Postirradiation Examination and Evaluation of an OMRE Fuel Assembly (open access)

Postirradiation Examination and Evaluation of an OMRE Fuel Assembly

A fuel-element assembly from the first loading of the OMRE was examined in detail after experiencing an average uranium burnup of between 1 and 2 at.%. The rate of decay heat generation was evaluated by temperature monitoring of the shipping-cask coolant. Temperatures of the fuel-element-box assembly and the fuel plates were measured with thermocouples and tempilstiks. Structurally, the fuel-element assembly was affected very little by either radiation or the organic coolant-moderator. Although there was some distortion in the side and end plates of the assembly, the coolant channels between the fuel plates were free from major fouling and obstructions. The channel cross sections were reduced at specific points less than 5 per cent. The plates studied were subjected to complete gamma scanning. Specimens removed from selected areas of the scanned plates were radiochemically analyzed for burnup and the results correlated with the gamma-scan data. Burnup profiles were constructed for each of the scanned plates. The gamma-scan data were also utilized to determine the average plate burnup. (auth)
Date: February 11, 1959
Creator: Burian, R. J. & Gates, J. E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Ion Cyclotron Waves in Mirror Geometry (open access)

Ion Cyclotron Waves in Mirror Geometry

The following report discusses technical problems with ion cyclotron waves, and to suggest a possible application to ion magnetron work.
Date: February 11, 1959
Creator: Furth, Harold P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Nuclear Safety of Fissile Materials (open access)

The Nuclear Safety of Fissile Materials

Whenever fissile materials are handled in significant quantities such as in fuel element fabrication, separation processes, or in exponential and/or critical experiments a potential criticality hazard exists. The usual procedure which is followed by those persons conducting critical mass experiments is to either place the potential reactor in a heavily shielded cell or to conduct the experiments remotely in which case distance provides a measure of safety in the event of an unscheduled radiation outburst. In considering potential critically incidents, especially for the personnel not specifically engaged in critical mass studies, it is very likely that at the time of the incident neither the conditions of shielding nor distance will prevail for the personnel involved.
Date: 1959-02-11?
Creator: Clayton, E.D.
System: The UNT Digital Library