WorldWideScience

Sample records for fission-unstable nuclear systems

  1. Nuclear fission and fission-product spectroscopy: 3. International workshop on nuclear fission and fission-product spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goutte, Heloise; Fioni, Gabriele; Faust, Herbert; Goutte, Dominique

    2005-01-01

    The present book contains the proceedings of the third workshop in a series of workshops previously held in Seyssins in 1994 and 1998. The meeting was jointly organized by different divisions of CEA and two major international laboratories. In the opening address, Prof. B. Bigot, the French High Commissioner for Atomic Energy, outlined France's energy policy for the next few decades. He emphasized the continuing progress of nuclear fission in both technical and economic terms, allowing it to contribute to the energy needs of the planet even more in the future than it does today. Such progress implies a very strong link between fundamental and applied research based on experimental and theoretical approaches. The workshop gathered the different nuclear communities studying the fission process, including topics as the following: - nuclear fission experiments, - spectroscopy of neutron rich nuclei, - fission data evaluation, - theoretical aspects of nuclear fission, - and innovative nuclear systems and new facilities. The scientific program was suggested by an International Advisory Committee. About 100 scientists from 13 different countries attended the conference in the friendly working atmosphere of the Castle of Cadarache in the heart of the Provence. The proceedings of the workshop were divided into 11 sections addressing the following subject matters: 1. Cross sections and resonances (5 papers); 2. Fission at higher energies - I (5 papers); 3. Fission: mass and charge yields (4 papers); 4. Light particles and cluster emission (4 papers); 5. Spectroscopy of neutron rich nuclei (5 papers); 6. Resonances, barriers, and fission times (5 papers); 7. Fragment excitation and neutron emission (4 papers); 8. Mass and energy distributions (4 papers); 9. Needs for nuclear data and new facilities - I (4 papers); 10. Angular momenta and fission at higher Energies - II (3 papers); 11. New facilities - II (2 papers). A poster session of 8 presentations completed the workshop

  2. The role of the dinuclear system in the processes of nuclear fusion, quasi-fission, fission and cluster formation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Volkov, V.V.

    1999-01-01

    The nuclear fusion, quasi-fission, fission and cluster formation in an excited nucleus are considered as the processes of the formation and evolution of the dinuclear system. This approach allows one to reveal new aspects of nuclear fusion, to show that quasi-fission plays an important role in nuclear reactions used to synthesise superheavy elements. A qualitative picture is given of the fission process of an excited nucleus and an important role of cluster formation in this process is shown

  3. The nuclear fission process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wagemans, C.

    1991-01-01

    Fifty years after its discovery, the nuclear fission phenomenon is of recurring interest. When its fundamental physics aspects are considered, fission is viewed in a very positive way, which is reflected in the great interest generated by the meetings and large conferences organized for the 50th anniversary of its discovery. From a purely scientific and practical point of view, a new book devoted to the (low energy) nuclear fission phenomenon was highly desirable considering the tremendous amount of new results obtained since the publication of the book Nuclear Fission by Vandenbosch and Huizenga in 1973 (Academic Press). These new results could be obtained thanks to the growth of technology, which enabled the construction of powerful new neutron sources, particle and heavy ion accelerators, and very performant data-acquisition and computer systems. The re-invention of the ionization chamber, the development of large fission fragment spectrometers and sophisticated multiparameter devices, and the production of exotic isotopes also contributed significantly to an improved understanding of nuclear fission. This book is written at a level to introduce graduate students to the exciting subject of nuclear fission. The very complete list of references following each chapter also makes the book very useful for scientists, especially nuclear physicists. The book has 12 chapters covering the fission barrier and the various processes leading to fission as well as the characteristics of the various fission reaction products. In order to guarantee adequate treatment of the very specialized research fields covered, several distinguished scientists actively involved in some of these fields were invited to contribute their expertise as authors or co-authors of the different chapters

  4. Comparative energetics of three fusion-fission symbiotic nuclear reactor systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gordon, C.W.; Harms, A.A.

    1975-01-01

    The energetics of three symbiotic fusion-fission nuclear reactor concepts are investigated. The fuel and power balances are considered for various values of systems parameters. The results from this analysis suggest that symbiotic fusion-fission systems are advantageous from the standpoint of economy and resource utilization. (Auth.)

  5. Nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kodama, T.

    1981-01-01

    The nuclear fission process is pedagogically reviewed from a macroscopic-microscopic point of view. The Droplet model is considered. The fission dynamics is discussed utilizing path integrals and semiclassical methods. (L.C.) [pt

  6. Design of containment system of nuclear fuel attacked by corrosion with leaking fission products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poblete Maturana, Tomas

    2015-01-01

    The following report presents the design of an innovative confinement system for the nuclear fuel attacked by corrosion, with leakage of fission products to be used in the RECH-1 nuclear experimental reactor of the Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission, is currently within the framework of the international nuclear waste management program developed by the member countries of the IAEA, including Chile. The main objective of this project is the development of a system that is capable of containing, in the smallest possible volume, the fission products that are released to the reactor coolant medium from the nuclear fuel that are attacked by corrosion. Among the tasks carried out for the development of the project are: the compilation of the necessary bibliography for the selection of the most suitable technology for the retention of the fission products, the calculation of the most important parameters to ensure that the system will operate within ranges that do not compromise the radiological safety, and the design of the hydraulic circuit of the system. The results obtained from the calculations showed that the fuel element confinement system is stable from a thermal point of view since the refrigerant does not under any circumstances reach the saturation temperature and, in addition, from a hydraulic point of view, since the rate at which the refrigerant flows through the hydraulic circuit is low enough so that the deformation of the fuel plates forming the nuclear fuel does not occur. The most appropriate technology for the extraction of fission products according to the literature consulted is by ion exchange. The calculations developed showed that with a very small volume of resins, it is possible to capture all of the non-volatile fission products of a nuclear fuel

  7. Nuclear fission and neutron-induced fission cross-sections

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    James, G.D.; Lynn, J.E.; Michaudon, A.; Rowlands, J.; de Saussure, G.

    1981-01-01

    A general presentation of current knowledge of the fission process is given with emphasis on the low energy fission of actinide nuclei and neutron induced fission. The need for and the required accuracy of fission cross section data in nuclear energy programs are discussed. A summary is given of the steps involved in fission cross section measurement and the range of available techniques. Methods of fission detection are described with emphasis on energy dependent changed and detector efficiency. Examples of cross section measurements are given and data reduction is discussed. The calculation of fission cross sections is discussed and relevant nuclear theory including the formation and decay of compound nuclei and energy level density is introduced. A description of a practical computation of fission cross sections is given.

  8. Journey from discovery of nuclear fission to accelerator-driven sub-critical reactor systems (ADS)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kapoor, S.S.

    2005-01-01

    The epoch making discovery of nuclear fission in 1939, which resulted purely from the curiosity driven basic research to understand the atomic and nuclear structure has changed the world forever with the onset of a new era in the history of human civilization. The basic nuclear physics research pursued after the discovery of fission has also been of much relevance in the harnessing of nuclear energy. In the recent years, there is considerable interest towards developing accelerator driven sub-critical reactor systems (ADS) for the incineration of the long-lived spent fuel radioactive waste and for the utilization of thorium fuel for nuclear power generation. In this talk, we discuss important milestones in the journey from discovery of nuclear fission to ADS. (author)

  9. Non Nuclear Testing of Reactor Systems In The Early Flight Fission Test Facilities (EFF-TF)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van Dyke, Melissa; Martin, James

    2004-01-01

    The Early Flight Fission-Test Facility (EFF-TF) can assist in the design and development of systems through highly effective non-nuclear testing of nuclear systems when technical issues associated with near-term space fission systems are 'non-nuclear' in nature (e.g. system's nuclear operations are understood). For many systems, thermal simulators can be used to closely mimic fission heat deposition. Axial power profile, radial power profile, and fuel pin thermal conductivity can be matched. In addition to component and subsystem testing, operational and lifetime issues associated with the steady state and transient performance of the integrated reactor module can be investigated. Instrumentation at the EFF-TF allows accurate measurement of temperature, pressure, strain, and bulk core deformation (useful for accurately simulating nuclear behavior). Ongoing research at the EFF-TF is geared towards facilitating research, development, system integration, and system utilization via cooperative efforts with DOE laboratories, industry, universities, and other Nasa centers. This paper describes the current efforts for the latter portion of 2003 and beginning of 2004. (authors)

  10. Dynamics of process at the final stage of nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koljari, I.G.; Mavlitov, N.D.

    2005-01-01

    Numerous experimental data show, that the final stage of nuclear fission near to a scission point plays an essential role at formation of characteristics of fission products. At the description of a final stage of fission there is a number of problems: Definition of the form of the nuclear near the scission point and definition forms of a fission fragments; The account of dynamic processes in compound nuclear directly before of fission. The condition of the quasistatic al adiabatic process - dS/dt=0 - is applied in a point of transition from the uniform compound nuclei to several forms for definition of generalized coordinates and speeds. Calculation of dependence of post neutrons from nuclear mass of fission fragments for reactions is α+ 83 Bi 209 → 85 At 213 (E lab = 45 MeV); α+ 92 U 242 → 94 Pu 242 (E lab = 45 MeV); 8 O 18 + 79 Au 197 → 97 Fr 215 (E lab = 159 MeV). System of equations, which describes behaviour of system in a point of nuclear fission-transition from the uniform form to system of a two (and, probably more) fission fragments is given. The system of the equations allows in a fission point to define the generalized coordinates, and the generalized speeds for each of the generalized coordinates of collective deformation variables

  11. Fifty years with nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Behrens, J.W.; Carlson, A.D.

    1989-01-01

    The news of the discovery of nuclear fission, by Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann in Germany, was brought to the United States by Niels Bohr in January 1939. Since its discovery, the United States, and the world for that matter, has never been the same. It therefore seemed appropriate to acknowledge the fifieth anniversary of its discovery by holding a topical meeting entitled, ''Fifty Years with Nuclear Fission,'' in the United States during the year 1989. The objective of the meeting was to bring together pioneers of the nuclear industry and other scientists and engineers to report on reminiscences of the past and on the more recent development in fission science and technology. The conference highlighted the early pioneers of the nuclear industry by dedicated a full day (April 26), consisting of two plenary sessions, at the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in Washington, DC. More recent developments in fission science and technology in addition to historical reflections were topics for two fully days of sessions (April 27 and 28) at the main site of the NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The wide range of topics covered in this Volume 1 by this topical meeting included plenary invited, and contributed sessions entitled: Preclude to the First Chain Reaction -- 1932 to 1942; Early Fission Research -- Nuclear Structure and Spontaneous Fission; 50 Years of Fission, Science, and Technology; Nuclear Reactors, Secure Energy for the Future; Reactors 1; Fission Science 1; Safeguards and Space Applications; Fission Data; Nuclear Fission -- Its Various Aspects; Theory and Experiments in Support of Theory; Reactors and Safeguards; and General Research, Instrumentation, and By-Product. The individual papers have been cataloged separately

  12. Fission 2009 4. International Workshop on Nuclear Fission and Fission Product Spectroscopy - Compilation of slides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2009-01-01

    This conference is dedicated to the last achievements in experimental and theoretical aspects of the nuclear fission process. The topics include: mass, charge and energy distribution, dynamical aspect of the fission process, nuclear data evaluation, quasi-fission and fission lifetime in super heavy elements, fission fragment spectroscopy, cross-section and fission barrier, and neutron and gamma emission. This document gathers the program of the conference and the slides of the presentations

  13. Nuclear Forensics and Radiochemistry: Fission

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rundberg, Robert S. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

    2017-11-07

    Radiochemistry has been used to study fission since it’ discovery. Radiochemical methods are used to determine cumulative mass yields. These measurements have led to the two-mode fission hypothesis to model the neutron energy dependence of fission product yields. Fission product yields can be used for the nuclear forensics of nuclear explosions. The mass yield curve depends on both the fuel and the neutron spectrum of a device. Recent studies have shown that the nuclear structure of the compound nucleus can affect the mass yield distribution.

  14. Nuclear fission and neutron-induced fission cross-sections

    CERN Document Server

    James, G D; Michaudon, A; Michaudon, A; Cierjacks, S W; Chrien, R E

    2013-01-01

    Nuclear Fission and Neutron-Induced Fission Cross-Sections is the first volume in a series on Neutron Physics and Nuclear Data in Science and Technology. This volume serves the purpose of providing a thorough description of the many facets of neutron physics in different fields of nuclear applications. This book also attempts to bridge the communication gap between experts involved in the experimental and theoretical studies of nuclear properties and those involved in the technological applications of nuclear data. This publication will be invaluable to those interested in studying nuclear fis

  15. 50 years of nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hilscher, D.

    1989-01-01

    The article tells the story of the discovery of nuclear fission in Berlin 50 years ago by Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann in cooperation with Lise Meitner. 50 years later nuclear fission is still a subject of research. Some question remain unanswered. Selected new research results are used to discuss the dynamics of the collective movement of the elementary nuclear fission process. (orig.) [de

  16. Nuclear fission and reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1975-01-01

    The nuclear fission research programs are designed to elucidate basic features of the fission process. Specifically, (1) factors determining how nucleons of a fissioning nucleus are distributed between two fission fragments, (2) factors determining kinetic energy and excitation energies of fragments, and (3) factors controlling fission lifetimes. To these ends, fission studies are reported for several heavy elements and include investigations of spontaneous and neutron-induced fission, heavy ion reactions, and high energy proton reactions. The status of theoretical research is also discussed. (U.S.)

  17. Energy from nuclear fission an introduction

    CERN Document Server

    De Sanctis, Enzo; Ripani, Marco

    2016-01-01

    This book provides an overview on nuclear physics and energy production from nuclear fission. It serves as a readable and reliable source of information for anyone who wants to have a well-balanced opinion about exploitation of nuclear fission in power plants. The text is divided into two parts; the first covers the basics of nuclear forces and properties of nuclei, nuclear collisions, nuclear stability, radioactivity, and provides a detailed discussion of nuclear fission and relevant topics in its application to energy production. The second part covers the basic technical aspects of nuclear fission reactors, nuclear fuel cycle and resources, safety, safeguards, and radioactive waste management. The book also contains a discussion of the biological effects of nuclear radiation and of radiation protection, and a summary of the ten most relevant nuclear accidents. The book is suitable for undergraduates in physics, nuclear engineering and other science subjects. However, the mathematics is kept at a level that...

  18. The behavior of fission products during nuclear rocket reactor tests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bokor, P.C.; Kirk, W.L.; Bohl, R.J.

    1991-01-01

    Fission product release from nuclear rocket propulsion reactor fuel is an important consideration for nuclear rocket development and application. Fission product data from the last six reactors of the Rover program are collected in this paper to provide as basis for addressing development and testing issues. Fission product loss from the fuel will depend on fuel composition and reactor design and operating parameters. During ground testing, fission products can be contained downstream of the reactor. The last Rover reactor tested, the Nuclear Furnance, was mated to an effluent clean-up system that was effective in preventing the discharge of fission products into the atmosphere

  19. Charged particle-induced nuclear fission reactions

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    The nuclear fission phenomenon continues to be an enigma, even after nearly 75 years of its discovery. Considerable progress has been made towards understanding the fission process. Both light projectiles and heavy ions have been employed to investigate nuclear fission. An extensive database of the properties of ...

  20. Rupture of the neck in nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Davies, K.T.R.; Managan, R.A.; Nix, J.R.; Sierk, A.J.

    1977-01-01

    We introduce a degree of freedom to describe the rupture of the neck in nuclear fission and calculate the point at which the neck ruptures as the nucleus descends dynamically from its fission saddle point. This is done by mentally slicing the system into two portions at its minimum neck radius and calculating the force required to separate the two portions while keeping their shapes fixed. This force is obtained by differentiating with respect to separation the sum of the Coulomb and nuclear interaction energies between the two portions. For nuclei throughout the Periodic Table we calculate this force along dynamical paths leading from the fission saddle point. The force is initially attractive but becomes repulsive when the neck reaches a critical size. For actinide nuclei the neck radius at which rupture occurs is about 2 fm. This increases the calculated translational kinetic energy of the fission fragments at infinity relative to that calculated for scission occurring at zero neck radius. With the effect of neck rupture taken into account, we calculate and compare with experimental results fission-fragment kinetic energies for two types of nuclear dissipation: ordinary two-body viscosity and one-body dissipation

  1. The nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fiorentino, J.

    1983-01-01

    The nuclear fission process considering initially the formation of compound nucleus and finishing with radioactive decay of fission products is studied. The process is divided in three parts which consist of the events associated to the nucleus of intermediate transitional state, the scission configuration, and the phenomenum of post scission. (M.C.K.) [pt

  2. Fifty years with nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Behrens, J.W.; Carlson, A.D.

    1989-01-01

    The news of the discovery of nucler fission, by Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann in Germany, was brought to the United States by Niels Bohr in January 1939. Since its discovery, the United States, and the world for that matter, has never been the same. It therefore seemed appropriate to acknowledge the fiftieth anniversary of its discovery by holding a topical meeting entitled, ''Fifty years with nuclear fission,'' in the United States during the year 1989. The objective of the meeting was to bring together pioneers of the nuclear industry and other scientists and engineers to report on reminiscences of the past and on the more recent developments in fission science and technology. The conference highlighted the early pioneers of the nuclear industry by dedicating a full day (April 26), consisting of two plenary sessions, at the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in Washington, DC. More recent developments in fission science and technology in addition to historical reflections were topics for two full days of sessions (April 27 and 28) at the main sites of the NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The wide range of topics covered by Volume 2 of this topical meeting included plenary invited, and contributed sessions entitled, Nuclear fission -- a prospective; reactors II; fission science II; medical and industrial applications by by-products; reactors and safeguards; general research, instrumentation, and by-products; and fission data, astrophysics, and space applications. The individual papers have been cataloged separately

  3. Progress in fission product nuclear data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lammer, M.

    1981-06-01

    This is the seventh issue of a report series on Fission Product Nuclear Data (FPND) which is published by the Nuclear Data Section (NDS) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The purpose of this series is to inform scientists working on FPND, or using such data, about all activities in this field which are planned, ongoing, or have recently been completed. The present issue contains also a section with some recent references relative to fission product nuclear data, which were not covered by the contributions submitted. The types of activities being included in this report are measurements, compilations and evaluations of: fission product yields (neutron induced and spontaneous fission); neutron reaction cross sections of fission products; data related to the radioactive decay of fission products; delayed neutron data of fission products; and lumped fission product data (decay heat, absorption etc.). The sixth issue of this series has been published in June 1980 as INDC(NDS)-113/G+P. The present issue includes contributions which were received by NDS between 1 August 1980 and 25 May 1981

  4. Advantages of Production of New Fissionable Nuclides for the Nuclear Power Industry in Hybrid Fusion-Fission Reactors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsibulskiy, V. F.; Andrianova, E. A.; Davidenko, V. D.; Rodionova, E. V.; Tsibulskiy, S. V.

    2017-12-01

    A concept of a large-scale nuclear power engineering system equipped with fusion and fission reactors is presented. The reactors have a joint fuel cycle, which imposes the lowest risk of the radiation impact on the environment. The formation of such a system is considered within the framework of the evolution of the current nuclear power industry with the dominance of thermal reactors, gradual transition to the thorium fuel cycle, and integration into the system of the hybrid fusion-fission reactors for breeding nuclear fuel for fission reactors. Such evolution of the nuclear power engineering system will allow preservation of the existing structure with the dominance of thermal reactors, enable the reprocessing of the spent nuclear fuel (SNF) with low burnup, and prevent the dangerous accumulation of minor actinides. The proposed structure of the nuclear power engineering system minimizes the risk of radioactive contamination of the environment and the SNF reprocessing facilities, decreasing it by more than one order of magnitude in comparison with the proposed scheme of closing the uranium-plutonium fuel cycle based on the reprocessing of SNF with high burnup from fast reactors.

