ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
Latest Magazine Issues
Jul 2025
Jan 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
August 2025
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
July 2025
Latest News
DOE issues new NEPA rule and procedures—and accelerates DOME reactor testing
Meeting a deadline set in President Trump’s May 23 executive order “Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at the Department of Energy,” the DOE on June 30 updated information on its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) rulemaking and implementation procedures and published on its website an interim final rule that rescinds existing regulations alongside new implementing procedures.
L. E. Hansen, E. D. Clayton
Nuclear Technology | Volume 6 | Number 4 | April 1969 | Pages 381-390
Technical Papers and Note | doi.org/10.13182/NT69-A28348
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Lack of experimental data for nuclear criticality control over operations with plutonium necessitates the use of computed critical parameters for guidance. To provide guidelines for criticality safety use, survey calculations for unreflected and water-reflected spheres, semi-infinite cylinders, and semi-infinite slabs have been made, using calculational techniques confirmed by available experimental data. The Pu(metal)-water mixtures examined cover the entire range of possible moderation ratios and have isotopic 240Pu contents of 20%. Critical experiment data for water-reflected spherical systems containing Pu(NO3)4 solutions with 435g Pu/liter at 4.6 wt% 240Pu were extrapolated by means of calculations to 239Pu(metal)-water mixtures for a direct comparison between calculations and experimentally derived critical parameters. The effect of 240Pu on criticality was examined as a function of both concentration and geometry. The manner in which 240Pu affected the minimum critical mass of Pu(metal)-water systems was also determined.