault four pedestals
Author(s) -
K.E. Hillesland
Publication year - 1997
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/327257
Subject(s) - plutonium , criticality , vault (architecture) , nuclear engineering , limit (mathematics) , environmental science , engineering , forensic engineering , mathematics , nuclear physics , physics , structural engineering , mathematical analysis
A nuclear criticality safety analysis has been performed to increase the approved plutonium mass limit for cans stored in Vault {number_sign}4 cubicles at PFP. The cubicles were approved to hold up to 2.5 kg of plutonium on each pedestal. The purpose of this CSER is to accommodate the storage of 4.4 kg of plutonium in PuO, (5.0 kg PuO,) in Vault {number_sign}4 cubicles. The highest k{sub eff} calculated for all possible scenarios is 0.868 + 0.003 when every other cubicle is left vacant, which is well below the criticality safety limit of k{sub eff}=0.935. Consequently, an increase of plutonium mass to 4.4 kg per can is within acceptable safety limits for this configuration