  5. Intermediate energy nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hylten, G.

    1982-01-01

    Nuclear fission has been investigated with the double-kinetic-energy method using silicon surface barrier detectors. Fragment energy correlation measurements have been made for U, Th and Bi with bremsstrahlung of 600 MeV maximum energy. Distributions of kinetic energy as a function of fragment mass are presented. The results are compared with earlier photofission data and in the case of bismuth, with calculations based on the liquid drop model. The binary fission process in U, Yb, Tb, Ce, La, Sb, Ag and Y induced by 600 MeV protons has been investigated yielding fission cross sections, fragment kinetic energies, angular correlations and mass distributions. Fission-spallation competition calculations are used to deduce values of macroscopic fission barrier heights and nuclear level density parameter values at deformations corresponding to the saddle point shapes. We find macroscopic fission barriers lower than those predicted by macroscopic theories. No indication is found of the Businaro Gallone limit expected to occur somewhere in the mass range A = 100 to A = 140. For Ce and La asymmetric mass distributions similar to those in the actinide region are found. A method is described for the analysis of angular correlations between complementary fission products. The description is mainly concerned with fission induced by medium-energy protons but is applicable also to other projectiles and energies. It is shown that the momentum and excitation energy distributions of cascade residuals leading to fission can be extracted. (Author)

  6. Nuclear fission induced by heavy ions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Newton, J.O.

    1988-09-01

    Because the accelerators of the 50's and 60's mostly provided beams of light ions, well suited for studying individual quantum states of low angular momentum or reactions involving the transfer of one or two nucleons, the study of fission, being an example of large-scale collective motion, has until recently been outside of the mainstream of nuclear research. This situation has changed in recent years, due to the new generation of accelerators capable of producing beams of heavy ions with energies high enough to overcome the Coulomb barriers of all stable nuclei. These have made possible the study of new examples of large-scale collective motions, involving major rearrangements of nuclear matter, such as deep-inelastic collisions and heavy-ion fusion. Perhaps the most exciting development in the past few years is the discovery that dissipative effects (nuclear viscosity) play an important role in fission induced by heavy ions, contrary to earlier assumptions that the viscosity involved in fission was very weak and played only a minor role. This review will be mainly concerned with developments in heavy-ion induced fission during the last few years and have an emphasis on the very recent results on dissipative effects. Since heavy-ion bombardment usually results in compound systems with high excitation energies and angular momenta, shell effects might be expected to be small, and the subject of low energy fission, where they are important, will not be addressed. 285 refs., 58 figs

  7. Progress in fission product nuclear data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lammer, M.

    1983-08-01

    This is the ninth issue of a report series on Fission Product Nuclear Data (FPND) which is published by the Nuclear Data Section (NDS) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The purpose of this series is to inform scientists working on FPND, or using such data, about all activities in this field which are planned, ongoing, or have recently been completed. The main part of this report consists of unaltered original contributions which the authors have sent to IAEA/NDS. The present issue contains also a section with some recent references relative to fission product nuclear data, which were not covered by the contributions submitted. The types of activities being included in this report are measurements, compilations and evaluations of: Fission product yields (neutron induced and spontaneous fission); Neutron reaction cross sections of fission products; Data related to the radioactive decay of fission products; Delayed neutron data of fission products; and lumped fission product data (decay heat, absorption etc.). The eighth issue of this series has been published in July 1982 as INDC(NDS)-130. The present issue includes contributions which were received by NDS between 1 August 1982 and 25 June 1983

  8. Nuclear fission studies: from LOHENGRIN to FIPPS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chebboubi, Abdelaziz

    2015-01-01

    Nuclear fission consists in splitting a nucleus, in general an actinide, into smaller nuclei. Despite nuclear fission was discovered in 1939 by Hahn and Strassman, fission models cannot predict the fission observables with an acceptable accuracy for nuclear fuel cycle studies for instance. Improvement of fission models is an important issue for the knowledge of the process itself and for the applications. To reduce uncertainties of the nuclear data used in a nuclear reactor simulation, a validation of the models hypothesis is mandatory. In this work, two features of the nuclear fission were investigated in order to test the resistance of the theories. One aspect is the study of the symmetric fission fragments through the measurement of their yield and kinetic energy distribution. The other aspect is the study of the fission fragment angular momentum.Two techniques are available to assess the angular momentum of a fission fragment. The first one is to look at the properties of the prompt gamma. The new spectrometer FIPPS (Fission Product Prompt gamma-ray Spectrometer), is currently under development at the ILL and will combine a fission filter with a large array of gamma and neutron detectors in order to respond to these issues. The first part of this work is dedicated to the study of the properties of a Gas Filled Magnet (GFM) which is the type of fission filter considered for the FIPPS project.The second part of this work deals with the measurement of isomeric yields and evaluations of the angular momentum distribution of fission fragments. The study of the spherical nucleus 132 Sn shed the light on the current limits of fission models. Finally, the last part of this work is about the measurement of the yields and kinetic energy distributions of symmetric fission fragments. Since models predict the existence of fission modes, the symmetry region is a suitable choice to investigate this kind of prediction. In parallel with all these studies, an emphasis on the

  9. Euratom innovation in nuclear fission: Community research in reactor systems and fuel cycles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goethem, G. van; Hugon, M.; Bhatnagar, V.; Manolatos, P.; Deffrennes, M.

    2007-01-01

    The following questions are naturally at the heart of the current Euratom research and training framework programme:(1)What are the challenges facing the European Union nuclear fission research community in the short (today), medium (2010) and long term (2040)? (2)What kind of research and technological development (RTD) does Euratom offer to respond to these challenges, in particular in the area of reactor systems and fuel cycles? In the general debate about energy supply technologies there are challenges of both a scientific and technological (S/T) as well as an economic and political (E/P) nature. Though the Community research programme acts mainly on the former, there is nevertheless important links with Community policy. These not only exist in the specific area of nuclear policy, but also more generally as is depicted in the following figure. It is shown in the particular area of nuclear fission, to what extent Euratom research, education and innovation ('Knowledge Triangle' in above figure) respond to the following long-term criteria: (1) sustainability, (2) economics, (3) safety, and (4) proliferation resistance. Research and innovation in nuclear fission technology has broad and extended geographical, disciplinary and time horizons:- the community involved extends to all 25 EU Member States and beyond; - the research assembles a large variety of scientific disciplines; - three generations of nuclear power technologies (called II, III and IV) are involved, with the timescales extending from now to around the year 2040. To each of these three generations, a couple of challenges are associated (six in total):- Generation II (1970-2000, today): security of supply+environmental compatibility; - Generation III (around 2010): enhanced safety and competitiveness (economics); - Generation IV (around 2040): cogeneration of heat and power, and full recycling. At the European Commission (EC), the research related to nuclear reactor systems and fuel cycles is

  10. On the fissionable materials management system in the process of nuclear disarmament

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vikharev, S.S.; Mikijchuk, N.B.; Pinaev, V.S.; Sudarushkin, I.S.; Yuferev, V.I.

    1994-01-01

    Various scenarios of nuclear weapons proliferation and goals of fissionable material accounting and control system (FMACS) are considered. Ways of improving FMACS in Russia under a complicated social situation are discussed. This improvement should follow two directions: introduction of non-destructive control methods and accounting and control process automation

  11. Microscopic theory of nuclear fission: a review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schunck, N.; Robledo, L. M.

    2016-11-01

    This article reviews how nuclear fission is described within nuclear density functional theory. A distinction should be made between spontaneous fission, where half-lives are the main observables and quantum tunnelling the essential concept, and induced fission, where the focus is on fragment properties and explicitly time-dependent approaches are often invoked. Overall, the cornerstone of the density functional theory approach to fission is the energy density functional formalism. The basic tenets of this method, including some well-known tools such as the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB) theory, effective two-body nuclear potentials such as the Skyrme and Gogny force, finite-temperature extensions and beyond mean-field corrections, are presented succinctly. The energy density functional approach is often combined with the hypothesis that the time-scale of the large amplitude collective motion driving the system to fission is slow compared to typical time-scales of nucleons inside the nucleus. In practice, this hypothesis of adiabaticity is implemented by introducing (a few) collective variables and mapping out the many-body Schrödinger equation into a collective Schrödinger-like equation for the nuclear wave-packet. The region of the collective space where the system transitions from one nucleus to two (or more) fragments defines what are called the scission configurations. The inertia tensor that enters the kinetic energy term of the collective Schrödinger-like equation is one of the most essential ingredients of the theory, since it includes the response of the system to small changes in the collective variables. For this reason, the two main approximations used to compute this inertia tensor, the adiabatic time-dependent HFB and the generator coordinate method, are presented in detail, both in their general formulation and in their most common approximations. The collective inertia tensor enters also the Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin (WKB) formula used to extract

  12. Progress in fission product nuclear data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lammer, G.

    1975-01-01

    This is the first issue of a report series on Fission Product Nuclear Data (FPND), published every six months by the Nuclear Data Section (NDS) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Its purpose is to inform scientists working on FPND, or using such data, about all activities in this field which are planned, ongoing, or have recently been completed. The types of activities being included in this report are measurements, compilations and evaluations of: fission product yields; neutron cross-section data of fission products; data related to β-, γ-decay of fission products; delayed neutron data; and fission product decay-heat. The present issue includes contributions which were received by NDS before 1 November 1975

  13. Options for development of space fission propulsion systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Houts, Mike; Van Dyke, Melissa; Godfroy, Tom; Pedersen, Kevin; Martin, James; Dickens, Ricky; Salvail, Pat; Hrbud, Ivana

    2001-01-01

    Fission technology can enable rapid, affordable access to any point in the solar system. Potential fission-based transportation options include high specific power continuous impulse propulsion systems and bimodal nuclear thermal rockets. Despite their tremendous potential for enhancing or enabling deep space and planetary missions, to date space fission systems have only been used in Earth orbit. The first step towards utilizing advanced fission propulsion systems is development of a safe, near-term, affordable fission system that can enhance or enable near-term missions of interest. An evolutionary approach for developing space fission propulsion systems is proposed

  14. Cold or hot, stable or unstable collective nuclear motion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chomaz, Ph.; Lacroix, D.; Jacquot, B.; Colonna, M.; Ayik, S.

    1999-01-01

    We present a general discussion of the mean field dynamics of finite nuclei prepared under extreme of temperature and pressure. Many features of the dynamics are carefully studied such as the collective expansion, the evaporation process, the different time-scale. We show that under the thermal pressure and the effect of the compression, the system may reach low density regions where it may become unstable. Early development of the instabilities in a dilute nuclear source in investigated using a finite temperature quantal Rpa approach for different systems. The growth rates of the unstable collective modes are determining by solving a dispersion relation. Which is obtained by parameterizing the transition density in terms of its multipole moments. Under typical conditions of a dilute finite system at moderate temperatures the dispersion relation exhibits an ultraviolet cut-off. As a result, only a finite number of multiple modes becomes unstable , and the number of the unstable collective modes increases with the size of the source. Calculations indicate that for an expanding source, unstable modes show a transition from surface to volume character. (author)

  15. Nuclear dissipation effects on fission and evaporation in systems of intermediate fissility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gelli N.

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available The systems of intermediate fissility 132Ce and 158Er have been studied experimentally and theoretically in order to investigate the dissipation properties of nuclear matter. Cross sections of fusion-fission and evaporation residues channels together with charged particles multiplicities in both channels, their spectra, angular correlations and mass-energy distribution of fission fragments have been measured. Theoretical analysis has been performed using multi-dimensional stochastic approach with realistic treatment of particle evaporation. The results of analysis show that full one-body or unusually strong two-body dissipation allows to reproduce experimental data. No temperature dependent dissipation was needed.

  16. New Burnup Calculation System for Fusion-Fission Hybrid System

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Isao Murata; Shoichi Shido; Masayuki Matsunaka; Keitaro Kondo; Hiroyuki Miyamaru

    2006-01-01

    Investigation of nuclear waste incineration has positively been carried out worldwide from the standpoint of environmental issues. Some candidates such as ADS, FBR are under discussion for possible incineration technology. Fusion reactor is one of such technologies, because it supplies a neutron-rich and volumetric irradiation field, and in addition the energy is higher than nuclear reactor. However, it is still hard to realize fusion reactor right now, as well known. An idea of combination of fusion and fission concepts, so-called fusion-fission hybrid system, was thus proposed for the nuclear waste incineration. Even for a relatively lower plasma condition, neutrons can be well multiplied by fission in the nuclear fuel, tritium is thus bred so as to attain its self-sufficiency, enough energy multiplication is then expected and moreover nuclear waste incineration is possible. In the present study, to realize it as soon as possible with the presently proven technology, i.e., using ITER model with the achieved plasma condition of JT60 in JAEA, Japan, a new calculation system for fusion-fission hybrid reactor including transport by MCNP and burnup by ORIGEN has been developed for the precise prediction of the neutronics performance. The author's group already has such a calculation system developed by them. But it had a problem that the cross section libraries in ORIGEN did not have a cross section library, which is suitable specifically for fusion-fission hybrid reactors. So far, those for FBR were approximately used instead in the analysis. In the present study, exact derivation of the collapsed cross section for ORIGEN has been investigated, which means it is directly evaluated from calculated track length by MCNP and point-wise nuclear data in the evaluated nuclear data file like JENDL-3.3. The system realizes several-cycle calculation one time, each of which consists of MCNP criticality calculation, MCNP fixed source calculation with a 3-dimensional precise

  17. Nuclear data for unstable isotopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sorlin, O.

    1992-01-01

    Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics are both entrusted with the task of understanding nucleosynthesis and energy production in the stars. At high temperatures and densities present in explosive scenarii such as the early universe, cataclysmic binary stars (nova or accretion stars), and supernovae, the nucleosynthesis proceeds throughout unstable nuclei. In order to produce and to study the most exotic isotopes that are not accessible from stable beam - stable (or radioactive) target experiments, it is necessary to develop facilities that utilize Radioactive Nuclear Beams (RNB). The existing methods for producing unstable nuclei will be described in paragraph 2. A review of the major explosive stellar processes will be made through some selected examples using RNB

  18. Progress in fission product nuclear data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lammer, M.

    1982-07-01

    This is the eighth issue of a report series on Fission Product Nuclear Data (FPND) which is published by the Nuclear Data Section (NDS) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The purpose of this series is to inform scientists working on FPND, or using such data, about all activities in this field which are planned, ongoing, or have recently been completed. The main part of this report consists of unaltered original contributions which the authors have sent to IAEA/NDS. Therefore, the IAEA cannot be held responsible for the information contained nor for any consequences resulting from the use of this information. The present issue contains also a section with some recent references relative to fission product nuclear data, which were not covered by the contributions submitted. The types of activities being included in this report are measurements, compilations and evaluations of: Fission product yields (neutron induced and spontaneous fission); Neutron reaction cross sections of fission products; Data related to the radioactive decay of fission products; Delayed neutron data of fission products; and lumped fission product data (decay heat, absorption etc.). The seventh issue of this series has been published in July 1981 as INDC(NDS)-116. The present issue includes contributions which were received by NDS between 1 August 1981 and 15 June 1982

  19. Induced-Fission Imaging of Nuclear Material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hausladen, Paul; Blackston, Matthew A.; Mullens, James Allen; McConchie, Seth M.; Mihalczo, John T.; Bingham, Philip R.; Ericson, Milton Nance; Fabris, Lorenzo

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents initial results from development of the induced-fission imaging technique, which can be used for the purpose of measuring or verifying the distribution of fissionable material in an unopened container. The technique is based on stimulating fissions in nuclear material with 14 MeV neutrons from an associated-particle deuterium-tritium (D-T) generator and counting the subsequent induced fast fission neutrons with an array of fast organic scintillation detectors. For each source neutron incident on the container, the neutron creation time and initial trajectory are known from detection of the associated alpha particle of the d + t → α + n reaction. Many induced fissions will lie along (or near) the interrogating neutron path, allowing an image of the spatial distribution of prompt induced fissions, and thereby fissionable material, to be constructed. A variety of induced-fission imaging measurements have been performed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory with a portable, low-dose D-T generator, including single-view radiographic measurements and three-dimensional tomographic measurements. Results from these measurements will be presented along with the neutron transmission images that have been performed simultaneously. This new capability may have applications to a number of areas in which there may be a need to confirm the presence or configuration of nuclear materials, such as nuclear material control and accountability, quality assurance, treaty confirmation, or homeland security applications.

  20. Progress in fission product nuclear data. No. 14

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lammer, M.

    1994-06-01

    This is the 14th issue of a report series on Fission Product Nuclear Data published by the Nuclear Data Section of the IAEA. The types of activities included are measurements, compilations and evaluations of fission product yields, neutron reaction cross sections of fission products, data related to the radioactive decay of fission products, delayed neutron data from neutron induced and spontaneous fission, lumped fission product data. The first part of the report consists of unaltered original contributions which the authors have sent to IAEA/NDS. The second part contains some recent references relative to fission product nuclear data, which were not covered by the contributions submitted, and selected papers from conferences. The third part contains requirements for further measurements

  1. Nuclear fission and nuclear safeguards: Common technologies and challenges

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keepin, G.R.

    1989-01-01

    Nuclear fission and nuclear safeguards have much in common, including the basic physical phenomena and technologies involved as well as the commitments and challenges posed by expanding nuclear programs in many countries around the world. The unique characteristics of the fission process -- such as prompt and delayed neutron and gamma ray emission -- not only provide the means of sustaining and controlling the fission chain reaction, but also provide unique ''signatures'' that are essential to quantitative measurement and effective safeguarding of key nuclear materials (notably 239 Pu and 235 U) against theft, loss, or diversion. In this paper, we trace briefly the historical emergence of safeguards as an essential component of the expansion of the nuclear enterprise worldwide. We then survey the major categories of passive and active nondestructive assay techniques that are currently in use or under development for rapid, accurate measurement and verification of safe-guarded nuclear materials in the many forms in which they occur throughout the nuclear fuel cycle. 23 refs., 14 figs

  2. Progress in fission product nuclear data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lammer, M.

    1984-09-01

    This is the tenth issue of a report series on Fission Product Data, which informs us about all the activities in this field, which are planned, ongoing, or have recently been completed. The types of activities included are measurements, compilations and evaluations of: fission product yields (neutron induced and spontaneous fission), neutron reaction cross sections of fission products, data related to the radioactive decay of fission products, delayed neutron data of fission products, lumped fission product data (decay heat, absorption, etc.). There is also a section with recent references relative to fission product nuclear data

  3. ISOLDE experiment explores new territory in nuclear fission

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN Bulletin

    2011-01-01

    An international collaboration led by the University of Leuven, Belgium, exploiting ISOLDE’s radioactive beams, has recently discovered an unexpected new type of asymmetric nuclear fission, which challenges current theories. The surprising result opens the way for new nuclear structure models and further theories to elucidate the question.   Resonance Ionization Laser Ion Source (RILIS) in action at ISOLDE. RILIS was instrumental in providing the pure beam necessary for the successful nuclear fission experiment. In nuclear fission, the nucleus splits into two fragments (daughter nuclei), releasing a huge amount of energy. Nuclear fission is exploited in power plants to produce energy. From the fundamental research point of view, fission is not yet fully understood decades after its discovery and its properties can still surprise nuclear physicists. The way the process occurs can tell us a lot about the internal structure of the nucleus and the interactions taking place inside the com...

  4. Nuclearization of ionic chromatography system for fission products analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dimeglio, Remi

    1996-06-01

    The accident at Tchernobyl in 1986 had entailed the release in the atmosphere of different products coming from the splitting of the fuel. It is to better understand, and also to warn this type of catastrophe that the CEA (Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique) develops many programs of researches, aiming to characterize these fission products and to study their mechanisms of relaxation. Thus, the LESC (Laboratoire d'Etude de la Surete du Combustible) takes part, since several years, in many nuclear safety experiences, and in particular to the project PHEBUS PF, that is a reconstitution, in reduced scale, of an accident entailing the fusion of the reactor core. The aim of the researches that have been led during this training period was to the nuclearization of an HPIC (High Performance Ion Chromatography) system, dedicated to the analysis of the PHEBUS PF fission products analysis. The first step was to develop HPIC lines already settled, so as to reduce the quantity of wastes. Indeed, those one are very difficult to process in a radioactive area. For this purpose, we have implanted a column cationic more effective, so as to decrease analysis times, and, by there even, the quantity of sewage generated. We have equally replaced, on lines cationic and anionic, the system of suppression of the eluent conductivity, to make it thriftier in fluid. But the radioactive products characterization necessitates that all analyses are led within a special box with gloves. The second step of the project was therefore to adapt the system to this type of cell, and to its automation. It has been necessary to modify the system of sample injection, the system of detection, and to put in place a supplementary box with gloves, connected by sieve to the first, for the active products dilution. (author) [fr

  5. Analytical measurements of fission products during a severe nuclear accident

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doizi, D.; Reymond la Ruinaz, S.; Haykal, I.; Manceron, L.; Perrin, A.; Boudon, V.; Vander Auwera, J.; tchana, F. Kwabia; Faye, M.

    2018-01-01

    The Fukushima accident emphasized the fact that ways to monitor in real time the evolution of a nuclear reactor during a severe accident remain to be developed. No fission products were monitored during twelve days; only dose rates were measured, which is not sufficient to carry out an online diagnosis of the event. The first measurements were announced with little reliability for low volatile fission products. In order to improve the safety of nuclear plants and minimize the industrial, ecological and health consequences of a severe accident, it is necessary to develop new reliable measurement systems, operating at the earliest and closest to the emission source of fission products. Through the French program ANR « Projet d'Investissement d'Avenir », the aim of the DECA-PF project (diagnosis of core degradation from fission products measurements) is to monitor in real time the release of the major fission products (krypton, xenon, gaseous forms of iodine and ruthenium) outside the nuclear reactor containment. These products are released at different times during a nuclear accident and at different states of the nuclear core degradation. Thus, monitoring these fission products gives information on the situation inside the containment and helps to apply the Severe Accident Management procedures. Analytical techniques have been proposed and evaluated. The results are discussed here.

  6. Analytical measurements of fission products during a severe nuclear accident

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Doizi D.

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The Fukushima accident emphasized the fact that ways to monitor in real time the evolution of a nuclear reactor during a severe accident remain to be developed. No fission products were monitored during twelve days; only dose rates were measured, which is not sufficient to carry out an online diagnosis of the event. The first measurements were announced with little reliability for low volatile fission products. In order to improve the safety of nuclear plants and minimize the industrial, ecological and health consequences of a severe accident, it is necessary to develop new reliable measurement systems, operating at the earliest and closest to the emission source of fission products. Through the French program ANR « Projet d’Investissement d’Avenir », the aim of the DECA-PF project (diagnosis of core degradation from fission products measurements is to monitor in real time the release of the major fission products (krypton, xenon, gaseous forms of iodine and ruthenium outside the nuclear reactor containment. These products are released at different times during a nuclear accident and at different states of the nuclear core degradation. Thus, monitoring these fission products gives information on the situation inside the containment and helps to apply the Severe Accident Management procedures. Analytical techniques have been proposed and evaluated. The results are discussed here.

  7. Bimodality in macroscopic dynamics of nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bastrukov, S.I.; Salamatin, V.S.; Strteltsova, O.I.; Molodtsova, I.V.; Podgainy, D.V.; )

    2000-01-01

    The elastodynamic collective model of nuclear fission is outlined whose underlying idea is that the stiff structure of nuclear shells imparts to nucleus properties typical of a small piece of an elastic solid. Emphasis is placed on the macroscopic dynamics of nuclear deformations resulting in fission by two energetically different modes. The low-energy S-mode is the fission due to disruption of elongated quadrupole spheroidal shape. The characteristic features of the high-energy T-mode of division by means of torsional shear deformations is the compact scission configuration. Analytic and numerical estimates for the macroscopic fission-barrier heights are presented, followed by discussion of fingerprints of the above dynamical bimodality in the available data [ru

  8. Theory of nuclear fission: a review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mosel, U.

    1976-01-01

    General properties of nuclear fission are reviewed and related to our present knowledge of fission theory. For this purpose the basic reasons for the shape of the fission barriers are discussed and their consequences compared with experimental results on barrier shapes and structures. Special emphasis is put on the asymmetry of the fission barriers and mass-distributions and its relation to the shells of the nascent fragment shells. Finally the problem of calculating fission cross sections is discussed

  9. Progress in fission product nuclear data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lammer, G.

    1976-05-01

    The purpose of this series is to inform scientists working on Fission Product Nuclear Data, or using such data, about all activities in this field which are planned, ongoing, or have recently been completed. This report consists of reproductions of essentially unaltered original contributions which the authors have sent to IAEA/NDS. The types of activities being included in this report are measurements, compilations and evaluations of: fission product yields; neutron cross-section data of fission products; data related to β-, γ-decay of fission products; delayed neutron data; and fission product decay-heat

  10. Study of the stability of the stationary wave of nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khotyanintsev, V.N.; Aksenov, A.V.; Khotyanintseva, E.N.; Pavlovich, V.N.

