Nuclear Engineering Commons^™

Assessment Of Criticality Safety For Cylindrical Containers To Be Used In The Processing Of Spent Fuel, William Culbreth, Daniel R. Lowe, Jason Viggato

Separations Campaign (TRP)

The UREX process separates uranium from transuranic wastes (TRU) and fission products (FP). Nuclear reactors require fissile isotopes that will absorb neutrons and break apart into smaller nuclei while releasing a large amount of energy as well as multiple neutrons. Fissile isotopes in spent fuel include not only ²³⁵U, but also ²³⁹Pu, ²⁴¹Pu, and several isotopes of americium (Am) and curium (Cm).

TRU contains the actinides with atomic numbers greater than that of uranium. This includes Pu, Np, Am, and Cm. When TRU is separated from uranium, the TRU still poses a significant risk of sustaining a …

Long-Term Effects Of Neutron Absorber And Fuel Matrix Corrosion On Criticality, William Culbreth, P. Zielinski

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research

Proposed waste package designs will require the addition of neutron absorbing material to prevent the possibility of a sustained chain reaction occurring in the fuel in the event of water intrusion. Due to the low corrosion rates of the fuel matrix and the Zircaloy cladding, there is a possibility that the neutron absorbing material will corrode and leak from the waste container long before the subsequent release of fuel matrix material. An analysis of the release of fuel matrix and neutron absorber material based on a probabilistic model was conducted and the results were used to prepare input to KENO-V, …