Gadolinium nitrate, analysis

This paper describes the plans for the use of gadolinium nitrate for criticality control in the dissolver system at the Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant (BNFP). The particular aspects this paper addresses include (a) a description of the poison solution makeup system and its safety-related controls, and (b) a summary of the criticality analysis of the dissolver unit. 

Lloyd et al. report critical data for water-reflected cylinders of plutonium nitrate to which measured quantities of gadolinium pitrate were added to Increase the solution critical height. Two plutonium concentrations were used, and sufficient gadolinium was added to produce an approximately fivefold increase in critical mass in the case of the lower plutonium concentration and to approxipiately double the critical mass of the higher concehtrailph Analysis of these data indicate that the effect qf neutron absorber decreases... 

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