    2014-01-01

    Stability of the stationary wave of nuclear burning in fast reactor with uranium-plutonium fuel chain is investigated. The reactor model including 1-D diffusion equation in one-group approximation for neutron flux density and kinetic equations for nuclear densities describes slow evolution of nuclear densities followed by neutron flux. New analytical approach was proposed, which is based on the approximation of small wave velocity of the stationary wave. We obtain so-called wave velocity characteristic of the reactor which is the dependence of wave velocity to the effective absorber concentration. We show that due to instability of long-living 241 Pu a turning point and lower branch of stationary solutions appear. Numerical solution of the time dependent problem proves that the solutions of the lower branch are unstable. Thus, the turning point of the velocity characteristic corresponds to the lower margin of possible wave velocities of nuclear fission waves of the steady shape. At the same time the solutions of the upper branch are stable with respect to slow evolution of nuclear densities

  11. Progress in fission product nuclear data. No. 13

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lammer, M.

    1990-11-01

    This is the 13th issue of a report series published by the Nuclear Data Section of the IAEA. The types of activities included are measurements, compilations and evaluations of: Fission product yields (neutron induced and spontaneous fission), neutron reaction cross-sections of fission products, data related to the radioactive decay of fission products, delayed neutron data of fission products and bumped fission product data (decay heat, absorption, etc.). The first part of the report consists of unaltered original data which the authors have sent to IAEA/NDS. The second part contains some recent references relative to fission product nuclear data, which were not covered by the contributions submitted, and selected papers from conferences. Part 3 contains requirements for further measurements

  12. 40 years of nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koch, H.

    1979-01-01

    On the occasion of both the 100th birthday of the discoverer of nuclear fission, Otto Hahn, and the 40th anniversary of this outstanding scientific discovery the historical development is described, which led to nuclear fission. Aspects of scientific life in Berlin and in the whole world at that time are presented, and relations between scientists are characterized by quotations. In particular, stress is laid on the life and activities of Otto Hahn as a human being and as a scientist, and his outstanding scientific achievements are appreciated. (author)

  13. Nuclear Power from Fission Reactors. An Introduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Department of Energy, Washington, DC. Technical Information Center.

    The purpose of this booklet is to provide a basic understanding of nuclear fission energy and different fission reaction concepts. Topics discussed are: energy use and production, current uses of fuels, oil and gas consumption, alternative energy sources, fossil fuel plants, nuclear plants, boiling water and pressurized water reactors, the light…

  14. Space Fission System Test Effectiveness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Houts, Mike; Schmidt, Glen L.; Van Dyke, Melissa; Godfroy, Tom; Martin, James; Bragg-Sitton, Shannon; Dickens, Ricky; Salvail, Pat; Harper, Roger

    2004-01-01

    Space fission technology has the potential to enable rapid access to any point in the solar system. If fission propulsion systems are to be developed to their full potential, however, near-term customers need to be identified and initial fission systems successfully developed, launched, and utilized. One key to successful utilization is to develop reactor designs that are highly testable. Testable reactor designs have a much higher probability of being successfully converted from paper concepts to working space hardware than do designs which are difficult or impossible to realistically test. ''Test Effectiveness'' is one measure of the ability to realistically test a space reactor system. The objective of this paper is to discuss test effectiveness as applied to the design, development, flight qualification, and acceptance testing of space fission systems. The ability to perform highly effective testing would be particularly important to the success of any near-term mission, such as NASA's Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter, the first mission under study within NASA's Project Prometheus, the Nuclear Systems Program

  15. Exclusion of nuclear forces in heavy-ion Coulomb excitation and Coulomb fission experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neese, R.E.; Guidry, M.W.

    1982-01-01

    A simple prescription for estimating the energy at which nuclear forces begin to play a role in heavy-ion Coulomb excitation and Coulomb fission experiments is presented. The method differs from most commonly used recipes in accounting for projectile and target nucleus deformation effects. Using a single adjustable parameter the formula reproduces the energy for the onset of Coulomb-nuclear interference effects for a broad range of heavy-ion systems. It is suggested that most Coulomb fission experiments which have been done involve both Coulomb and nuclear excitation processes and should more properly be termed Coulomb-nuclear fission experiments

  16. Nuclear dynamics in heavy ion induced fusion-fission reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kapoor, S.S.

    1992-01-01

    Heavy ion induced fission and fission-like reactions evolve through a complex nuclear dynamics encountered in the medium energy nucleus-nucleus collisions. In the recent years, measurements of the fragment-neutron and fragment-charged particle angular correlations in heavy ion induced fusion-fission reactions, have provided new information on the dynamical times of nuclear deformations of the initial dinuclear complex to the fission saddle point and the scission point. From the studies of fragment angular distributions in heavy ion induced fission it has been possible to infer the relaxation times of the dinuclear complex in the K-degree of freedom and our recent measurements on the entrance channel dependence of fragment anisotropies have provided an experimental signature of the presence of fissions before K-equilibration. This paper reviews recent experimental and theoretical status of the above studies with particular regard to the questions relating to dynamical times, nuclear dissipation and the effect of nuclear dissipation on the K-distributions at the fission saddle in completely equilibrated compound nucleus. (author). 19 refs., 9 figs

  17. Chemical immobilization of fission products reactive with nuclear reactor components

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grossman, L.N.; Kaznoff, A.I.; Clukey, H.V.

    1975-01-01

    This invention teaches a method of immobilizing deleterious fission products produced in nuclear fuel materials during nuclear fission chain reactions through the use of additives. The additives are disposed with the nuclear fuel materials in controlled quantities to form new compositions preventing attack of reactor components, especially nuclear fuel cld, by the deleterious fission products. (Patent Office Record)

  18. 14. International workshop on nuclear fission physics. Proceedings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2000-01-01

    The meetings on nuclear fission took place 12-15 October 1998 and was organized by Institute of Physics and Power Engineering. The aim of the workshop was to present and discuss main new both theoretical and experimental results obtained in the area of nuclear fission, dynamical feature, properties of fission fragments and complementary radiation. As usual the program of the workshop was designed to cover a wide range of physical phenomena - from low energy and spontaneous fission to fission of hot rotating nuclei and multifragmentation at intermediate and high energies. Reaction induced by slow and fast neutron, light and heavy ions were discussed [ru

  19. The wastes of nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doubre, H.

    2005-01-01

    In this paper the author presents the problems of the radioactive wastes generated by the nuclear fission. The first part devoted to the fission phenomenon explains the incident neutron energy and the target nuclei role. The second part devoted to the nuclear wastes sources presents the production of wastes upstream of the reactors, in the reactors and why these wastes are dangerous. The third part discusses the radioactive wastes management in France (classification, laws). The last part details the associated research programs: the radionuclides separation, the disposal, the underground storage, the transmutation and the thorium cycle. (A.L.B.)

  20. Energy from nuclear fission()

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ripani, M.

    2015-08-01

    The main features of nuclear fission as physical phenomenon will be revisited, emphasizing its peculiarities with respect to other nuclear reactions. Some basic concepts underlying the operation of nuclear reactors and the main types of reactors will be illustrated, including fast reactors, showing the most important differences among them. The nuclear cycle and radioactive-nuclear-waste production will be also discussed, along with the perspectives offered by next generation nuclear assemblies being proposed. The current situation of nuclear power in the world, its role in reducing carbon emission and the available resources will be briefly illustrated.

  1. Phase 1 space fission propulsion system testing and development progress

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van Dyke, Melissa; Houts, Mike; Godfroy, Tom; Dickens, Ricky; Poston, David; Kapernick, Rick; Reid, Bob; Salvail, Pat; Ring, Peter

    2002-01-01

    Successful development of space fission systems requires an extensive program of affordable and realistic testing. In addition to tests related to design/development of the fission system, realistic testing of the actual flight unit must also be performed. If the system is designed to operate within established radiation damage and fuel burn up limits while simultaneously being designed to allow close simulation of heat from fission using resistance heaters, high confidence in fission system performance and lifetime can be attained through a series of non-nuclear tests. The Safe Affordable Fission Engine (SAFE) test series, whose ultimate goal is the demonstration of a 300 kW flight configuration system, has demonstrated that realistic testing can be performed using non-nuclear methods. This test series, carried out in collaboration with other NASA centers, other government agencies, industry, and universities, successfully completed a testing program with a 30 kWt core. Stirling engine, and ion engine configuration. Additionally, a 100 kWt core is in fabrication and appropriate test facilities are being reconfigured. This paper describes the current SAFE non-nuclear tests, which includes test article descriptions, test results and conclusions, and future test plans

  2. Mechanism of nuclear dissipation in fission and heavy-ion reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nix, J.R.; Sierk, A.J.

    1986-01-01

    Recent advances in the theoretical understanding of nuclear dissipation at intermediate excitation energies are reviewed, with particular emphasis on a new surface-plus-window mechanism that involves interactions of either one or two nucleons with the moving nuclear surface and also, for dumbbell-like shapes encountered in fission and heavy-ion reactions, the transfer of nucleons through the window separating the two portions of the system. This novel dissipation mechanism provides a unified macroscopic description of such diverse phenomena as widths of isoscalar giant quadrupole and giant octupole resonances, mean fission-fragment kinetic energies and excitation energies, dynamical thresholds for compound-nucleus formation, enhancement in neutron emission prior to fission, and widths of mass and charge distributions in deep-inelastic heavy-ion reactions. 41 refs., 8 figs

  3. Contribution to the study of nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Serot, O.

    2009-09-01

    The author proposes an overview of his research activity during the past fifteen years and more particularly that dealing with nuclear fission. The first part reports works on nucleus physics at the scission via the investigation of ternary fission (experimental procedure, influence of fission modes, influence of resonance spin, influence of excitation energy of the fissioning nucleus, emission probabilities, energy spectra of ternary alphas and tritons, emission mechanism). The second part reports measurements and assessments of neutron-induced fission cross sections. The third part reports the investigation of some properties of fission products (efficiencies, branching ratios of the main delayed neutron precursors)

  4. Sequential character of low-energy ternary and quaternary nuclear fission

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kadmensky, S. G., E-mail: kadmensky@phys.vsu.ru; Bulychev, A. O. [Voronezh State University (Russian Federation)

    2016-09-15

    An analysis of low-energy true ternary (quaternary) nuclear fission leads to the conclusion that these fission modes have a sequential two-step (three-step) character such that the emission of a third particle (third and fourth particles) and the separation of fission fragments occur at distinctly different instants, in contrast to the simultaneous emergence of all fission products in the case of onestep ternary (quaternary) fission. This conclusion relies on the following arguments. First, the emission of a third particle (third and fourth particles) from a fissile nucleus is due to a nonevaporative mechanism associated with a nonadiabatic character of the collective deformation motion of this nucleus at the stages preceding its scission. Second, the axial symmetry of the deformed fissile compound nucleus and the direction of its symmetry axis both remain unchanged at all stages of ternary (quaternary) fission. This circumstancemakes it possible to explain themechanism of the appearance of observed anisotropies and T — odd asymmeries in the angular distributions of products of ternary (quaternary) nuclear fission. Third, the T —odd asymmetry discovered experimentally in ternary nuclear fission induced by cold polarized neutrons obeys the T —invariance condition only in the case of a sequential two-step (three-step) character of true ternary (quaternary) nuclear fission. At the same time, this asymmetry is not a T —invariant quantity in the case of the simultaneous emission of products of true ternary (quaternary) nuclear fission from the fissile compound nucleus.

  5. Sequential character of low-energy ternary and quaternary nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kadmensky, S. G.; Bulychev, A. O.

    2016-01-01

    An analysis of low-energy true ternary (quaternary) nuclear fission leads to the conclusion that these fission modes have a sequential two-step (three-step) character such that the emission of a third particle (third and fourth particles) and the separation of fission fragments occur at distinctly different instants, in contrast to the simultaneous emergence of all fission products in the case of onestep ternary (quaternary) fission. This conclusion relies on the following arguments. First, the emission of a third particle (third and fourth particles) from a fissile nucleus is due to a nonevaporative mechanism associated with a nonadiabatic character of the collective deformation motion of this nucleus at the stages preceding its scission. Second, the axial symmetry of the deformed fissile compound nucleus and the direction of its symmetry axis both remain unchanged at all stages of ternary (quaternary) fission. This circumstancemakes it possible to explain themechanism of the appearance of observed anisotropies and T — odd asymmeries in the angular distributions of products of ternary (quaternary) nuclear fission. Third, the T —odd asymmetry discovered experimentally in ternary nuclear fission induced by cold polarized neutrons obeys the T —invariance condition only in the case of a sequential two-step (three-step) character of true ternary (quaternary) nuclear fission. At the same time, this asymmetry is not a T —invariant quantity in the case of the simultaneous emission of products of true ternary (quaternary) nuclear fission from the fissile compound nucleus.

  6. Scission-point model of nuclear fission based on deformed-shell effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilkins, B.D.; Steinberg, E.P.; Chasman, R.R.

    1976-01-01

    A static model of nuclear fission is proposed based on the assumption of statistical equilibrium among collective degrees of freedom at the scission point. The relative probabilities of formation of complementary fission fragment pairs are determined from the relative potential energies of a system of two nearly touching, coaxial spheroids with quadrupole deformations. The total potential energy of the system at the scission point is calculated as the sum of liquid-drop and shell- and pairing-correction terms for each spheroid, and Coulomb and nuclear potential terms describing the interaction between them. The fissioning system at the scission point is characterized by three parameters: the distance between the tips of the spheroids (d), the intrinsic excitation energy of the fragments (tau/sub int/), and a collective temperature (T/sub coll/). No attempt is made to adjust these parameters to give optimum fits to experimental data, but rather, a single choice of values for d, tau/sub int/, and T/sub coll/ is used in the calculations for all fissioning systems. The general trends of the distributions of mass, nuclear charge, and kinetic energy in the fission of a wide range of nuclides from Po to Fm are well reproduced in the calculations. The major influence of the deformed-shell corrections for neutrons is indicated and provides a convenient framework for the interpretation of observed trends in the data and for the prediction of new results. The scission-point configurations derived from the model provide an interpretation of the ''saw-tooth'' neutron emission curve as well as previously unexplained observations on the variation of TKE for isotopes of U, Pu, Cm, and Cf; structure in the width of total kinetic energy release as a function of fragment mass ratio; and a difference in threshold energies for symmetric and asymmetric mass splits in the fission of Ra and Ac isotopes

  7. Nuclear fission - the great discovery of the nuclear chemistry 50 years ago

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eichler, B.

    1988-01-01

    A scientific discovery only seldom in that extent has influenced the scientific-technical progress and the historical development of mankind as the discovery of nuclear fission. The investigation of the reactions at irradiation of the uranium with neutrons was historically the order of the day. In 1938, the radiochemical proof of the nuclear fission succeeded by coprecipitation, fractional crystallization and application of the tracer method. To be master of these methods as well as their profound physico-chemical insight enabled O. Hahn and F. Strassmann to give reliable evidence of fission by identifying the fission product barium. (author)

  8. Fabrication and Testing of a Modular Micro-Pocket Fission Detector Instrumentation System for Test Nuclear Reactors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reichenberger, Michael A.; Nichols, Daniel M.; Stevenson, Sarah R.; Swope, Tanner M.; Hilger, Caden W.; Roberts, Jeremy A.; Unruh, Troy C.; McGregor, Douglas S.

    2018-01-01

    Advancements in nuclear reactor core modeling and computational capability have encouraged further development of in-core neutron sensors. Measurement of the neutron-flux distribution within the reactor core provides a more complete understanding of the operating conditions in the reactor than typical ex-core sensors. Micro-Pocket Fission Detectors have been developed and tested previously but have been limited to single-node operation and have utilized highly specialized designs. The development of a widely deployable, multi-node Micro-Pocket Fission Detector assembly will enhance nuclear research capabilities. A modular, four-node Micro-Pocket Fission Detector array was designed, fabricated, and tested at Kansas State University. The array was constructed from materials that do not significantly perturb the neutron flux in the reactor core. All four sensor nodes were equally spaced axially in the array to span the fuel-region of the reactor core. The array was filled with neon gas, serving as an ionization medium in the small cavities of the Micro-Pocket Fission Detectors. The modular design of the instrument facilitates the testing and deployment of numerous sensor arrays. The unified design drastically improved device ruggedness and simplified construction from previous designs. Five 8-mm penetrations in the upper grid plate of the Kansas State University TRIGA Mk. II research nuclear reactor were utilized to deploy the array between fuel elements in the core. The Micro-Pocket Fission Detector array was coupled to an electronic support system which has been specially developed to support pulse-mode operation. The Micro-Pocket Fission Detector array composed of four sensors was used to monitor local neutron flux at a constant reactor power of 100 kWth at different axial locations simultaneously. The array was positioned at five different radial locations within the core to emulate the deployment of multiple arrays and develop a 2-dimensional measurement of

  9. Nuclear structure in cold rearrangement processes in fission and fusion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Armbruster, P.

    1998-11-01

    In fission and fusion of heavy nuclei large numbers of nucleons are rearranged at a scale of excitation energy very small compared to the binding energy of the nuclei. The energies involved are less than 40 MeV at nuclear temperatures below 1.5 MeV. The shapes of the configurations in the rearrangement of a binary system into a monosystem in fusion, or vice versa in fission, change their elongations by as much as 8 fm, the radius of the monosystem. The dynamics of the reactions macroscopically described by a potential energy surface, inertia parameters, dissipation, and a collision energy is strongly modified by the nuclear structure of the participating nuclei. Experiments showing nuclear structure effects in fusion and fission of the heaviest nuclei are reviewed. The reaction kinematics and the multitude of isotopes involved are investigated by detector techniques and by recoil spectrometers. The advancement of the latter allows to find very small reaction branches in the range of 10{sup -5} to 10{sup -10}. The experiments reveal nuclear structure effects in all stages of the rearrangement processes. These are discussed pointing to analogies in fusion and fission on the microscopic scale, notwithstanding that both processes macroscopically are irreversible. Heavy clusters, as 132Sn, 208Pb, nuclei with closed shell configurations N=82,126, Z=50,82 survive in large parts of the nuclear rearrangement. They determine the asymmetry in the mass distribution of low energy fission, and they allow to synthesise superheavy elements, until now up to element 112. Experiments on the cold rearrangement in fission and fusion are presented. Here, in the range of excitation energies below 12 MeV the phenomena are observed most convincingly. (orig.)

  10. Proceedings of the Second Fusion-Fission Energy Systems Review Meeting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    1977-11-02

    The agenda of the meeting was developed to address, in turn, the following major areas: specific problem areas in nuclear energy systems for application of fusion-fission concepts; current and proposed fusion-fission programs in response to the identified problem areas; target costs and projected benefits associated with fusion-fission energy systems; and technical problems associated with the development of fusion-fission concepts. The greatest emphasis was placed on the characteristics of and problems, associated with fuel producing fusion-fission hybrid reactors.

  11. Detecting special nuclear materials in suspect containers using high-energy gamma rays emitted by fission products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Norman, Eric B [Oakland, CA; Prussin, Stanley G [Kensington, CA

    2009-01-27

    A method and a system for detecting the presence of special nuclear materials in a suspect container. The system and its method include irradiating the suspect container with a beam of neutrons, so as to induce a thermal fission in a portion of the special nuclear materials, detecting the gamma rays that are emitted from the fission products formed by the thermal fission, to produce a detector signal, comparing the detector signal with a threshold value to form a comparison, and detecting the presence of the special nuclear materials using the comparison.

  12. Proceedings of the specialists' meeting on physics and engineering of fission and spallation, 1989

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakagome, Yoshihiro

    1990-07-01

    The third meeting was held on August 1, and the fourth meeting was held on December 12, 1989. The reports of the international conferences on 50 years research on nuclear fission in Germany and USA, and the reports on the nuclear data of fission-produced nuclei for evaluating reactor decay heat, the atomic mass formula considering proton-neutron interaction and unstable nuclei, research on short life fission fragments by on-line isotope separation process, the reactor physics on waste annihilation disposal and fuel breeding with an accelerator, the double differential cross section of back neutrons in nuclear spallation reaction, measurement of fission cross section and fission neutron spectra with fast neutrons, U-235 fission spectra by unfolding activation foil data and production mechanisms of intermediate mass fragments from hot nuclei-emission of complex and fission fragments for 84 Kr+ 27 Al at 10.6 MeV/u were made. (K.I.)

  13. The wastes of nuclear fission; Les dechets de la fission nucleaire

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Doubre, H. [Paris-11 Univ., Centre de Spectrometrie Nucleaire et de Spectrometrie de Masse, IN2P3/CNRS, 91 - Orsay (France)

    2005-07-01

    In this paper the author presents the problems of the radioactive wastes generated by the nuclear fission. The first part devoted to the fission phenomenon explains the incident neutron energy and the target nuclei role. The second part devoted to the nuclear wastes sources presents the production of wastes upstream of the reactors, in the reactors and why these wastes are dangerous. The third part discusses the radioactive wastes management in France (classification, laws). The last part details the associated research programs: the radionuclides separation, the disposal, the underground storage, the transmutation and the thorium cycle. (A.L.B.)

