Rocky Flats Neutron Detector Testing at Valduc, France

Kim, S S ; Dulik, G M

关键词: ALARM SYSTEMS;    BENCHMARKS;    CEA SACLAY;    CRITICALITY;    DESIGN;    EVALUATION;    NATIONAL SECURITY;    NEUTRON DETECTORS;    NEUTRONS;    POLYETHYLENES;    RADIATION ACCIDENTS;    ROCKY FLATS PLANT;    SAFETY;    SILENE REACTOR;    TESTING;   

DOI  :  10.2172/1018824
RP-ID  :  LLNL-TR-466251
PID  :  OSTI ID: 1018824
Others  :  TRN: US1103528

美国|英语

来源: SciTech Connect

【 摘 要 】

Recent program requirements of the US Department of Energy/NNSA have led to a need for a criticality accident alarm system to be installed at a newly activated facility. The Criticality Safety Group of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) was able to recover and store for possible future use approximately 200 neutron criticality detectors and 20 master alarm panels from the former Rocky Flats Plant in Golden, Colorado when the plant was closed. The Criticality Safety Group participated in a facility analysis and evaluation, the engineering design and review process, as well as the refurbishment, testing, and recalibration of the Rocky Flats criticality alarm system equipment to be used in the new facility. In order to demonstrate the functionality and survivability of the neutron detectors to the effects of an actual criticality accident, neutron detector testing was performed at the French CEA Valduc SILENE reactor from October 7 to October 19, 2010. The neutron detectors were exposed to three criticality events or pulses generated by the SILENE reactor. The first excursion was performed with a bare or unshielded reactor, and the second excursion was made with a lead shielded/reflected reactor, and the third excursion with a polyethylene reflected core. These tests of the Rocky Flats neutron detectors were performed as a part of the 2010 Criticality Accident Alarm System Benchmark Measurements at the SILENE Reactor. The principal investigators for this series of experiments were Thomas M. Miller and John C. Wagner of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, with Nicolas Authier and Nathalie Baclet of CEA Valduc. Several other organizations were also represented, including the Y-12 National Security Complex, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, CEA Saclay, and Babcock International Group.