Abstract
The Windscale Works criticality accident in 1970 resulted from mixing an aqueous solution with an organic solvent with different plutonium concentrations and densities. Although this accident has been studied using improved computer capabilities in recent years, a precise criticality scenario has not yet been identified. This study aims to clarify a possible criticality scenario of the accident—the time variation of reactivity and its mechanism. The accident was simulated by combining the multiphase computational fluid dynamics solver of OpenFOAM and the delta-tracking-based Monte Carlo neutron transport code Serpent2. Consequently, the periodic uneven arrangement of fluids might have caused oscillations in neutron leakage and absorption, resulting in periodic wavy reactivity changes. Furthermore, the emulsion, which was thought to be the primary cause, might not be the dominant mechanism for reactivity change, although it contributed to the criticality of the accident.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