  14. Nuclear fission with a Langevin equation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boilley, D.; Suraud, E.; Abe, Yasuhisa

    1992-01-01

    A microscopically derived Langevin equation is applied to thermally induced nuclear fission. An important memory effect is pointed out and discussed. A strong friction coefficient, estimated from microscopic quantities, tends to decrease the stationary limit of the fission rate and to increase the transient time. The calculations are performed with a collective mass depending on the collective variable and with a constant mass. Fission rates calculated at different temperatures are shown and compared with previous available results. (author) 23 refs.; 7 figs

  15. JNDC nuclear data library of fission products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tasaka, Kanji; Ihara, Hitoshi; Akiyama, Masatsugu; Yoshida, Tadashi; Matumoto, Zyun-itiro; Nakasima, Ryuzo

    1983-10-01

    The JNDC (Japanese Nuclear Data Committee) FP (Fission Product) nuclear data library for 1172 fission products is described in this report. The gross theory of beta decay has been used extensively for estimating unknown decay data and also some of known decay data with poor accuracy. The calculated decay powers of fission products using the present library show excellent agreement with the latest measurements at ORNL (Oak Ridge National Laboratory), LANL (Los Alamos National Laboratory) and UTT (University of Tokyo, Tokai) for cooling times shorter than 10 3 s after irradiation. The calculated decay powers by the existing libraries showed systematic deviations at short cooling times; the calculated beta and gamma decay powers after burst fission were smaller than the experimental results for cooling times shorter than 10 s, and in the cooling time range 10 to 10 3 s the beta-decay power was larger than the measured values and the gamma decay power smaller than the measured results. The present JNDC FP nuclear data library resolved these discrepancies in the short cooling time ranges. The decay power of fission products has been calculated for ten fission types and the results have been fitted by an analytical function with 31 exponentials. This permits the easy application of the present results of decay power calculations to a LOCA (Loss-of-Coolant Accident) analysis of a light water reactor and so on. (author)

  16. Progress in fission product nuclear data. Information about activities in the field of measurements and compilations/evaluations of fission product nuclear data (FPND)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lammer, G.

    1978-07-01

    This is the fourth issue of a report series on Fission Product Nuclear Data (FPND) which is published by the Nuclear Data Section (NDS) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The purpose of this series is to inform scientists working on FPND, or using such data, about all activities in this field which are planned, ongoing, or have recently been completed. The main part of this report consists of unaltered original contributions which the authors have sent to IAEA/NDS. The types of activities being included in this report are measurements, compilations and evaluations of: Fission product yields (neutron induced and spontaneous fission); neutron reaction cross sections of fission products; data related to the radioactive decay of fission products; delayed neutron data of fission products; and lumped fission product data (decay heat, absorption etc.)

  17. Nuclear fission as a macroscopic quantum tunneling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takigawa, N.

    1995-01-01

    We discuss nuclear fission from the point of view of a macroscopic quantum tunneling, one of whose major interests is to study the effects of environments on the tunneling rate of a macroscopic variable. We show that a vibrational excitation of the fissioning nucleus significantly enhances the fission rate. We show this effect by two different methods. The one is to treat the vibrational excitation as an environmental degree of freedom, the other treats the fission as a two dimensional quantum tunneling. (author)

  18. Fission product chemistry in severe nuclear reactor accidents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nichols, A.L.

    1990-09-01

    A specialist's meeting was held at JRC-Ispra from 15 to 17 January 1990 to review the current understanding of fission-product chemistry during severe accidents in light water reactors. Discussions focussed on the important chemical phenomena that could occur across the wide range of conditions of a damaged nuclear plant. Recommendations for future chemistry work were made covering the following areas: (a) fuel degradation and fission-product release, (b) transport and attenuation processes in the reactor coolant system, (c) containment chemistry (iodine behaviour and core-concrete interactions)

  19. Legal and Regulatroy Obstacles to Nuclear Fission Technology in Space

    Science.gov (United States)

    Force, Melissa K.

    2013-09-01

    In forecasting the prospective use of small nuclear reactors for spacecraft and space-based power stations, the U.S. Air Force describes space as "the ultimate high ground," providing access to every part of the globe. But is it? A report titled "Energy Horizons: United States Air Force Energy Science &Technology Vision 2011-2026," focuses on core Air Force missions in space energy generation, operations and propulsion and recognizes that investments into small modular nuclear fission reactors can be leveraged for space-based systems. However, the report mentions, as an aside, that "potential catastrophic outcomes" are an element to be weighed and provides no insight into the monumental political and legal will required to overcome the mere stigma of nuclear energy, even when referring only to the most benign nuclear power generation systems - RTGs. On the heels of that report, a joint Department of Energy and NASA team published positive results from the demonstration of a uranium- powered fission reactor. The experiment was perhaps most notable for exemplifying just how effective the powerful anti-nuclear lobby has been in the United States: It was the first such demonstration of its kind in nearly fifty years. Space visionaries must anticipate a difficult war, consisting of multiple battles that must be waged in order to obtain a license to fly any but the feeblest of nuclear power sources in space. This paper aims to guide the reader through the obstacles to be overcome before nuclear fission technology can be put to use in space.

  20. Management-retrieval code system of fission barrier parameter sub-library

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Limin; Su Zongdi; Ge Zhigang

    1995-01-01

    The fission barrier parameter (FBP) library, which is a sub-library of Chinese Evaluated Nuclear Parameter library (CENPL), stores various popular used fission barrier parameters from different historical period, and could retrieve the required fission barrier parameters by using the management retrieval code system of the FBP sub-library. The function, feature and operation instruction of the code system are described briefly

  1. Hybrid fission-fusion nuclear reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zucchetti, Massimo

    2011-01-01

    A fusion-fission hybrid could contribute to all components of nuclear power - fuel supply, electricity production, and waste management. The idea of the fusion-fission hybrid is many decades old. Several ideas, both new and revisited, have been investigated by hybrid proponents. These ideas appear to have attractive features, but they require various levels of advances in plasma science and fusion and nuclear technology. As a first step towards the development of hybrid reactors, fusion neutron sources can be considered as an option. Compact high-field tokamaks can be a candidate for being the neutron source in a fission-fusion hybrid, essentially due to their design characteristics, such as compact dimensions, high magnetic field, flexibility of operation. This study presents the development of a tokamak neutron source for a material testing facility using an Ignitor-based concept. The computed values show the potential of this neutron-rich device for fusion materials testing. Some full-power months of operation are sufficient to obtain relevant radiation damage values in terms of dpa. (Author)

  2. Sustainable, Full-Scope Nuclear Fission Energy at Planetary Scale

    OpenAIRE

    Robert Petroski; Lowell Wood

    2012-01-01

    A nuclear fission-based energy system is described that is capable of supplying the energy needs of all of human civilization for a full range of human energy use scenarios, including both very high rates of energy use and strikingly-large amounts of total energy-utilized. To achieve such “planetary scale sustainability”, this nuclear energy system integrates three nascent technologies: uranium extraction from seawater, manifestly safe breeder reactors, and deep borehole d...

  3. Proceedings of the Conference on 75 years of Nuclear Fission

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Proceedings of the Conference on 75 years of Nuclear Fission: Present Status and Future Perspectives (Fission75) - Part I. pp 187-188. Organizing Committee · More Details Fulltext PDF. pp 189-190. Foreword · D C Biswas K Mahata V M Datar · More Details Fulltext PDF. pp 191-198. Seventy-five years of nuclear fission.

  4. Sustainable and safe nuclear fission energy technology and safety of fast and thermal nuclear reactors

    CERN Document Server

    Kessler, Günter

    2012-01-01

    Unlike existing books of nuclear reactor physics, nuclear engineering and nuclear chemical engineering this book covers a complete description and evaluation of nuclear fission power generation. It covers the whole nuclear fuel cycle, from the extraction of natural uranium from ore mines, uranium conversion and enrichment up to the fabrication of fuel elements for the cores of various types of fission reactors. This is followed by the description of the different fuel cycle options and the final storage in nuclear waste repositories. In addition the release of radioactivity under normal and possible accidental conditions is given for all parts of the nuclear fuel cycle and especially for the different fission reactor types.

  5. Characterization of the fusion-fission process in light nuclear systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anjos, R.M. dos.

    1992-01-01

    Fusion cross sections measurements of highly damped processes and elastic scattering were performed for the 16, 17, 18 O + 10, 11 B and 19 F + 9 Be, in the incident energy interval 22 ≤ E LAB ≤ 64 MeV. Evidences are presented that highly damped binary processes observed in these systems are originated from a fusion-fission process rather than a dinuclear ''orbiting'' mechanism. The relative importance of the fusion-fission process in these very light systems is demonstrated both by the experimental results, which indicate a statistically balanced compound nucleus fission process occurrence, and theoretical calculations. (L.C.J.A.)

  6. Fifty years of nuclear fission: Nuclear data and measurements series

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lynn, J.E.

    1989-06-01

    This report is the written version of a colloquium first presented at Argonne National Laboratory in January 1989. The paper begins with an historical preamble about the events leading to the discovery of nuclear fission. This leads naturally to an account of early results and understanding of the fission phenomena. Some of the key concepts in the development of fission theory are then discussed. The main theme of this discussion is the topography of the fission barrier, in which the interplay of the liquid-drop model and nucleon shell effects lead to a wide range of fascinating phenomena encompassing metastable isomers, intermediate-structure effects in fission cross-sections, and large changes in fission product properties. It is shown how study of these changing effects and theoretical calculations of the potential energy of the deformed nucleus have led to broad qualitative understanding of the nature of the fission process. 54 refs., 35 figs

  7. Fission barriers in the quasi-molecular shape path

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Royer, G.; Bonilla, C.; Zbiri, K.; Gherghescu, R.A.

    2003-01-01

    New observed phenomena like asymmetric fission of intermediate mass nuclei, nuclear molecules in light nuclei, super and hyperdeformations, cluster radioactivity, fast-fission of heavy systems and fragmentation have renewed interest in investigating the fusion-like fission valley which leads rapidly to two touching spherical fragments and quasi-molecular shapes. Furthermore, rotating super and hyperdeformed nuclear states and superheavy nuclei can be formed only in heavy-ion collisions for which the initial configuration is two close quasi-spherical nuclei. For these shapes the balance between the Coulomb forces and surface tension forces does not allow to link the sheets of the potential energy surface corresponding to one-body shapes and to two separated fragments, respectively. It is necessary to add another term called proximity energy reproducing the finite-range effects of the nuclear force in the neck or the gap between the nascent fission fragments. A generalized liquid drop model has been developed to take into account this nuclear proximity energy, the mass and charge asymmetry, an accurate nuclear radius and the temperature effects. The initial value of the surface energy coefficient has been kept. Microscopic corrections have been determined within the asymmetric two center shell model or simpler algebraic approximations. With this model and deformation valley first studies had led to the following results: (i) good agreement between the potential barrier heights and the experimental fission barrier heights in the whole mass range; (ii) saddle-point corresponding to two separated fragments maintained in unstable equilibrium by the balance between the repulsive Coulomb forces and the attractive proximity forces; (iii) strong enhancement of the maximal angular momentum against fission; (iv) reasonable agreement with experimental data on the double-humped barriers of actinides. Within this same approach we have recently shown that the calculated potential

  8. Nuclear fission: What have we learned in 50 years?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vandenbosch, R.

    1989-01-01

    Nuclear fission has captured the imagination of chemists and physicists for half a century now. There are several reasons for this. One of course is that it represents the most drastic rearrangement of nuclear matter known, challenged only recently by collisions induced by very heavy ions. Another is that both statistical and dynamical features come into play. Perhaps one of the most compelling reasons is its never-ending capacity to surprise us: asymmetric mass distributions, the sawtooth dependence of neutron yields in fragment mass, spontaneously fissioning isomers and intermediate structure resonances. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, fission is a rich laboratory within which one can explore the delicate interplay between the macroscopic aspects of bulk nuclear matter and the quantal effects of a finite number of Fermions. It will of course be impossible for me to cover all aspects of fission. I have chosen a limited number of topics to cover, with particular topics being chosen either because the have been associated with persistent puzzles in fission or because they have, or hopefully will, tell us something special about how nuclei behave. After a brief historical note, I organize these topics sequentially according to the various stages of the fission process, starting first with the probability for fission to occur and ending with scission phenomena. 56 refs., 11 figs

  9. World Energy Data System (WENDS). Volume XI. Nuclear fission program summaries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1979-06-01

    Brief management and technical summaries of nuclear fission power programs are presented for nineteen countries. The programs include the following: fuel supply, resource recovery, enrichment, fuel fabrication, light water reactors, heavy water reactors, gas cooled reactors, breeder reactors, research and test reactors, spent fuel processing, waste management, and safety and environment

  10. Hybrid nuclear cycles for nuclear fission sustainability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Piera, M.; Martinez-Val, M. M.

    2007-01-01

    Nuclear fission can play and must play an important role in paving the road to Energy Sustainability. Nuclear Fission does not produce CO 2 emissions, and it is already exploited at commercial level with the current NPP (Nuclear Power Plants). Most of them are based on LWR reactors, which have a very good safety record. It must be noted, however, that all LWR (including the advanced or evolutionary ones) have some drawbacks, particularly their very poor efficiency in exploiting the natural resources of nuclear fuels. In this paper, an analysis is presented on how to maximize the energy actually generated from the potential contents of fission natural resources. The role of fertile-to-fissile breeding is highlighted, as well as the need of attaining a very high safety performance in the reactors and other installations of the fuel cycle. The proposal presented in this paper is to use advanced and evolutionary LWR as energy producing reactors, and to use subcritical fast assemblies as breeders. The main result would be to increase by two orders of magnitude the percentage of energy effectively exploited from fission natural resources, while keeping a very high level of safety standards in the full fuel cycle. Breeders would not be intended for energy production, so that safety standards could rely on very low values of the thermal magnitudes, so allowing for very large safety margins for emergency cooling. Similarly, subcriticality would offer a very large margin for not to reach prompt criticality in any event. The main drawback of this proposal is that a sizeable fraction of the energy generated in the cycle (about 1/3, maybe a little more) would not be useful for the thermodynamic cycle to produce electricity. Besides that, a fraction of the generated electricity, between 5 and 10 %, would have to be recirculated to feed the accelerator activating the neutron source. Even so, the overall result would be very positive, because more than 50 % of the natural

  11. Using New Fission Data with the Multi-detector Analysis System for Spent Nuclear Fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cole, Jerald Donald

    1998-11-01

    New experiments using an array of high purity germanium detectors and fast liquid scintillation detectors has been performed to observe the radiation emitted from the induced fission of 235U with a beam of thermal neutrons. The experiment was performed at the Argonne National Laboratory Intense Pulsed Neutron Source. Preliminary observations of the data are presented. A nondestructive analysis system for the characterization of DOE spent nuclear fuel based on these new data is presented.

  12. World Energy Data System (WENDS). Volume XI. Nuclear fission program summaries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1979-06-01

    Brief management and technical summaries of nuclear fission power programs are presented for nineteen countries. The programs include the following: fuel supply, resource recovery, enrichment, fuel fabrication, light water reactors, heavy water reactors, gas cooled reactors, breeder reactors, research and test reactors, spent fuel processing, waste management, and safety and environment. (JWR)

  13. Transmutation of fission products in reactors and accelerator-driven systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Janssen, A.J.

    1994-01-01

    Energy flows and mass flows in several scenarios are considered. Economical and safety aspects of the transmutation scenarios are compared. It is difficult to find a sound motivation for the transmutation of fission products with accelerator-driven systems. If there would be any hesitation in transmuting fission products in nuclear reactors, there would be an even stronger hesitation to use accelerator-driven systems, mainly because of their lower energy efficiency and their poor cost effectiveness. The use of accelerator-driven systems could become a 'meaningful' option only if nuclear energy would be banished completely. (orig./HP)

  14. Nuclear fission energy: the international scene and the outlook for Italy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Monti, S.

    2008-01-01

    Because of concerns about the environment, energy security and energy costs, fission nuclear energy is gaining ground again around the world. In Italy, the research community can help relaunch the national nuclear programmes by providing advanced training, recruiting young engineers and researchers for RD activities, and furthering an immediate cooperation of the Italian system in the principal European and international projects on sustainable nuclear energy [it

  15. Comparative evaluation of solar, fission, fusion, and fossil energy resources. Part 2: Power from nuclear fission

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clement, J. D.

    1973-01-01

    Different types of nuclear fission reactors and fissionable materials are compared. Special emphasis is placed upon the environmental impact of such reactors. Graphs and charts comparing reactor facilities in the U. S. are presented.

  16. Influence of the bud neck on nuclear envelope fission in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melloy, Patricia G; Rose, Mark D

    2017-09-15

    Studies have shown that nuclear envelope fission (karyokinesis) in budding yeast depends on cytokinesis, but not distinguished whether this was a direct requirement, indirect, because of cell cycle arrest, or due to bud neck-localized proteins impacting both processes. To determine the requirements for karyokinesis, we examined mutants conditionally defective for bud emergence and/or nuclear migration. The common mutant phenotype was completion of the nuclear division cycle within the mother cell, but karyokinesis did not occur. In the cdc24 swe1 mutant, at the non-permissive temperature, multiple nuclei accumulated within the unbudded cell, with connected nuclear envelopes. Upon return to the permissive temperature, the cdc24 swe1 mutant initiated bud emergence, but only the nucleus spanning the neck underwent fission suggesting that the bud neck region is important for fission initiation. The neck may be critical for either mechanical reasons, as the contractile ring might facilitate fission, or for regulatory reasons, as the site of a protein network regulating nuclear envelope fission, mitotic exit, and cytokinesis. We also found that 77-85% of pairs of septin mutant nuclei completed nuclear envelope fission. In addition, 27% of myo1Δ mutant nuclei completed karyokinesis. These data suggested that fission is not dependent on mechanical contraction at the bud neck, but was instead controlled by regulatory proteins there. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Unstable fracture of nuclear pressure vessel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Urata, Kazuyoshi

    1978-01-01

    Unstable fracture of nuclear pressure vessel shell for light water reactors up to 1,000 MWe class is discussed in accordance with ASME Code Sec. XI. The depth of surface crack required to protect against the unstable fracture is calculated on the basis of reactor operating conditions including loss of coolant accidents. Calculated surface crack depth a is equal to tαexp(2.19(a/l)) where l is crack length and t is weld thickness. α is crack depth required to protect against the unstable fracture in terms of the ratio of crack deth to weld thickness for surface crack have infinite length. Using this α, the safety factor included for allowable defect described in Sec. XI and the effects of thickness is discussed. It is derived that allowable defect described in Sec. XI include the safety factor of two on the crack depth for crack initiation at postulated accident and the safety factor of ten for crack depth calculated from point of view of crack arrest at normal conditions. (auth.)

  18. Using New Fission Data with the Multi-detector Analysis System for Spent Nuclear Fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    A. V. Ramayya; A.V. Daniel (Joint Institute for Nuclear Research); C. J. Beyer (Vanderbilt Univ.); E. L. Reber; G. M. Ter-Akopian; G.S. Popeko; J. D. Cole; J. H. Hamilton; J. K. Jewell (INEEL); M. W. Drigert; R. Aryaeinejad; Ts.Yu. Oganessian

    1998-11-01

    New experiments using an array of high purity germanium detectors and fast liquid scintillation detectors has been performed to observe the radiation emitted from the induced fission of 235U with a beam of thermal neutrons. The experiment was performed at the Argonne National Laboratory Intense Pulsed Neutron Source. Preliminary observations of the data are presented. A nondestructive analysis system for the characterization of DOE spent nuclear fuel based on these new data is presented.

  19. Nuclear Fission Reactor Safety Research in FP7 and future perspectives

    CERN Document Server

    Garbil, Roger

    2014-01-01

    The European Union (ЕU) has defined in the Europe 2020 strategy and 2050 Energy Roadmap its long-term vision for establishing a secure, sustainable and competitive energy system and setting up legally binding targets by 2020 for reducing greenhouse emissions, by increasing energy efficiency and the share of renewable energy sources while including a significant share from nuclear fission. Nuclear energy can enable the further reduction in harmful emissions and can contribute to the EU’s competitive energy system, security of supply and independence from fossil fuels. Nuclear fission is a valuable option for those 14 EU countries that promote its use as part of their national energy mix. The European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (EGE) adopted its Opinion No.27 ‘An ethical framework for assessing research, production and use of energy’ and proposed an integrated ethics approach for the research, production and use of energy in the EU, seeking equilibrium among four criteria – access ...

  20. 60 years controlled nuclear fission: CP-1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    2002-01-01

    On December 2, 1942, the Chicago Pile 1 (CP-1) went critical for the first time. In this way, the scientists and engineers involved in the project under the leadership of Enrico Fermi succeeded in demonstrating that a self-sustaining nuclear reaction with nuclear fission processes was technically feasible. Only four years after the discovery and proof of nuclear fission by Otto Hahn, Fritz Strassmann, and Lise Meitner, the experiment consisting of graphite blocks as the moderator and uranium dioxide pellets as the fuel, as well as instrumentation and control devices, had been set up in the former squash court of the field and track stadium of the University of Chicago. Precisely at 3.36 a.m. Chicago time, after control rods had been withdrawn, the instruments showed the chain reaction by the neutron flux they indicated. An important cornerstone in the use of nuclear power had thus been laid. (orig.)

  1. Fission dynamics with systems of intermediate fissility

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    results concerning nuclear dissipation and fission time-scale obtained from several of these studies. In particular ... alent to the assumption that fission is delayed, namely, that the fission probability is not .... parameters to be adjusted on the experimental data. ..... (b) Time distribution of all fission events for the 132Ce nucleus.

  2. Dynamics of nuclear fission and heavy-ion reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nix, J.R.; Sierk, A.J.

    1979-01-01

    Large-amplitude collective motion in fission and heavy-ion reactions is studied by solving classical equations of motion for the time evolution of the nuclear shape. In the nuclear potential energy of deformation, the generalized surface energy was calculated by means of a double volume integral of a Yukawa-plus-exponential function, which was obtained by requiring that two semi-infinite slabs of constant-density nuclear matter have minimum energy at zero separation. The collective kinetic energy is calculated for nuclear flow that is a superposition of incompressible, nearly irrotational collective-shape motion and rigid-body rotation. Nuclear dissipation is included by means of the Rayleigh dissipation function, which depends upon the physical mechanism that converts collective energy into internal energy. For both ordinary two-body viscosity and a combined wall and window one-body dissipation, fission-fragment kinetic energies are calculated for the fission of nuclei throughout the periodic table and compare with experimental results. Finally, the one-body dynamics of nucleons inside a cylinder colliding with a moving piston is explicitly studied by solving exactly the collisionless Boltzmann equation for the distribution function. By examining the relative phases of the pressure at the piston and the piston's velocity, a dissipative force and an elastic restoring force can be separately identified. 9 references

  3. Seventy-five years of nuclear fission

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    technology can play such a vital role in a nation's development subsequently motivated ... fragments with a broad mass distribution is a unique nuclear phenomenon ... low energy and spontaneous fission of actinide nuclei and how these ...

