Calculation of Criticality Condition Data for Single-unit Homogeneous Uranium Materials in Six Chemical Forms

Abstract

Single-unit criticality condition data were calculated for homogeneous uranium materials in six chemical forms for revision of the Data Collection appendix to the Nuclear Criticality Safety Handbook. The calculated criticality condition data were the estimated critical and the estimated lower-limit critical masses and volumes of spheres, diameters of infinitely-long cylinders and thicknesses of infinite-area slabs of uranium materials in six chemical forms encountered in criticality safety evaluation of nuclear fuel cycle facilities. The chemical forms were U-H2O, UO2-H2O, UO2F2, UO2(NO3)2, ADU-H2O and UF6-HF, the first and last ones of which were not dealt with the Data Collection. The calculations were made with the continuous-energy Monte Carlo criticality calculation code MVP and the Japanese Evaluated Nuclear Data Library JENDL-3.2. The values and precision of the present calculations are discussed in comparison with previous results.