  4. Nuclear Systems Kilopower Overview

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palac, Don; Gibson, Marc; Mason, Lee; Houts, Michael; McClure, Patrick; Robinson, Ross

    2016-01-01

    The Nuclear Systems Kilopower Project was initiated by NASAs Space Technology Mission Directorate Game Changing Development Program in fiscal year 2015 to demonstrate subsystem-level technology readiness of small space fission power in a relevant environment (Technology Readiness Level 5) for space science and human exploration power needs. The Nuclear Systems Kilopower Project consists of two elements. The primary element is the Kilopower Prototype Test, also called the Kilopower Reactor Using Stirling Technology(KRUSTY) Test. This element consists of the development and testing of a fission ground technology demonstrator of a 1 kWe fission power system. A 1 kWe system matches requirements for some robotic precursor exploration systems and future potential deep space science missions, and also allows a nuclear ground technology demonstration in existing nuclear test facilities at low cost. The second element, the Mars Kilopower Scalability Study, consists of the analysis and design of a scaled-up version of the 1 kWe reference concept to 10 kWe for Mars surface power projected requirements, and validation of the applicability of the KRUSTY experiment to key technology challenges for a 10 kWe system. If successful, these two elements will lead to initiation of planning for a technology demonstration of a 10 kWe fission power capability for Mars surface outpost power.

  5. Dynamical features of nuclear fission

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Wheeler underestimates several observables in heavy-ion-induced ... excitation energies, there may not be sufficient nuclei near the fission barrier after the .... Dissipation in nuclear dynamics in the mean-field regime accounts for the coupling of the .... barrier for different isotopes of Fr. The lines are drawn to guide the eye.

  6. Primary system fission product release and transport. A state-of-the-art report to the committee on the safety of nuclear installations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wright, A.L.

    1994-06-01

    This report presents a summary of the status of research activities associated with fission product behavior (release and transport) under severe accident conditions within the primary systems of water-moderated and water-cooled nuclear reactors. For each of the areas of fission product release and fission product transport, the report summarizes relevant information on important phenomena, major experiments performed, relevant computer models and codes, comparisons of computer code calculations with experimental results, and general conclusions on the overall state of the art. Finally, the report provides an assessment of the overall importance and knowledge of primary system release and transport phenomena and presents major conclusions on the state of the art

  7. Primary system fission product release and transport: A state-of-the-art report to the committee on the safety of nuclear installations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wright, A.L.

    1994-06-01

    This report presents a summary of the status of research activities associated with fission product behavior (release and transport) under severe accident conditions within the primary systems of water-moderated and water-cooled nuclear reactors. For each of the areas of fission product release and fission product transport, the report summarizes relevant information on important phenomena, major experiments performed, relevant computer models and codes, comparisons of computer code calculations with experimental results, and general conclusions on the overall state of the art. Finally, the report provides an assessment of the overall importance and knowledge of primary system release and transport phenomena and presents major conclusions on the state of the art

  8. Primary system fission product release and transport: A state-of-the-art report to the committee on the safety of nuclear installations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wright, A.L. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

    1994-06-01

    This report presents a summary of the status of research activities associated with fission product behavior (release and transport) under severe accident conditions within the primary systems of water-moderated and water-cooled nuclear reactors. For each of the areas of fission product release and fission product transport, the report summarizes relevant information on important phenomena, major experiments performed, relevant computer models and codes, comparisons of computer code calculations with experimental results, and general conclusions on the overall state of the art. Finally, the report provides an assessment of the overall importance and knowledge of primary system release and transport phenomena and presents major conclusions on the state of the art.

  9. Transfer-induced fission in inverse kinematics: Impact on experimental and evaluated nuclear data bases

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Farget, F.; Schmidt, K.H.; Clement, E.; Delaune, O.; Derkx, X.; Dijon, A.; Golabek, C.; Lemasson, A.; Roger, T.; Schmitt, C. [CEA/DSM-CNRS/IN2P3, GANIL, Caen (France); Caamano, M.; Ramos, D.; Benlliure, J.; Cortina, D.; Fernandez-Dominguez, B.; Paradela, C. [Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Rodriguez-Tajes, C. [CEA/DSM-CNRS/IN2P3, GANIL, Caen (France); Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Audouin, L. [Universite Paris-Sud 11, CNRS/IN2P3, Institut de Physique Nucleaire, Orsay (France); Casarejos, E. [Universidade de Vigo, Vigo (Spain); Dore, D.; Salsac, M.D. [Centre de Saclay, CEA, Irfu, Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Gaudefroy, L. [CEA DAM Ile-de-France, BP 12, Bruyeres-le-Chatel (France); Heinz, A. [Chalmers Tekniska Hoegskola, Fundamental Fysik, Goeteborg (Sweden); Jurado, B. [Universite Bordeaux, CENBG, UMR 5797 CNRS/IN2P3, Gradignan (France)

    2015-12-15

    Inverse kinematics is a new tool to study nuclear fission. Its main advantage is the possibility to measure with an unmatched resolution the atomic number of fission fragments, leading to new observables in the properties of fission-fragment distributions. In addition to the resolution improvement, the study of fission based on nuclear collisions in inverse kinematics beneficiates from a larger view with respect to the neutron-induced fission, as in a single experiment the number of fissioning systems and the excitation energy range are widden. With the use of spectrometers, mass and kinetic-energy distributions may now be investigated as a function of the proton and neutron number sharing. The production of fissioning nuclei in transfer reactions allows studying the isotopic yields of fission fragments as a function of the excitation energy. The higher excitation energy resulting in the fusion reaction leading to the compound nucleus {sup 250}Cf at an excitation energy of 45MeV is also presented. With the use of inverse kinematics, the charge polarisation of fragments at scission is now revealed with high precision, and it is shown that it cannot be neglected, even at higher excitation energies. In addition, the kinematical properties of the fragments inform on the deformation configuration at scission. (orig.)

  10. Dynamical chaos and induced nuclear fission

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bolotin, Yu L; Krivoshej, I V

    1985-01-01

    It is shown that the exponential instability of trajectories, which arises at negative curvature of the potential energy surface, leads to diffusion of the image point through the barrier and determines real time delays in induced nuclear fission.

  11. Hyperfission - a new mode of nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ion, D.B.; Ivascu, M.; Ion-Mihai, R.

    1988-02-01

    In this paper the nuclear hyperfission as a new mode of fission, possible for heavy elements with Z > 92, is investigated. The Q-systematics, hyperfissibility parameters, hyperfission barrier as well as the essential hindrance factors are presented. The hyperfission hindrance factor relative to that of fission is found to be in the interval 1.0x10 -17 - 3.4x10 -16 for the parent nuclei with Z = 92-108. (orig.)

  12. Laser Intertial Fusion Energy: Neutronic Design Aspects of a Hybrid Fusion-Fission Nuclear Energy System

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kramer, Kevin James [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

    2010-04-08

    having a packing fraction of 20% in 2 cm diameter fuel pebbles. The fission blanket is cooled by the same radial flibe flow that travels through perforated ODS walls to the reflector blanket. This reflector blanket is 75 cm thick comprised of 2 cm diameter graphite pebbles cooled by flibe. The flibe extraction plenum surrounds the reflector bed. Detailed neutronics designs studies are performed to arrive at the described design. The LFFH engine thermal power is controlled using a technique of adjusting the 6Li/7Li enrichment in the primary and secondary coolants. The enrichment adjusts system thermal power in the design by increasing tritium production while reducing fission. To perform the simulations and design of the LFFH engine, a new software program named LFFH Nuclear Control (LNC) was developed in C++ to extend the functionality of existing neutron transport and depletion software programs. Neutron transport calculations are performed with MCNP5. Depletion calculations are performed using Monteburns 2.0, which utilizes ORIGEN 2.0 and MCNP5 to perform a burnup calculation. LNC supports many design parameters and is capable of performing a full 3D system simulation from initial startup to full burnup. It is able to iteratively search for coolant 6Li enrichments and resulting material compositions that meet user defined performance criteria. LNC is utilized throughout this study for time dependent simulation of the LFFH engine. Two additional methods were developed to improve the computation efficiency of LNC calculations. These methods, termed adaptive time stepping and adaptive mesh refinement were incorporated into a separate stand alone C++ library name the Adaptive Burnup Library (ABL). The ABL allows for other client codes to call and utilize its functionality. Adaptive time stepping is useful for automatically maximizing the size of the depletion time step while maintaining a desired level of accuracy. Adaptive meshing allows for analysis

  13. Nuclear Dissipation from Fission Time

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gontchar, I.; Morjean, M.; Basnary, S.

    2000-01-01

    Fission times, pre-scission neutron multiplicities and GDR pre-scission γ-ray multiplicities measured for uranium or thorium nuclei formed with temperatures T ∼ 1.8 MeV have been compared with calculations performed with CDSM2, a two-dimensional dynamical model combined with a statistical one. Among the three experimental approaches considered, fission times give access to the most precise pieces of information on nuclear dissipation at high excitation energy. For the temperature range under consideration, an agreement between the model and data is achieved if one-body dissipation is used with a strength factor k red ∼ 0.45 ± 0.10 applied to the wall term for the mononuclear configuration. (authors)

  14. Insights into nuclear structure and the fission process from spontaneous fission

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hamilton, J.H.; Butler-Moore, K.; Ramayya, A.V. [Vanderbilt Univ., Nashville, TN (United States)] [and others

    1993-12-31

    The {gamma}-rays emitted following spontaneous and induced fission are rich sources of information about the structure of neutron-rich nuclei and about the fission process itself. The study of spontaneous fissioning isotopes with large Ge detector arrays are providing a wealth of such information as seen, for example, in recent reports. In this paper we present some of our most recent results on nuclear structure studies and conclusions on the fission process itself. In our work, we have employed in spontaneous fission, a triple gamma coincidence study for the first time and a high resolution, X-ray detector-{gamma}-coincidence study. These data provide powerful ways of separating the gamma rays which belong to a particular nucleus. The triple coincidence technique was used to uniquely identify the levels in {sup 136}Te and higher spin states in its N=84 isotones, {sup 138}Xe and {sup 140}Ba{sup 171}. Some other examples of the level structures observed in the low and high mass partners are presented, including a detailed analysis of the backbending of the moment of inertia in {sup 112,114,116}Pd. Finally, we present the first examples of how our analysis allows one to extract a detailed picture of the dependence of the angular momentum on the mass and atomic numbers of the fission fragments and of the long-sought neutron multiplicity distribution from zero-n to ten-n as a function of the charge and mass asymmetry.

  15. Continuous fission-product monitor system at Oyster Creek. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Collins, L.L.; Chulick, E.T.

    1980-10-01

    A continuous on-line fission product monitor has been installed at the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, Forked River, New Jersey. The on-line monitor is a minicomputer-controlled high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometer system. An intrinsic Ge detector scans a collimated sample line of coolant from one of the plant's recirculation loops. The minicomputer is a Nuclear Data 6620 system. Data were accumulated for the period from April 1979 through January 1980, the end of cycle 8 for the Oyster Creek plant. Accumulated spectra, an average of three a day, were stored on magnetic disk and subsequently analyzed for fisson products, Because of difficulties in measuring absolute detector efficiency, quantitative fission product concentrations in the coolant could not be determined. Data for iodine fission products are reported as a function of time. The data indicate the existence of fuel defects in the Oyster Creek core during cycle 8

  16. Nuclear fission with inertial confinement

    CERN Document Server

    Koshkarev, D G

    2002-01-01

    The possibility of initiating the explosive fission reaction in a small quantity of fissile material through the heavy ions beam from the powerful accelerator-driver, developed for realization of the thermonuclear synthesis in the deuterium-tritium cylindrical targets with the direct ignition, is considered. The consequences of applying this method in the nuclear engineering are discussed

  17. Fission product yield data for the transmutation of minor actinide nuclear waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2008-04-01

    A report issued by an international study group for the transmutation of nuclear waste using accelerator driven systems has highlighted the need for specific sets of nuclear data. These authoritative requirements include fission product yields at an intermediate incident neutron energy of up to 150 MeV. Before the start of the present CRP on fission product yield data for the transmutation of nuclear waste, only four types of evaluated fission yield data sets existed, namely for spontaneous fission, and for fission induced by thermal, fast (or fission) spectrum, and by 'high energy' (14-15 MeV) neutrons. A new type of evaluation for energy dependent neutron induced fission yields was required for this project. In view of the scarcity of experimental data, such an evaluation has to be based on systematics and theoretical model calculations. Unlike fission cross-sections, where nuclear models are being used successfully for the calculation of unmeasured cross-section ranges, such models or theories existed only for low energy fission yields. Hence the CRP participants entered a completely new field of research for which the progress and outcome were unpredictable. Clearly the ultimate goal of such an effort, namely an evaluation of energy dependent fission yields, could not be realized within the perceived lifetime of a CRP. The main emphasis of the CRP was on the development of adequate systematics and models for the calculation of energy dependent fission yields up to 150 MeV incident neutron energy. Several problems had to be solved, such as the correct choice of model parameters and multiplicity distributions of emitted neutrons, and the effect of multi-chance fission. Models and systematics have been tested for lower energy yields, but they failed to reproduce recent experimental data, particularly at higher energies, and the parameters had to be modified. Other models have been developed from the analysis of experimental data in order to derive systematic

  18. The nonlinear dynamics of a coupled fission system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bilanovic, Z.; Harms, A.A.

    1993-01-01

    The dynamic properties of a nonlinear and in situ vibrationally perturbed nuclear-to-thermal coupled neutron multiplying medium are examined. Some unique self-organizational temporal patterns appear in such fission systems and suggest a complex underlying dynamic. (Author)

  19. Balancing for Unstable Nonlinear Systems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Scherpen, J.M.A.

    1993-01-01

    A previously obtained method of balancing for stable nonlinear systems is extended to unstable nonlinear systems. The similarity invariants obtained by the concept of LQG balancing for an unstable linear system can also be obtained by considering a past and future energy function of the system. By

  20. Characteristic relation for the mass and energy distribution of the nuclear fission products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alexandru, G.

    1977-01-01

    The dispersion relation for nuclear fission is written in the two part fragmentation approach which allows to obtain the characteristic relation for the mass and energy distribution of the nuclear fission products. One explains the resonance approximation in the mass distribution of the fission products taking into account the high order resonances too. (author)

  1. Distribution of nuclear charge in the proton-induced fission of Th-232

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pate, B D [Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York (United States); Foster, J S; Yaffe, L [McGill Univ., Montreal, Quebec (Canada)

    1958-09-15

    A great deal of work has been done on the distribution of nuclear mass in the fission process. About the nuclear charge distribution less is known. Data exist on the distribution from the fission of U-235 with thermal neutrons and with 14 Mev neutrons. Data also exist for the fission of uranium by 170 Mev protons, of bismuth by 190 Mev deuterons, and of uranium, thorium and bismuth by 480 Mev protons, and there is fragmentary information from other systems. The present work was undertaken to investigate the changes that occur in the charge distribution from proton-induced fission of Th-232 as the bombarding energy is raised from 8 to 90 Mev, the maximum proton energy of the McGill synchrocyclotron. This energy range is of interest in view of the substantial changes observed in the mass distribution. Also in this interval a change presumably begins in the nature of the initial step in nuclear reactions, from simple compound-nucleus formation, to a mechanism of direct interaction with individual nucleons. Thus at the lower energies studied, excitation of the nuclei at the end of the first step of the reaction will be essentially monochromatic whereas at the higher end of the bombarding-energy range, a broad spectrum of excitation energies will be produced, with corresponding complexity of the reaction products observed. (author)

  2. Detector for gaseous nuclear fission products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kobayashi, Yoshihiro; Kubo, Katsumi.

    1979-01-01

    Purpose: To facilitate the fabrication of a precipitator type detector, as well as improve the reliability. Constitution: Gas to be measured flown in an anode is stored in a gas processing system. By applying a voltage between the anode and the cathode, if positively charged Rb or Cs which is the daughter products of gaseous fission products are present in the gas to be measured, the daughter products are successively deposited electrostatically to the cathode. The daughter products issue beta-rays and gamma-rays to ionize the argon gas at the anode, whereby ionizing current flows between both of the electrodes. Pulses are generated from the ionizing current, and presence or absence, as well as the amount of the gaseous fission products are determined by the value recorded for the number of the pulses to thereby detect failures in the nuclear fuel elements. After the completion of the detection, the inside of the anode is evacuated and the cathode is heated to evaporate and discharge the daughter products externally. This eliminates the effects of the former detection to the succeeding detection. (Moriyama, K.)

  3. A brief history of the ''Delayed'' discovery of nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holden, N.E.

    1989-08-01

    This year marks the Fiftieth Anniversary of the discovery of Nuclear Fission. In the early 1930's, the neutron was discovered, followed by the discovery of artificial radioactivity and then the use of the neutron to produce artificial radioactivity. The first experiments resulting in the fission of uranium took place in 1934. A paper which speculated on fission as an explanation was almost immediately published, yet no one took it seriously not even the author herself. Why did it take an additional five years before anyone realized what had occurred? This is an abnormally long time in a period when discoveries, particularly in nuclear physics, seemed to be almost a daily occurrence. The events which led up to the discovery are recounted, with an attempt made to put them into their historical perspective. The role played by Mendeleev's Periodic Table, the role of the natural radioactive decay chain of uranium, the discovery of protactinium, the apparent discovery of masurium (technetium) and a speculation on the reason why Irene Curie may have missed the discovery of nuclear fission will all be discussed. 43 refs

  4. R and D in Ciemat Nuclear Fission Department

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diaz, J. L.; Diaz Arocas, P.; Gomez Briceno, D.; Gonzalez de la Huebra Gordo, A.; Gonzalez Romero, E.; Herranz Puebla, L. E.; Sola Farre, R.

    2000-01-01

    The technologically developed countries count on nuclear fission as a durable energy resource to produce electricity, facing the future by establishing research programmes to enhance the safety and extend the lifetime of the current power plants and to achieve the adequate management of radioactive waste. At the same time, the progress in the development of a new generation of reactors based in innovative safety concepts. The Nuclear fission Department has the ultimate objective of providing technical support to the Spanish nuclear reactors through applied research and development focused on improving the safety and performance of the operating power plants, and cooperating in the activities related to radioactive waste. In this context, the Departament has been organised in four R and D project covering the areas of Safety, Materials, Radioactive. (Author)

  5. Development of atomic-beam resonance method to measure the nuclear moments of unstable nuclei

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sugimoto, T., E-mail: sugimoto@ribf.riken.jp [SPring-8 (Japan); Asahi, K. [Tokyo Institute of Technology, Department of Physics (Japan); Kawamura, H.; Murata, J. [Rikkyo University, Department of Physics (Japan); Nagae, D.; Shimada, K. [Tokyo Institute of Technology, Department of Physics (Japan); Ueno, H.; Yoshimi, A. [RIKEN Nishina Center (Japan)

    2008-01-15

    We have been working on the development of a new technique of atomic-beam resonance method to measure the nuclear moments of unstable nuclei. In the present study, an ion-guiding system to be used as an atomic-beam source have been developed.

  6. Sustainable, Full-Scope Nuclear Fission Energy at Planetary Scale

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert Petroski

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available A nuclear fission-based energy system is described that is capable of supplying the energy needs of all of human civilization for a full range of human energy use scenarios, including both very high rates of energy use and strikingly-large amounts of total energy-utilized. To achieve such “planetary scale sustainability”, this nuclear energy system integrates three nascent technologies: uranium extraction from seawater, manifestly safe breeder reactors, and deep borehole disposal of nuclear waste. In addition to these technological components, it also possesses the sociopolitical quality of manifest safety, which involves engineering to a very high degree of safety in a straightforward manner, while concurrently making the safety characteristics of the resulting nuclear systems continually manifest to society as a whole. Near-term aspects of this nuclear system are outlined, and representative parameters given for a system of global scale capable of supplying energy to a planetary population of 10 billion people at a per capita level enjoyed by contemporary Americans, i.e., of a type which might be seen a half-century hence. In addition to being sustainable from a resource standpoint, the described nuclear system is also sustainable with respect to environmental and human health impacts, including those resulting from severe accidents.

  7. Measurement of fission cross-section of actinides at n_TOF for advanced nuclear reactors

    CERN Document Server

    Calviani, Marco; Montagnoli, G; Mastinu, P

    2009-01-01

    The subject of this thesis is the determination of high accuracy neutron-induced fission cross-sections of various isotopes - all of which radioactive - of interest for emerging nuclear technologies. The measurements had been performed at the CERN neutron time-of-flight facility n TOF. In particular, in this work, fission cross-sections on 233U, the main fissile isotope of the Th/U fuel cycle, and on the minor actinides 241Am, 243Am and 245Cm have been analyzed. Data on these isotopes are requested for the feasibility study of innovative nuclear systems (ADS and Generation IV reactors) currently being considered for energy production and radioactive waste transmutation. The measurements have been performed with a high performance Fast Ionization Chamber (FIC), in conjunction with an innovative data acquisition system based on Flash-ADCs. The first step in the analysis has been the reconstruction of the digitized signals, in order to extract the information required for the discrimination between fission fragm...

  8. Porter-Thomas distribution in unstable many-body systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Volya, Alexander

    2011-01-01

    We use the continuum shell model approach to explore the resonance width distribution in unstable many-body systems. The single-particle nature of a decay, the few-body character of the interaction Hamiltonian, and the collectivity that emerges in nonstationary systems due to the coupling to the continuum of reaction states are discussed. Correlations between the structures of the parent and daughter nuclear systems in the common Fock space are found to result in deviations of decay width statistics from the Porter-Thomas distribution.

  9. Fission yeast cells undergo nuclear division in the absence of spindle microtubules.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefania Castagnetti

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Mitosis in eukaryotic cells employs spindle microtubules to drive accurate chromosome segregation at cell division. Cells lacking spindle microtubules arrest in mitosis due to a spindle checkpoint that delays mitotic progression until all chromosomes have achieved stable bipolar attachment to spindle microtubules. In fission yeast, mitosis occurs within an intact nuclear membrane with the mitotic spindle elongating between the spindle pole bodies. We show here that in fission yeast interference with mitotic spindle formation delays mitosis only briefly and cells proceed to an unusual nuclear division process we term nuclear fission, during which cells perform some chromosome segregation and efficiently enter S-phase of the next cell cycle. Nuclear fission is blocked if spindle pole body maturation or sister chromatid separation cannot take place or if actin polymerization is inhibited. We suggest that this process exhibits vestiges of a primitive nuclear division process independent of spindle microtubules, possibly reflecting an evolutionary intermediate state between bacterial and Archeal chromosome segregation where the nucleoid divides without a spindle and a microtubule spindle-based eukaryotic mitosis.

  10. Nuclear data in the problem of fission reactor decommissioning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Manokhin, V.N.; Kulagin, N.T.

    1993-01-01

    This report presents a review of the works published in Russia during last several years and devoted to the problem of nuclear data and calculations of nuclear facilities activation for fission reactor decommissioning. 6 refs

  11. Cement As a Waste Form for Nuclear Fission Products: The Case of (90)Sr and Its Daughters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dezerald, Lucile; Kohanoff, Jorge J; Correa, Alfredo A; Caro, Alfredo; Pellenq, Roland J-M; Ulm, Franz J; Saúl, Andrés

    2015-11-17

    One of the main challenges faced by the nuclear industry is the long-term confinement of nuclear waste. Because it is inexpensive and easy to manufacture, cement is the material of choice to store large volumes of radioactive materials, in particular the low-level medium-lived fission products. It is therefore of utmost importance to assess the chemical and structural stability of cement containing radioactive species. Here, we use ab initio calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) to study the effects of (90)Sr insertion and decay in C-S-H (calcium-silicate-hydrate) in order to test the ability of cement to trap and hold this radioactive fission product and to investigate the consequences of its β-decay on the cement paste structure. We show that (90)Sr is stable when it substitutes the Ca(2+) ions in C-S-H, and so is its daughter nucleus (90)Y after β-decay. Interestingly, (90)Zr, daughter of (90)Y and final product in the decay sequence, is found to be unstable compared to the bulk phase of the element at zero K but stable when compared to the solvated ion in water. Therefore, cement appears as a suitable waste form for (90)Sr storage.

  12. On the possibility of unified description of fission and collision of nuclei

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shigin, V.A.

    1978-01-01

    A system of two touching nuclei is comparatively stable against disintegration and fusion and unstable against chaotic nucleon exchange between the nuclei which can essentially change the size of the nuclei. These features of touching nuclei were used to suggest a fission mechanism involving production of a light nucleus (α particle) at the periphery of the compound nucleus, growth of the light nucleus caused by exchange of nucleons and subsequent disintegration into two nuclei. In this paper the potential relief of such a fission is presented. The life times of the system against disintegration, fusion, exchange by a nucleon and change of the nuclear sizes are estimated. It is shown that the behaviour of colliding nuclei after nearing is determined by the same potential relief and exchange by nucleons. Formation of the compound nucleus is explained due to transition of nucleons from one nucleus into another

  13. Separation of fission strontium from nuclear fuels by ammonium molybdatophosphate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hermann, A.

    1984-01-01

    The separation of fission strontium from solutions of prolonged cooled nuclear fuel has been performed using ammoniummolybdatophosphate (AMP) columns. The sorption mechanism of bivalent ions of AMP has been investigated by column and batch experiments. A pure ion exchange of Sr 2+ for two H + or NH 4 + ions has been established. Conditions for the sepasorption and elution of fission strontium and other fission products on AMP columns are described. (author)

  14. Determination of the fission coefficients in thermal nuclear reactors for antineutrino detection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Araujo, Lenilson M. [Coordenacao dos Programas de Pos-Graduacao de Engenharia (PEN/COPPE/UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Programa de Engenharia Nuclear; Cabral, Ronaldo G., E-mail: rgcabral@ime.eb.b [Instituto Militar de Engenharia (IME), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Anjos, Joao C.C. dos, E-mail: janjos@cbpf.b [Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Fisicas (CBPF), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Dept. GLN - G

    2011-07-01

    The nuclear reactors in operation periodically need to change their fuel. It is during this process that these reactors are more vulnerable to occurring of several situations of fuel diversion, thus the monitoring of the nuclear installations is indispensable to avoid events of this nature. Considering this fact, the most promissory technique to be used for the nuclear safeguard for the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons, it is based on the detection and spectroscopy of antineutrino from fissions that occur in the nuclear reactors. The detection and spectroscopy of antineutrino, they both depend on the single contribution for the total number of fission of each actinide in the core reactor, these contributions receive the name of fission coefficients. The goal of this research is to show the computational and mathematical modeling used to determinate these coefficients for PWR reactors. (author)

  15. Geology behind nuclear fission technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dhana Raju, R.

    2005-01-01

    Geology appears to have played an important role of a precursor to Nuclear Fission Technology (NFT), in the latter's both birth from the nucleus of an atom of and most important application as nuclear power extracted from Uranium (U), present in its minerals. NFT critically depends upon the availability of its basic raw material, viz., nuclear fuel as U and/ or Th, extracted from U-Th minerals of specific rock types in the earth's crust. Research and Development of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle (NFC) depends heavily on 'Geology'. In this paper, a brief review of the major branches of geology and their contributions during different stages of NFC, in the Indian scenario, is presented so as to demonstrate the important role played by 'Geology' behind the development of NFT, in general, and NFC, in particular. (author)

  16. Tables and figures from JNDC Nuclear Data Library of fission products, version 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ihara, Hitoshi

    1989-11-01

    The content of JNDC (Japanese Nuclear Data Committee) FP (Fission Product) Nuclear Data Library version 2 for 1227 fission products is presented in the form of tables and figures. The library is inclusive of evaluated decay data such as decay constant, Q-value, average energies of beta, gamma and internal conversion electron, spin-parity, branching ratio of each decay mode and fission yield. The neutron capture cross-sections are also contained for 166 nuclides. The mass number of the fission product nuclides ranges from A = 66 to A = 172. (author)

  17. Discovery of nuclear fission in Berlin 1938

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hilscher, D.

    1989-01-01

    The story of the discovery of nuclear fission, one of the most exciting stories of how a scientific puzzle was finally solved and how the scientists involved were blind to many obvious indications, is described. (author). 29 refs

  18. Theoretical nuclear fission: The evolution of the first fifty years

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Griffin, J.J.

    1989-01-01

    The evolution of the dynamical theory of nuclear fission is reviewed through four recognizable major phases. Its conceptual structure was from the outset shaped by the Bohr-Wheeler idea of the nucleus as a liquid drop. On the other hand, today's nuclear drop is a system which has under study repeatedly revealed remarkable and unexpected properties, especially with respect to the dependence of its energy upon its shape. Although some of these special properties arise from quantal effects, the theory of fission is still expressed largely in terms of classical dynamics. This situation leaves open the question whether our theoretical success flows entirely from physical truth or in part from the great phenomenological flexibility of the drop model. It leads one also to wonder whether in the next phase connections with the quantal many-body dynamics might finally find a firm place in the theory, and tie its predictions quantitatively to the deeper microscopic reality

  19. Low-energy nuclear fission and our understanding of the nucleus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hall, H.L.; Hoffman, D.C.

    1990-01-01

    The interactions between experimental discoveries in low-energy nuclear fission and the theoretical understanding of the structure of the nucleus are reviewed. The history of this synergistic relationship begins with the discovery of fission, the development of the liquid-drop model and the experimental evidence for magic numbers, continues through the development of the shell model, the experimental discovery of shape isomerism, the double-humped fission barrier the spontaneous fission half-life disaster, the discovery of symmetric mass division in spontaneous fission and theoretical treatments based on different paths to scission. It concludes with a brief review of current experimental and theoretical understanding of low-energy fission and the prospects for future developments. (author) 150 refs.; 5 figs.; 1 tab

  20. Feasibility study of applying the passive safety system concept to fusion–fission hybrid reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, Zhang-cheng; Xie, Heng

    2014-01-01

    The fusion–fission hybrid reactor can produce energy, breed nuclear fuel, and handle the nuclear waste, etc., with the fusion neutron source striking the subcritical blanket. The passive safety system consists of passive residual heat removal system, passive safety injection system and automatic depressurization system was adopted into the fusion–fission hybrid reactor in this paper. Modeling and nodalization of primary loop, partial secondary loop and passive core cooling system for the fusion–fission hybrid reactor using relap5 were conducted and small break LOCA on cold leg was analyzed. The results of key transient parameters indicated that the actuation of passive safety system could mitigate the accidental consequence of the 4-inch cold leg small break LOCA on cold leg in the early time effectively. It is feasible to apply the passive safety system concept to fusion–fission hybrid reactor. The minimum collapsed liquid level had great increase if doubling the volume of CMTs to increase its coolant injection and had no increase if doubling the volume of ACCs

  1. Influence of nuclear dissipation on fission dynamics of the excited ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    A stochastic approach to fission dynamics based on two-dimensional Langevin equations was applied to calculate the anisotropy of the fission fragments angular distribution and average pre-scission neutron multiplicities for the compound nucleus 248Cf formed in the $${16}$O+$^{232}$Th reactions. Postsaddle nuclear ...

  2. Proceedings of the specialists' meeting on interdisciplinary approach to nuclear fission 1998

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakagome, Yoshihiro

    1999-02-01

    One of the prominent features of nuclear fission phenomena distinguished from other reactions consists in its many-facet nature. This includes interesting problems in nuclear physics like stability and properties of transactinide and superheavy nuclei, macroscopic and microscopic effects in large-amplitude deformation process, partition of mass and energy at scission, formation of neutron-rich nuclei, neutron- and gamma-ray emission from highly excited states and so on. These aspects are intriguing not only from scientific point of view but also from technological one, because knowledge and understanding of the essential features of the phenomena forms the basis of application of nuclear energy. Physicists expect to obtain a deeper insight into fundamental problems in subjects such as relation between fission process and fusion of heavy-ions, statistical and dynamical processes in nuclear reactions, level structure and decay modes of highly-excited nuclei. On the other hand, there are still continued requests from scientists in nuclear engineering for more accurate data for transuranium nuclei and fission products, as well as for fundamental constants, like fission cross sections, multiplicity and spectra of prompt and delayed neutrons, and other physical quantities that are important in reactor physics. Studies on properties of neutron-rich nuclei are conducted under double interests: one from nucleosynthesis in the universe, another from nuclear incineration of fission products. We considered that these many-facet nature of the fission phenomena should be the central idea of the Specialists' Meeting itself. This implies that we intended to devise a common place where people from different fields encounter, discuss together, exchange ideas and hopefully find good suggestions for pursuing further studies. We are sure that such a meeting, really rare and unique in academic communities in our country, should serve to vitalize research activities relevant to fission

  3. Safety device for nuclear fission reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brownlee, M.L.

    1982-01-01

    A plurality of radially arranged and neutron absorbing baffles are stacked in vertical sets under the fuel core assemblies, and the whole enclosed in a bottle shaped containment vessel. The radially arranged baffles of each set extend vertically, and each set has double the number of baffles as the set above it in the stack. A melt-down of a fuel core assembly drops the fissioning nuclear fuel into the stacked sets of baffles, there, as it passes through, to be progressively divided, redivided and dispersed in smaller and smaller masses between the doubling number of baffles in safe fuel pellet size. Neutron absorbing containment prevents contamination of the environment and together with cooling means stops fissioning of fuel

  4. Nuclear data for neutron emission in the fission process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ganesan, S.

    1991-11-01

    This document contains the proceedings of the IAEA Consultants' Meeting on Nuclear Data for Neutron Emission in the Fission Process, Vienna, 22 - 24 October 1990. Included are the conclusions and recommendations reached at the meeting and the papers presented by the meeting participants. These papers provide a review of the status of experimental and theoretical data on neutron emission in spontaneous and neutron induced fission with reference to the data needs for reactor applications oriented towards actinide burner studies. The specific topics covered are the following: experimental measurements and theoretical predictions and evaluations of fission neutron energy spectra, average prompt fission neutron multiplicity, correlation in neutron emission from complementary fragments, neutron emission during acceleration of fission fragments, statistical properties of neutron rich nuclei by study of emission spectra of neutrons from the excited fission fragments, integral qualification of nu-bar for the major fissile isotopes, nu-bar total of 239 Pu and 235 U, and related problems. Refs figs and tabs

  5. Nuclear fission, chain reaction and criticality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reuss, Paul

    2016-01-01

    Criticality is, notably for nuclear reactors, the status which separates the case of a fission chain reaction which inexorably decays, from that of a reaction which grows faster and faster until a counter-reaction occurs. If this status is an objective in nuclear reactors, it must not be reached or exceeded in any case in other types of installations in which fissile materials are handled (fabrication, transports, nuclear fuel processing). The author proposes an insight into this notion of criticality, discusses elements of neutron science which allow the multiplication factor to be assessed, analyses accidental scenarios which may happen, and presents associated experiments and computation codes

  6. Thirty years of nuclear fission in Yugoslavia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pesic, M; Stefanovic, D [Boris Kidric Institute of Nuclear Sciences VINCA, Belgrade (Yugoslavia)

    1989-07-01

    Experimental nuclear reactor 'RB' in Boris Kidric Institute in Vinca is the first nuclear facility built in Yugoslavia in which the first Yugoslav controlled nuclear fission was achieved thirty years ago on April 26, 1958. Designed by Yugoslav scientist as a bare, natural uranium-heavy water critical assembly, the 'RB' reactor has survived a series of modifications trying to follow directions of contemporary nuclear research. The actual 'RB' reactor technical characteristics and experimental possibilities are described. The modifications are underlined, the experience gained and plans for future are presented. A brief review of reactor operation and experiments performed is shown. (author)

  7. Kilowatt-Class Fission Power Systems for Science and Human Precursor Missions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mason, Lee S.; Gibson, Marc Andrew; Poston, Dave

    2013-01-01

    Nuclear power provides an enabling capability for NASA missions that might otherwise be constrained by power availability, mission duration, or operational robustness. NASA and the Department of Energy (DOE) are developing fission power technology to serve a wide range of future space uses. Advantages include lower mass, longer life, and greater mission flexibility than competing power system options. Kilowatt-class fission systems, designated "Kilopower," were conceived to address the need for systems to fill the gap above the current 100-W-class radioisotope power systems being developed for science missions and below the typical 100-k We-class reactor power systems being developed for human exploration missions. This paper reviews the current fission technology project and examines some Kilopower concepts that could be used to support future science missions or human precursors.

  8. Some aspects of the nuclear fission process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Netter, F.

    1961-01-01

    In the following report one can find first a short general view on the present situation of our knowledge concerning the nuclear fission process, namely on the nucleus going through the saddle-point. Then there are some aspects connected with the excitation energy of the fissioning nucleus. The measurements made at Saclay on the fast neutron fission cross-section of U 233 , U 235 , Pu 239 , U 238 are described at the beginning of this work. It appears that for U 233 there is some characteristic shape modulation of the cross-section curve, in relation with the collective excited state of the deformed nucleus at the saddle-point. Good evidence of this is also given by the study of the relative fission rate with emission of long-range particles; it appears also that this ternary fission rate does not change substantially for neutron between thermal energy and 2 MeV, but that is very lower for the compound nucleus U 239 than for even-even compound nuclei. At the end there are some experiments on the strong 4,5 MeV gamma-ray originated by slow neutron absorption in U 235 . Time-of-flight device is used to establish that this 4,5 MeV gamma-ray seems mostly connected with radiative capture. (author) [fr

  9. Studies on the reaction mechanism of the muon induced nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mutius, R. von.

    1985-01-01

    The mass and energy distribution of the fission fragments after muon induced nuclear fission allows the determination of the mean excitation energy of the fissioning nucleus after muon capture. By the systematic comparison with a mass distribution of a corresponding reaction for the first time for this an accuracy of about 1 MeV could be reached. Theoretical calculations on the excitation probability in the muon capture allow in connection with the fission probability an estimating calculation of this energy. The experimental result represents by this a test criterium for the valuation of the theoretical calculation. The measured probabilities for the occurrence of radiationless transitions in the muonic γ cascade of 237 Np permit an indirect experimental determination of the barrier enhancement which causes the muon present during the fission process. The value found for this extends to 0.75+-0.1 MeV. A change of the mass distribution by the muon cannot be detected in the nuclides 235 U, 237 Np, and 242 Pu studied here. Only the mean total kinetic energy of the fission products is reduced in these three nuclides in the prompt μ - induced fission by 1 to 2 MeV. For this result the incomplete screening of the nuclear charge during the fission process is made responsible. A mass dependence of this reduction has not been stated. Because the muon has appearently no influence on the mass splitting it can be valied as nearly ideal particle in order to study the hitherto little studied dynamics of the fission process. (orig.) [de

  10. The discovery of nuclear fission and the responsibility of the scientist

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Staab, H.A.

    1989-01-01

    The history of the discovery of nuclear fission is placed in historical context and the responsibility of the scientists involved for the subsequent military uses is discussed. It is explained that the deep things in science are not found because they are useful; they are found because it is possible to find them. If Otto Hahn and his co-workers had not discovered nuclear fission someone else in the late 1930s or early 1940s would have done so. It was decisions outside science which set the course for the nuclear fission research once the basic principle had been understood. The question how far does the scientists responsibility extend for unknown and unintended consequences of research and for misuses of his findings by others is discussed. Scientists have a duty to understand the applications of their work and to warn of misuse or hazards, as did Otto Hahn. (UK)

  11. Design and Test Plans for a Non-Nuclear Fission Power System Technology Demonstration Unit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mason, Lee; Palac, Donald; Gibson, Marc; Houts, Michael; Warren, John; Werner, James; Poston, David; Qualls, Arthur Lou; Radel, Ross; Harlow, Scott

    2012-01-01

    A joint National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Department of Energy (DOE) team is developing concepts and technologies for affordable nuclear Fission Power Systems (FPSs) to support future exploration missions. A key deliverable is the Technology Demonstration Unit (TDU). The TDU will assemble the major elements of a notional FPS with a non-nuclear reactor simulator (Rx Sim) and demonstrate system-level performance in thermal vacuum. The Rx Sim includes an electrical resistance heat source and a liquid metal heat transport loop that simulates the reactor thermal interface and expected dynamic response. A power conversion unit (PCU) generates electric power utilizing the liquid metal heat source and rejects waste heat to a heat rejection system (HRS). The HRS includes a pumped water heat removal loop coupled to radiator panels suspended in the thermal-vacuum facility. The basic test plan is to subject the system to realistic operating conditions and gather data to evaluate performance sensitivity, control stability, and response characteristics. Upon completion of the testing, the technology is expected to satisfy the requirements for Technology Readiness Level 6 (System Demonstration in an Operational and Relevant Environment) based on the use of high-fidelity hardware and prototypic software tested under realistic conditions and correlated with analytical predictions.

  12. Otto Hahn (1944). Discovery of nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2003-01-01

    Otto Hahn (Frankfurt-on-Main, 1879-Gotinga, 1968) is the discoverer of nuclear fission, which awarded him the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1944. After leaving Germany during the Second World War to settle in the United Kingdom, he returned to this country as a renown figure

  13. Otto Hahn (1944). Discovery of nuclear fission

    CERN Document Server

    Hahn, Otto

    2003-01-01

    Otto Hahn (Frankfurt-on-Main, 1879-Gotinga, 1968) is the discoverer of nuclear fission, which awarded him the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1944. After leaving Germany during the Second World War to settle in the United Kingdom, he returned to this country as a renown figure.

  14. Fission and nuclear fragmentation of silver and bromine nuclei by photons of 1-6 GeV

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pinheiro Filho, J.D.

    1983-01-01

    The studies of fission and fragmentation of silver and bromine nuclei by Bremsstrahlung photons of 1.6 GeV energy range are presented. The Il ford-KO nuclear emulsion submitted to Bremsstrahlung beams in Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron (DESY) with total doses of 10'' equivalent photons, was used for nuclear fragment detection. The discrimination of fission and fragmentation events was done analysing angular distribution, range and angles between fragments. The results of fragment range distributions, angular distributions, distributions of angles between fragments, distributions of ratio between range, velocity distributions forward/backward ratio, cross sections of fission and fragmentation, nuclear fissionability and ternary fission frequency are presented and discussed. (M.C.K.)

  15. Nuclear data requirements for fission reactor neutronics calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Finck, P.

    1998-01-01

    The paper discusses current European nuclear data measurement and evaluation requirements for fission reactor technology applications and problems involved in meeting the requirements. Reference is made to the NEA High Priority Nuclear Data Request List and to the production of the new JEFF-3 library of evaluated nuclear data. There are requirements for both differential (or basic) nuclear data measurements and for different types of integral measurement critical facility measurements and isotopic sample irradiation measurements. Cross-section adjustment procedures are being used to take into account the simpler types of integral measurement, and to define accuracy needs for evaluated nuclear data

  16. Nuclear data for structural materials of fission and fusion reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goulo, V.

    1989-06-01

    The document presents the status of nuclear reaction theory concerning optical model development, level density models and pre-equilibrium and direct processes used in calculation of neutron nuclear data for structural materials of fission and fusion reactors. 6 refs

  17. Review of the book: Vasilenko, I.Ya. Toxicology of nuclear fission products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gordeev, K.I.

    2001-01-01

    Review on monograph of Vasilenko, I.Ya. Toxicology of nuclear fission (Moscow, Medicine, 1999) is presented. Data of longevity full-scale investigations during nuclear explosions on the Semipalatinsk test site are given. Classified, complex investigations into the effect of nuclear fission products mixtures on different kinds of laboratory animals are described, transfer of radiobiological researches to organism of man is scientific valid. The most complicate radiobiological problem of low dose is analyzed. The being investigated monograph contains unique scientific information and makes a heavy contribution in radiobiology [ru

  18. Mo-99 production by fission and future projections

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carranza, E.C.; Novello, A.; Bronca, M.; Cestau, D.; Bavaro, R.; Centurion, R.; Bravo, C.; Bronca, P.; Gualda, E.; Fraguas, F.; Giomi, A.; Ivaldi, L.

    2012-01-01

    Description of the I-131 and Mo-99 production process: The process starts with the irradiation of uranium-aluminum mini plates in the RA-3, Argentinean Reactor No.3, Ezeiza Atomic Center. In a nuclear reactor there is a constant flow of neutrons and when a neutron with proper energy impacts on a nucleus of U-235, it is absorbed at the same time generate an unstable configuration nuclear. For this reason, the nucleus formed is fission, getting two different atoms. Approximately 6% of the fissions produce Mo-99 and 3% produce I-131; the percentage remaining corresponds to formation of atoms without interest for use in medicine. In conclusion, the objective of the process developed in the Fission Plant, is starting from uranium mini plates, separate the Mo-99 and I-131 generated, the remaining elements formed. - Evolution of Mo-99 Production in the last 10 years: The Fission Mo-99 Plant Production begins routine production of Mo-99 in 1985, using targets made of uranium enriched at 90% U-235. In the 1990s, global concern regarding the use of highly enriched uranium, due to non-proliferation issues, caused the interruption of supply of nuclear material (HEU enriched at 90% of U-235). Following this, Argentina developed target based on low-enriched uranium (less than 20% U-235), becoming in 2002 the first country in the world to produce Mo-99 with LEU targets. From 2002 to date, the activity produced of Mo-99 has been tripled annually (author)

  19. Fission Surface Power Technology Development Update

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palac, Donald T.; Mason, Lee S.; Houts, Michael G.; Harlow, Scott

    2011-01-01

    Power is a critical consideration in planning exploration of the surfaces of the Moon, Mars, and places beyond. Nuclear power is an important option, especially for locations in the solar system where sunlight is limited or environmental conditions are challenging (e.g., extreme cold, dust storms). NASA and the Department of Energy are maintaining the option for fission surface power for the Moon and Mars by developing and demonstrating technology for a fission surface power system. The Fission Surface Power Systems project has focused on subscale component and subsystem demonstrations to address the feasibility of a low-risk, low-cost approach to space nuclear power for surface missions. Laboratory demonstrations of the liquid metal pump, reactor control drum drive, power conversion, heat rejection, and power management and distribution technologies have validated that the fundamental characteristics and performance of these components and subsystems are consistent with a Fission Surface Power preliminary reference concept. In addition, subscale versions of a non-nuclear reactor simulator, using electric resistance heating in place of the reactor fuel, have been built and operated with liquid metal sodium-potassium and helium/xenon gas heat transfer loops, demonstrating the viability of establishing system-level performance and characteristics of fission surface power technologies without requiring a nuclear reactor. While some component and subsystem testing will continue through 2011 and beyond, the results to date provide sufficient confidence to proceed with system level technology readiness demonstration. To demonstrate the system level readiness of fission surface power in an operationally relevant environment (the primary goal of the Fission Surface Power Systems project), a full scale, 1/4 power Technology Demonstration Unit (TDU) is under development. The TDU will consist of a non-nuclear reactor simulator, a sodium-potassium heat transfer loop, a power

  20. Nuclear Data on Unstable Nuclei for Astrophysics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, Michael Scott; Meyer, Richard A; Lingerfelt, Eric; Scott, J.P.; Hix, William Raphael; Ma, Zhanwen; Bardayan, Daniel W.; Blackmon, Jeff C.; Guidry, Mike W.; KOZUB, RAYMOND L.; Chae, Kyung YuK.

    2004-01-01

    Recent measurements with radioactive beams at ORNL's Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility (HRIBF) have prompted the evaluation of a number of reactions involving unstable nuclei needed for stellar explosion studies. We discuss these evaluations, as well as the development of a new computational infrastructure to enable the rapid incorporation of the latest nuclear physics results in astrophysics models. This infrastructure includes programs that simplify the generation of reaction rates, manage rate databases, and visualize reaction rates, all hosted at a new website http://www.nucastrodata.org

  1. The study of two, three and four dimensional nonlinear dynamics of nuclear fission reactors and effective parameters on its behaviour

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tajik, M.; Ghasemizad, A.

    2008-01-01

    In this research, new physical fission reactor parameters which have very sensitive effects on the qualitative behavior of a reactor, are introduced. Therefore, the two, the nonlinear dynamics of two, three and four dimensional, considering almost the effective parameters are formulated for describing nuclear fission reactor systems. Using both analytical and numerical methods, the stability and instability of the given dynamical equations and the conditions of stability are studied in these systems. We have shown that the two parameters of the mean energy residence time in fuel and coolant and also their ratios have the most qualitative effects on the dynamical behaviour of a typical nuclear fission reactor. Increasing or decreasing of these parameters from a captain limit can lead to stability or un stability in a given system

  2. Manual control of unstable systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, R. W.; Hogue, J. R.; Parseghian, Z.

    1986-01-01

    Under certain operational regimes and failure modes, air and ground vehicles can present the human operator with a dynamically unstable or divergent control task. Research conducted over the last two decades has explored the ability of the human operator to control unstable systems under a variety of circumstances. Past research is reviewed and human operator control capabilities are summarized. A current example of automobile directional control under rear brake lockup conditions is also reviewed. A control system model analysis of the driver's steering control task is summarized, based on a generic driver/vehicle model presented at last year's Annual Manual. Results from closed course braking tests are presented that confirm the difficulty the average driver has in controlling the unstable directional dynamics arising from rear wheel lockup.

  3. Ternary fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wagemans, C.

    1991-01-01

    Since its discovery in 1946, light (charged) particle accompanied fission (ternary fission) has been extensively studied, for spontaneous as well as for induced fission reactions. The reason for this interest was twofold: the ternary particles being emitted in space and time close to the scission point were expected to supply information on the scission point configuration and the ternary fission process was an important source of helium, tritium, and hydrogen production in nuclear reactors, for which data were requested by the nuclear industry. Significant experimental progress has been realized with the advent of high-resolution detectors, powerful multiparameter data acquisition systems, and intense neutron and photon beams. As far as theory is concerned, the trajectory calculations (in which scission point parameters are deduced from the experimental observations) have been very much improved. An attempt was made to explain ternary particle emission in terms of a Plateau-Rayleigh hydrodynamical instability of a relatively long cylindrical neck or cylindrical nucleus. New results have also been obtained on the so-called open-quotes trueclose quotes ternary fission (fission in three about-equal fragments). The spontaneous emission of charged particles has also clearly been demonstrated in recent years. This chapter discusses the main characteristics of ternary fission, theoretical models, light particle emission probabilities, the dependence of the emission probabilities on experimental variables, light particle energy distributions, light particle angular distributions, correlations between light particle accompanied fission observables, open-quotes trueclose quotes ternary fission, and spontaneous emission of heavy ions. 143 refs., 18 figs., 8 tabs

  4. Applications of nuclear data on short-lived fission products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rudstam, G.; Aagaard, P.; Aleklett, K.; Lund, E.

    1981-01-01

    The study of short-lived fission products gives information about the nuclear structure on the neutron-rich side of stability. The data are also of interest for various applications both to basic science and to nuclear technology. Some of these applications, taken up by the OSIRIS group at Studsvik, are described in the present contribution. (orig.)

  5. Chemistry of fission product iodine under nuclear reactor accident conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malinauskas, A.P.; Bell, J.T.

    1986-01-01

    The radioisotopes of iodine are generally acknowledged to be the species whose release into the biosphere as a result of a nuclear reactor accident is of the greatest concern. In the course of its release, the fission product is subjected to differing chemical environments; these can alter the physicochemical form of the fission product and thus modify the manner and extent to which release occurs. Both the chemical environments which are characteristic of reactor accidents and their effect in determining physical and chemical form of fission product iodine have been studied extensively, and are reviewed in this report. 76 refs

  6. 1: the atom. 2: radioactivity. 3: man and radiations. 4: the energy. 5: nuclear energy: fusion and fission. 6: the operation of a nuclear reactor. 7: the nuclear fuel cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2002-01-01

    This series of 7 digest booklets present the bases of the nuclear physics and of the nuclear energy: 1 - the atom (structure of matter, chemical elements and isotopes, the four fundamental interactions, nuclear physics); 2 - radioactivity (definition, origins of radioelements, applications of radioactivity); 3 - man and radiations (radiations diversity, biological effects, radioprotection, examples of radiation applications); 4 - energy (energy states, different forms of energy, characteristics); 5 - nuclear energy: fusion and fission (nuclear energy release, thermonuclear fusion, nuclear fission and chain reaction); 6 - operation of a nuclear reactor (nuclear fission, reactor components, reactor types); 7 - nuclear fuel cycle (nuclear fuel preparation, fuel consumption, reprocessing, wastes management). (J.S.)

  7. Fission fragment charge and mass distributions in 239Pu(n ,f ) in the adiabatic nuclear energy density functional theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Regnier, D.; Dubray, N.; Schunck, N.; Verrière, M.

    2016-05-01

    Background: Accurate knowledge of fission fragment yields is an essential ingredient of numerous applications ranging from the formation of elements in the r process to fuel cycle optimization for nuclear energy. The need for a predictive theory applicable where no data are available, together with the variety of potential applications, is an incentive to develop a fully microscopic approach to fission dynamics. Purpose: In this work, we calculate the pre-neutron emission charge and mass distributions of the fission fragments formed in the neutron-induced fission of 239Pu using a microscopic method based on nuclear density functional theory (DFT). Methods: Our theoretical framework is the nuclear energy density functional (EDF) method, where large-amplitude collective motion is treated adiabatically by using the time-dependent generator coordinate method (TDGCM) under the Gaussian overlap approximation (GOA). In practice, the TDGCM is implemented in two steps. First, a series of constrained EDF calculations map the configuration and potential-energy landscape of the fissioning system for a small set of collective variables (in this work, the axial quadrupole and octupole moments of the nucleus). Then, nuclear dynamics is modeled by propagating a collective wave packet on the potential-energy surface. Fission fragment distributions are extracted from the flux of the collective wave packet through the scission line. Results: We find that the main characteristics of the fission charge and mass distributions can be well reproduced by existing energy functionals even in two-dimensional collective spaces. Theory and experiment agree typically within two mass units for the position of the asymmetric peak. As expected, calculations are sensitive to the structure of the initial state and the prescription for the collective inertia. We emphasize that results are also sensitive to the continuity of the collective landscape near scission. Conclusions: Our analysis confirms

  8. A brief history of the Delayed'' discovery of nuclear fission

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Holden, N.E.

    1989-08-01

    This year marks the Fiftieth Anniversary of the discovery of Nuclear Fission. In the early 1930's, the neutron was discovered, followed by the discovery of artificial radioactivity and then the use of the neutron to produce artificial radioactivity. The first experiments resulting in the fission of uranium took place in 1934. A paper which speculated on fission as an explanation was almost immediately published, yet no one took it seriously not even the author herself. Why did it take an additional five years before anyone realized what had occurred This is an abnormally long time in a period when discoveries, particularly in nuclear physics, seemed to be almost a daily occurrence. The events which led up to the discovery are recounted, with an attempt made to put them into their historical perspective. The role played by Mendeleev's Periodic Table, the role of the natural radioactive decay chain of uranium, the discovery of protactinium, the apparent discovery of masurium (technetium) and a speculation on the reason why Irene Curie may have missed the discovery of nuclear fission will all be discussed. 43 refs.

  9. Fission Product Release from Spent Nuclear Fuel During Melting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Howell, J.P.; Zino, J.F.

    1998-09-01

    The Melt-Dilute process consolidates aluminum-clad spent nuclear fuel by melting the fuel assemblies and diluting the 235U content with depleted uranium to lower the enrichment. During the process, radioactive fission products whose boiling points are near the proposed 850 degrees C melting temperature can be released. This paper presents a review of fission product release data from uranium-aluminum alloy fuel developed from Severe Accident studies. In addition, scoping calculations using the ORIGEN-S computer code were made to estimate the radioactive inventories in typical research reactor fuel as a function of burnup, initial enrichment, and reactor operating history and shutdown time.Ten elements were identified from the inventory with boiling points below or near the 850 degrees C reference melting temperature. The isotopes 137Cs and 85Kr were considered most important. This review serves as basic data to the design and development of a furnace off-gas system for containment of the volatile species

  10. Monitoring and diagnostic system of fission product transport and release in nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kodaira, H.; Kondo, S.; Togo, Y.

    1983-01-01

    A monitoring and diagnostic system (MADS) of fission product (FP) transport and release in nuclear power plants (NPPs) is proposed and the conceptual design for MADS is studied. A MADS can be described in the most general way as a computer-based information processing system which takes in plant data, processes it and displays the results to the NPP's operating crew. A major concern for MADS is, however, not to evaluate general plant dynamics, but to monitor the distribution of whole radioactive materials such as FP, and to diagnose the plant state in the view of FP transport during the NPP's lifetime. Several functions demanded of MADS are: (a) during normal operation, to certify the fuel integrity and the effectiveness of the purification systems, (b) in an unusual event, to identify the event and to monitor the amount of FP release with accuracy, and (c) in case of a rare occurrence, to estimate the maximum potential release

  11. Nuclear fission: the tarnished star of our energy future

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1986-01-01

    The use of fission nuclear energy to fuel commercial electricity-generating facilities, once considered the answer to the world's energy dilemma, is facing serious financial problems and reduced demand. Although the technology to handle the necessary functions exists, construction errors and delays, extensive cost overruns, equipment malfunctions, operator errors, continual regulation and design changes, and concern about long-term wastes and their effects on the environment and human health are plaguing the industry. Research and development efforts continue worldwide to improve the technology in the areas of use and waste handling. Many people express the belief that nuclear fission is necessary to fill the void being created by the decline in availability of fossil fuels. This may be true without extensive efforts in conservation and the use of other energy forms. 26 references, 13 figures

  12. High-energy nuclear reaction mechanisms - fission, fragmentation and spallation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaufman, S.B.

    1987-01-01

    Measurements of the correlations in kinetic energy, mass, charge, and angle of coincident fragments formed in high-energy nuclear reactions have helped to characterize the processes of fission, fragmentation and spallation. For example, fission or fission-like two-body breakup mechanisms result in a strong angular correlation between two heavy fragments; in addition, the momentum transfer in the reaction can be deduced from the correlation. Another example is the multiplicity of light charged particles associated with a given heavy fragment, which is a measure of the violence of the collision, thus distinguishing between central and peripheral collisions. A summary of what has been learned about these processes from such studies will be given, along with some suggestions for further experiments

  13. Progress in fission product nuclear data. Issue no. 6

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lammer, G.; Lammer, M.

    1980-06-01

    This is the sixth issue of a report series on Fission Product Nuclear Data (FPND) which is published by the Nuclear Data Section (NDS) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The purpose of this series is to inform scientists working on FPND, or using such data, about all activities in this field which are planned, ongoing, or have recently been completed

  14. Qualitative and quantitative characteristics of fission products in spent nuclear fuel from RBMK-type reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adlys, G.; Adliene, D.

    2002-01-01

    Well-known empirical models or experimental instruments and methods for the estimation of fission product yields do not allow prediction of the behavior and evaluation of the time-dependent qualitative and quantitative characteristics of all fission products in spent nuclear fuel during long-term storage. Several computer codes were developed in different countries to solve this problem. French codes APOLLO1 and PEPIN were used in this work for modeling the characteristics of spent nuclear fuel in the RBMK reactor. The modeling results of qualitative and quantitative characteristics of long-lived fission products for different cooling periods of spent nuclear fuel, including 50-year cooling period, are presented in this paper. The 50-year cooling period conforms to the foreseen time of storage of spent nuclear fuel in CONSTOR and CASTOR casks at the Ignalina NPP. These results correlate well with evaluated quantities for the well-known yields of the nuclides and could be used for the compilation of the database for long-lived fission products in spent nuclear fuel from the RBMK-type reactor. They allow one to predict and to solve effectively safety problems concerning with long-term spent nuclear fuel storage in casks. (author)

  15. Development of Commercial-scale Fission Mo-99 Production System

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Seung-Kon; Lee, Suseung; Hong, Soon-Bog; Jang, Kyung-Duk; Park, Ul Jael; Lee, Jun Sig [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-10-15

    These days, worldwide {sup 99} Mo supply is not only insufficient but also unstable. Because, most of the main {sup 99}Mo production reactors are more than years old and suffered from frequent and unscheduled shutdown. Therefore, movement to replace old reactors to keep stable supply is now active. Under these conditions, KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) is developing LEU-based fission {sup 99}Mo production process which is connected to the new research reactor (Kijang New Research Reactor, KJRR), which is being constructed in Gijang, Busan, Korea. Historically, the most fission {sup 99}Mo producers have been used highly enriched uranium (HEU) targets so far. However, to reduce the use of HEU in private sector for non-proliferation, {sup 99}Mo producers are forced to convert their HEU-based process to use low enriched uranium (LEU) targets. Economic impact of a target conversion from HEU to LEU is significant. In this study, fission {sup 99}Mo process with non-irradiated LEU targets was presented except separation and purification steps. Pre- and post-irradiation tests of the fission {sup 99}Mo target will be done in 4th quarter of 2016. For the fission Mo production process development, hot experiments with irradiated LEU targets will be done in 4th quarter of 2016. Then, verification of the production process with quality control will be followed until the commercial production of fission {sup 99}Mo scheduled in 2019.

  16. The LOFA analysis of fusion-fission hybrid reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, Z.-C.; Xie, H.

    2014-01-01

    The fusion-fission hybrid energy reactor can produce energy, breed nuclear fuel, and handle the nuclear waste, etc, with the fusion neutron source striking the subcritical blanket. The passive safety system, consisting of passive residual heat removal system, passive safety injection system and automatic depressurization system, was adopted into the fusion-fission hybrid energy reactor in this paper. Modeling and nodalization of primary loop, passive core cooling system and partial secondary loop of the fusion-fission hybrid energy reactor using RELAP5 were conducted and LOFA (Loss of Flow Accident) was analyzed. The results of key transient parameters indicated that the PRHRs could mitigate the accidental consequence of LOFA effectively. It is also concluded that it is feasible to apply the passive safety system concept to fusion-fission hybrid energy reactor. (author)

  17. An optimized symbiotic fusion and molten-salt fission reactor system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blinkin, V.L.; Novikov, V.M.

    A symbiotic fusion-fission reactor system which breeds nuclear fuel is discussed. In the blanket of the controlled thermonuclear reactor (CTR) uranium-233 is generated from thorium, which circulates in the form of ThF 4 mixed with molten sodium and beryllium fluorides. The molten-salt fission reactor (MSR) burns up the uranium-233 and generates tritium for the fusion reactor from lithium, which circulates in the form of LiF mixed with BeF 2 and 233 UF 4 through the MSR core. With a CTR-MSR thermal power ratio of 1:11 the system can produce electrical energy and breed fuel with a doubling time of 4-5 years. The system has the following special features: (1) Fuel reprocessing is much simpler and cheaper than for contemporary fission reactors; reprocessing consists simply in continuous removal of 233 U from the salt circulating in the CTR blanket by the fluorination method and removal of xenon from the MSR fuel salt by gas scavenging; the MSR fuel salt is periodically exchanged for fresh salt and the 233 U is then removed from it; (2) Tritium is produced in the fission reactor, which is a much simpler system than the fusion reactor; (3) The CTR blanket is almost ''clean''; no tritium is produced in it and fission fragment activity does not exceed the activity induced in the structural materials; (4) Almost all the thorium introduced into the CTR blanket can be used for producing 233 U

  18. The MCEF code for nuclear evaporation and fission calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deppman, A.; Pina, S.R. de; Likhachev, V.P.; Mesa, J.; Arruda-Neto, J.D.T.; Rodriguez, O.; Goncalves, M.

    2001-11-01

    We present an object oriented algorithm, written in the Java programming language, which performs a Monte Carlo calculation of the evaporation-fission process taking place inside an excited nucleus. We show that this nuclear physics problem is very suited for the object oriented programming by constructing two simple objects: one that handles all nuclear properties and another that takes care of the nuclear reaction. The MCEF code was used to calculate important results for nuclear reactions, and here we show examples of possible uses for this code. (author)

  19. Theoretical analysis of knock-out release of fission products from nuclear fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamagishi, S.

    1975-01-01

    The knock-out release of fission products is studied theoretically. The general equations of knock-out release are derived, assuming that a fission fragment passing through the surface of nuclear fuels knocks out a local region of the surface with an effective thickness and an effective cross-sectional area. Using these equations, the knock-out release of fission gases is calculated for various cases. The conditions under which the knock-out coefficients (the average number of uranium atoms knocked out by one fission fragment) is obtainable are clarified by experiments on the knock-out release of fission gases. A method of determining the effective thickness and the effective cross-sectional area of a knock-out region is proposed. (Auth.)

  20. Nuclear fission discovered fifty years ago

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weis, M.

    1988-01-01

    Fifty years ago, Otto Hahn, Lise Meitner and Fritz Strassmann discovered the process of nuclear fission which, more than other scientific discoveries to date, profoundly has changed the world and continues to influence our life significantly: This discovery made the up to then incontestable physicists' view of the atom as an inseparable whole suddenly shatter to pieces. It has brought about the invaluable advantages of a peaceful utilization of nuclear energy, and at the same time put scientists in the position to build the most terrible weapon ever, threatening mankind and earth with complete destruction. All this certainly is reason enough to recall the scientists, their work and the spirit of the time. (orig.) [de

  1. Main orientations of the JRC nuclear fission programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haas, Didier

    2009-01-01

    Full text: The European Union has taken the lead in responding to climate change, announcing far-reaching initiatives from promoting energy efficient light bulbs and cars to new building codes, carbon trading schemes, the development of low carbon technologies and greater competition in energy markets. Nuclear energy remains central to the energy debate in Europe. One third of EU electricity is produced via nuclear fission, and eight new reactors are under construction. Traditionally non-nuclear countries are manifesting an interest in building nuclear power plants while the clock is ticking down on Belgium, Germany and the UK's decision to renew or close existing nuclear infrastructures. Sustainability in nuclear energy production is ensured in the medium term due to the large and diverse uranium resources available in politically stable countries around the world. The quantities available with high probability ensure more than hundred year of nuclear energy production. This extrapolation depends however on the forecast for the future nuclear energy production. The use of fast neutron breeder reactors would lead to a much more efficient utilisation of the uranium, extending the sustainable energy production to several thousands of years. The presentation will outline the fast reactors of the new generation currently being developed within the 'Generation IV' initiative. Broad conclusions of the presentation will be that: -There is a growing nuclear renaissance in Europe for good reason; - Nuclear energy is a green and sustainable option for Europe and indeed the world's energy needs; - Nuclear energy is a competitive energy that makes economic sense; - Nuclear fission reactors have a safety and environmental track record that is second to none, yet public misperceptions persist and must be tackled; - Waste management solutions exist while new developments hold great promise; - The evolution and promise of nuclear technologies must also be examined against the

  2. Method of fission product beta spectra measurements for predicting reactor anti-neutrino emission

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Asner, D.M.; Burns, K.; Campbell, L.W.; Greenfield, B.; Kos, M.S., E-mail: markskos@gmail.com; Orrell, J.L.; Schram, M.; VanDevender, B.; Wood, L.S.; Wootan, D.W.

    2015-03-11

    The nuclear fission process that occurs in the core of nuclear reactors results in unstable, neutron-rich fission products that subsequently beta decay and emit electron antineutrinos. These reactor neutrinos have served neutrino physics research from the initial discovery of the neutrino to today's precision measurements of neutrino mixing angles. The prediction of the absolute flux and energy spectrum of the emitted reactor neutrinos hinges upon a series of seminal papers based on measurements performed in the 1970s and 1980s. The steadily improving reactor neutrino measurement techniques and recent reconsiderations of the agreement between the predicted and observed reactor neutrino flux motivates revisiting the underlying beta spectra measurements. A method is proposed to use an accelerator proton beam delivered to an engineered target to yield a neutron field tailored to reproduce the neutron energy spectrum present in the core of an operating nuclear reactor. Foils of the primary reactor fissionable isotopes placed in this tailored neutron flux will ultimately emit beta particles from the resultant fission products. Measurement of these beta particles in a time projection chamber with a perpendicular magnetic field provides a distinctive set of systematic considerations for comparison to the original seminal beta spectra measurements. Ancillary measurements such as gamma-ray emission and post-irradiation radiochemical analysis will further constrain the absolute normalization of beta emissions per fission. The requirements for unfolding the beta spectra measured with this method into a predicted reactor neutrino spectrum are explored.

  3. Charged particle-induced nuclear fission reactions – Progress and ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    attracting the attention of the investigators right from the beginning of nuclear fis- ... the change from mass asymmetric division to symmetric division as A and N/Z values .... (a) Schematic of the fissioning nucleus showing the decision making.

  4. Computer code and users' guide for the preliminary analysis of dual-mode space nuclear fission solid core power and propulsion systems, NUROC3A. AMS report No. 1239b

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nichols, R.A.; Smith, W.W.

    1976-06-30

    The three-volume report describes a dual-mode nuclear space power and propulsion system concept that employs an advanced solid-core nuclear fission reactor coupled via heat pipes to one of several electric power conversion systems. The second volume describes the computer code and users' guide for the preliminary analysis of the system.

  5. Fission nuclear power prospects and its role in meeting global energy needs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Golan, S.

    1992-01-01

    Nuclear power currently makes an important contribution to world's energy requirements providing 17% of its electricity. But as global warming becomes of greater concern, many ask whether nuclear power can and should contribute more. The author, who is involved in the nuclear power enterprise for 35 years, tries to answer this question affirmative. He holds the view that: a) nuclear fission power is essential to meeting world's energy needs without unduly impairing the global environment; b) by possessing the required attributes discussed in this paper, nuclear fission power can be made societally acceptable; c) the industrialized world should accelerate LMFR deployment while fostering more convenient energy alternatives for the developing world; and d) the HTGR is unique in its ability to augment non-electricity energy needs and could become the technology choice of developing countries for nuclear electricity production. (author). 5 refs., 5 figs., 4 tabs

  6. ICENES '91:Sixth international conference on emerging nuclear energy systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-01-01

    This document contains the program and abstracts of the sessions at the Sixth International Conference on Emerging Nuclear Energy Systems held June 16--21, 1991 at Monterey, California. These sessions included: The plenary session, fission session, fission and nonelectric session, poster session 1P; (space propulsion, space nuclear power, electrostatic confined fusion, fusion miscellaneous, inertial confinement fusion, μ-catalyzed fusion, and cold fusion); Advanced fusion session, space nuclear session, poster session 2P, (nuclear reactions/data, isotope separation, direct energy conversion and exotic concepts, fusion-fission hybrids, nuclear desalting, accelerator waste-transmutation, and fusion-based chemical recycling); energy policy session, poster session 3P (energy policy, magnetic fusion reactors, fission reactors, magnetically insulated inertial fusion, and nuclear explosives for power generation); exotic energy storage and conversion session; and exotic energy storage and conversion; review and closing session

  7. Nuclear fission fragment excitation of electronic transition laser media

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lorents, D.C.; McCusker, M.V.; Rhodes, C.K.

    1976-01-01

    The properties of high energy electronic transition lasers excited by fission fragments are expanded. Specific characteristics of the media including density, excitation rates, wavelength, kinetics, fissile material, scale size, and medium uniformity are assessed. The use of epithermal neutrons, homogeneously mixed fissile material, and special high cross section nuclear isotopes to optimize coupling of the energy to the medium are shown to be important considerations maximizing the scale size, energy deposition, and medium uniformity. A performance limit point of approximately 1000 J/l in approximately 100 μs pulses is established for a large class of systems operating in the near ultraviolet and visible spectral regions. It is demonstrated that e-beam excitation can be used to simulate nuclear pumping conditions to facilitate the search for candidate media. Experimental data for the kinetics of a XeF* laser operating in Ar/Xe/F 2 /UF 6 mixtures are given. These reactor-pumped systems are suitable for scaling to volumes on the order of (meters) 3

  8. Lise meitner and her contribution to the discovery of nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dai Hongyi; Wang Shangwu

    1999-01-01

    Lise Meitner, a famous nuclear physicist in both theory and experiment, played a unique role and made outstanding contributions in the course of the discovery of nuclear fission reviewed. However, due to a variety of reasons, her great contributions were not recognized during her time

  9. Towards a microscopic description of the fission process

    CERN Document Server

    Goutte, H; Berger, J F

    2010-01-01

    One major issue in nuclear physics is to develop a consistent model able to describe on the same footing the different aspects of the fission process, i.e. properties of the fissioning system, fission dynamics and fragment distributions. Microscopic fission studies based on the mean-field approximation are here presented.

  10. Neutron analysis of a hybrid system fusion-fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dorantes C, J. J.; Francois L, J. L.

    2011-11-01

    The use of energy at world level implies the decrease of natural resources, reduction of fossil fuels, in particular, and a high environmental impact. In view of this problem, an alternative is the energy production for nuclear means, because up to now is one of the less polluting energy; however, the nuclear fuel wastes continue being even a problem without being solved. For the above mentioned this work intends the creation of a device that incorporates the combined technologies of fission and nuclear fusion, called Nuclear Hybrid Reactor Fusion-Fission (HRFF). The HRFF has been designed theoretically with base in experimental fusion reactors in different parts of the world like: United States, Russia, Japan, China and United Kingdom, mainly. The hybrid reactor model here studied corresponds at the Compact Nuclear Facility Source (CNFS). The importance of the CNFS resides in its feasibility, simple design, minor size and low cost; uses deuterium-tritium like main source of neutrons, and as fuel can use the spent fuel of conventional nuclear reactors, such as the current light water reactors. Due to the high costs of experimental research, this work consists on simulating in computer a proposed model of CNFS under normal conditions of operation, to modify the arrangement of the used fuel: MOX and IMF, to analyze the obtained results and to give final conclusions. In conclusion, the HRFF can be a versatile system for the management of spent fuel of light water reactors, so much for the possibility of actinides destruction, like for the breeding of fissile material. (Author)

  11. Mathematical model for the preliminary analysis of dual-mode space nuclear fission solid core power and propulsion systems, NUROC3A. AMS report No. 1239a

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grey, J.; Chow, S.

    1976-06-30

    The three-volume report describes a dual-mode nuclear space power and propulsion system concept that employs an advanced solid-core nuclear fission reactor coupled via heat pipes to one of several electric power conversion systems. Such a concept could be particularly useful for missions which require both relatively high acceleration (e.g., for planetocentric maneuvers) and high performance at low acceleration (e.g., on heliocentric trajectories or for trajectory shaping). The first volume develops the mathematical model of the system.

  12. The Commission's research action programme on the development of nuclear fission energy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1984-01-01

    For its 'Framework Programme 1984-1987' the Commission has defined the major goals for a European Scientific and Technical Strategy. One of the means to reduce the energy dependence of the Community, which is an important objective, is to favour the development of nuclear fission energy. As electricity production by nuclear reactors has reached industrial maturity, the Community activities are directed mainly to safety aspects, in order to ensure the protection of workers and the general public, against hazards linked to operations in the nuclear fuel cycle. A description of the main features of the five sub-programmes on nuclear fission energy is given below; these programmes are: reactor safety; nuclear fuels and actinides research; management of radioactive waste; safeguarding and management of fissile materials; decommissioning of nuclear installations. The research and development work is carried out either by the Commission's Joint Research Center or by organizations and companies of the Member Countries, with the Commission's financial support. (author)

  13. Study of transfer induced fission and fusion-fission reactions for 28 Si + 232 Th system at 340 MeV

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prete, G.; Rizzi, V.; Fioretto, E.; Cinausero, M.; Shetty, D.V.; Pesente, S.; Brondi, A.; La Rana, G.; Moro, R.; Vardaci, E.; Boiano, A.; Ordine, A.; Gelli, N.; Lucarelli, F.; Bortignon, P.F.; Saxena, A.; Nayak, B.K.; Biswas, D.C.; Choudhury, R.K.; Kapoor, R.S.

    2001-01-01

    and fusion-fission reactions. We have extracted the ratio of yield of transfer induced fission events to the singles yield of transfer products observed at grazing angle for different Z of ejectiles (PLF). It is seen that transfer induced fission yield increases with increasing Z transfer up to DZ = 4 and then becomes flat and starts to decrease for higher Z-transfers. This may indicate the onset of other processes which inhibit the fission; projectile break-up may be responsible for lowering the transfer of excitation energy and angular momentum to the fissioning system or the evaporation of charged particles may promptly reduce the excitation energy of the compound system which survive fission. This has been investigated looking at PLF in coincidence with protons, a particles, fission and target-like fragments. We have also analyzed the neutron energy spectra for the fusion-fission reaction obtained after correcting for the neutron detector efficiency. Fourteen laboratory neutron energy spectra for various fission-neutron correlation angles were simultaneously fitted with three moving sources. The results show a post- and pre-scission temperature of about 1.0 MeV and 2.24 MeV respectively, comparable to that observed in others low energy measurements and consistent with the compound nuclear excitation energy of 218 MeV, assuming a level density parameter a =A/8 MeV-1. (Author)

  14. Recoil release of fission products from nuclear fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wise, C.

    1985-01-01

    An analytical approximation is developed for calculating recoil release from nuclear fuel into gas filled interspaces. This expression is evaluated for a number of interspace geometries and shown to be generally accurate to within about 10% by comparison with numerical calculations. The results are applied to situations of physical interest and it is demonstrated that recoil can be important when modelling fission product release from low temperature CAGR pin failures. Furthermore, recoil can contribute significantly in experiments on low temperature fission product release, particularly where oxidation enhancement of this release is measured by exposing the fuel to CO 2 . The calculations presented here are one way of allowing for this, other methods are suggested. (orig.)

  15. Radiochemical studies on fission

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    1973-07-01

    Research progress is reported on nuclear chemistry; topics considered include: recoil range and kinetic energy distribution in the thermal neutron ftssion of /sup 245/Cm; mass distribution and recoil range measurements in the reactor neutron-induced fission of /sup 232/U; fission yields in the thermal neutron fission of /sup 241/PU highly asymmetric binary fission of uranium induced by reactor neutrons; and nuclear charge distribution in low energy fission. ( DHM)

  16. Fission yield data evaluation system FYDES

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Tingjin

    1998-01-01

    Taking account of some features of fission yield data, to do the fission yield data evaluation conveniently, a fission yield data evaluation system FYDES has been developed for last two years. Outline of the system, data retrieval and data table standardization, data correction codes, data averaging code, simultaneous evaluation code and data fit programs were introduced

  17. Multi-component nuclear energy system to meet requirement of self-consistency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saito, Masaki; Artisyuk, Vladimir; Shmelev, Anotolii; Korovin, Yorii

    2000-01-01

    Environmental harmonization of nuclear energy technology is considered as an absolutely necessary condition in its future successful development for peaceful use. Establishment of Self-Consistent Nuclear Energy System, that simultaneously meets four requirements - energy production, fuel production, burning of radionuclides and safety, strongly relies on the neutron excess generation. Implementation of external non-fission based neutron sources into fission energy system would open the possibility of approaching Multicomponent Self-Consistent Nuclear Energy System with unlimited fuel resources, zero radioactivity release and high protection against uncontrolled proliferation of nuclear materials. (author)

  18. Nuclear molecules in low energy fission of actinides?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pyatkov, Yu.V.; Pashkevich, V.V.; Tishchenko, V.G.; Unzhakova, A.V.; )

    2000-01-01

    A comparison is presented of the fine structure (FS) of the both energy-mass and energy-charge distributions of the fission fragments of thermal neutron induced fission of uranium in the data obtained at different spectrometers. Some peculiarities of the FS observed can be treated as a manifestation of two different types of collective vibrations of the fissioning system on its way to scission [ru

  19. Experimental approach to fission process of actinides

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baba, Hiroshi [Osaka Univ., Toyonaka (Japan). Faculty of Science

    1997-07-01

    From experimental views, it seems likely that the mechanism of nuclear fission process remains unsolved even after the Bohr and Weeler`s study in 1939. Especially, it is marked in respect of mass distribution in unsymmetric nuclear fission. The energy dependency of mass distribution can be explained with an assumption of 2-mode nuclear fission. Further, it was demonstrated that the symmetrical fission components and the unsymmetrical ones have different saddle and fission points. Thus, the presence of the 2-mode fission mechanism was confirmed. Here, transition in the nuclear fission mechanism and its cause were investigated here. As the cause of such transition, plausible four causes; a contribution of multiple-chance fission, disappearance of shell effects, beginning of fission following collective excitation due to GDR and nuclear phase transition were examined in the condition of excitation energy of 14.0 MeV. And it was suggested that the transition in the nuclear fission concerned might be related to phase transition. In addition, the mechanism of nuclear fission at a low energy and multi-mode hypothesis were examined by determination of the energy for thermal neutron fission ({sup 233,235}U and {sup 239}Pu) and spontaneous nuclear fission ({sup 252}Cf). (M.N.)

  20. Coupling of mass and charge distributions for low excited nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salamatin, V.S.; )

    2000-01-01

    The simple model for calculation of charge distributions of fission fragments for low exited nuclear fission from experimental mass distributions is offered. The model contains two parameters, determining amplitude of even-odd effect of charge distributions and its dependence on excitation energy. Results for reactions 233 U(n th ,f), 235 U(n th ,f), 229 Th(n th ,f), 249 Cf(n th ,f) are spent [ru

  1. Coulomb fission and transfer fission at heavy ion collisions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Himmele, G.

    1981-01-01

    In the present thesis the first direct evidence of nuclear fission after inelastic scattering of heavy ions (sup(183,184)W, 152 Sm → 238 U; 184 W → 232 Th; 184 W, 232 Th → 248 Cm) is reported. Experiments which were performed at the UNILAC of the Gesellschaft fuer Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt show the observed heavy ion induced fission possesses significant properties of the Coulomb fission. The observed dependence of the fission probability for inelastic scattering on the projectile charge proves that the nuclear fission is mediated by the electromagnetic interaction between heavy ions. This result suggests moreover a multiple Coulomb-excitation preceding the fission. Model calculations give a first indication, that the Coulomb fission proceeds mainly from the higher β phonons. In the irradiation with 184 W the fission probability of 232 Th is for all incident energies about 40% smaller that at 238 U. The target dependence of the Coulomb fission however doesn't allow, to give quantitative statements about the position and B(E2)-values of higher lying β phonons. (orig./HSI) [de

  2. Study on fission blanket fuel cycling of a fusion-fission hybrid energy generation system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, Z.; Yang, Y.; Xu, H.

    2011-01-01

    This paper presents a preliminary study on neutron physics characteristics of a light water cooled fission blanket for a new type subcritical fusion-fission hybrid reactor aiming at electric power generation with low technical limits of fission fuel. The major objective is to study the fission fuel cycling performance in the blanket, which may possess significant impacts on the feasibility of the new concept of fusion-fission hybrid reactor with a high energy gain (M) and tritium breeding ratio (TBR). The COUPLE2 code developed by the Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology of Tsinghua University is employed to simulate the neutronic behaviour in the blanket. COUPLE2 combines the particle transport code MCNPX with the fuel depletion code ORIGEN2. The code calculation results show that soft neutron spectrum can yield M > 20 while maintaining TBR >1.15 and the conversion ratio of fissile materials CR > 1 in a reasonably long refuelling cycle (>five years). The preliminary results also indicate that it is rather promising to design a high-performance light water cooled fission blanket of fusion-fission hybrid reactor for electric power generation by directly loading natural or depleted uranium if an ITER-scale tokamak fusion neutron source is achievable.

  3. An Inconvenient History: the Nuclear-Fission Display in the Deutsches Museum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sime, Ruth Lewin

    2010-06-01

    One of the longstanding attractions of the Deutsches Museum in Munich, Germany, has been its display of the apparatus associated with the discovery of nuclear fission. Although the discovery involved three scientists, Otto Hahn, Lise Meitner, and Fritz Strassmann, the fission display was designated for over 30 years as the Arbeitstisch von Otto Hahn (Otto Hahn’s Worktable), with Strassmann mentioned peripherally and Meitner not at all, and it was not until the early 1990s that the display was revised to include all three codiscoverers more equitably. I examine the creation of the fission display in the context of the postwar German culture of silencing the National Socialist past, and trace the eventual transformation of the display into a contemporary exhibit that more accurately represents the scientific history of the fission discovery.

  4. Some aspects of the nuclear fission process; Quelques aspects du processus de fission nucleaire

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Netter, F [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

    1961-07-01

    In the following report one can find first a short general view on the present situation of our knowledge concerning the nuclear fission process, namely on the nucleus going through the saddle-point. Then there are some aspects connected with the excitation energy of the fissioning nucleus. The measurements made at Saclay on the fast neutron fission cross-section of U{sup 233}, U{sup 235}, Pu{sup 239}, U{sup 238} are described at the beginning of this work. It appears that for U{sup 233} there is some characteristic shape modulation of the cross-section curve, in relation with the collective excited state of the deformed nucleus at the saddle-point. Good evidence of this is also given by the study of the relative fission rate with emission of long-range particles; it appears also that this ternary fission rate does not change substantially for neutron between thermal energy and 2 MeV, but that is very lower for the compound nucleus U{sup 239} than for even-even compound nuclei. At the end there are some experiments on the strong 4,5 MeV gamma-ray originated by slow neutron absorption in U{sup 235}. Time-of-flight device is used to establish that this 4,5 MeV gamma-ray seems mostly connected with radiative capture. (author) [French] Le present travail debute par un apercu de l'etat actuel de nos connaissances sur le processus de fission nucleaire, notamment sur le passage par le point-seuil. Puis sont evoques des aspects lies au niveau d'energie d'excitation auquel est porte le noyau qui subit la fission. Les mesures de sections efficaces de fission induite dans {sup 233}U, {sup 235}U, {sup 239}Pu et {sup 238}U par des neutrons rapides effectuees a Saclay sont decrites en premier lieu; elles font apparaitre pour {sup 233}U une ondulation caracteristique du role des etats collectifs d'excitation du noyau deforme au point-seuil. Des experiences sur la fission avec emission de particules de long parcours confirment cet aspect tout en demontrant que la frequence

  5. Measurement of fission track of uranium particle by solid state nuclear track detector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Son, S. C.; Pyo, H. W.; Ji, K. Y.; Kim, W. H.

    2002-01-01

    In this study, we discussed results of the measurement of fission tracks for the uranium containing particles by solid state nuclear track detector. Uranium containing silica and uranium oxide particles were prepared by uranium sorption onto silica powder in weak acidic medium and laser ablation on uranium pellet, respectively. Fission tracks for the uranium containing silica and uranium oxide particles were detected on Lexan plastic detector. It was found that the fission track size and shapes depend on the particle size uranium content in particles. Correlation of uranium particle diameter with fission track radius was also discussed

  6. Nuclear isomerism in fission fragments produced by the spontaneous fission of {sup 252}Cf; Isomerisme nucleaire dans les fragments de fission produits dans la fission spontanee du {sup 252}Cf

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gautherin, C

    1997-09-01

    This thesis is devoted to the study of the nuclear structure of neutron-rich nuclei, via the search of isomeric nuclear states. Neutron-rich nuclei were produced in the spontaneous fission of {sup 252}Cf. The experimental study of isomeric states in these nuclei was performed with the {gamma}-array EUROGAM II, coupled to an additional and original fission fragment detector composed by photovoltaic cells, SAPhIR. The photovoltaic cells are well adapted to detect low energy heavy ions and have good energy and time resolutions to obtain a good fission fragment detection. This experiment led to the discovery of new isomeric states in {sup 135}Xe, {sup 104}Mo, {sup 146,147,148}Ce and {sup 152,154,156}Nd, with lifetimes between 60 ns and 2 {mu}s. Level schemes of these nuclei have been completed. An interpretation of the isomeric states in the nuclei {sup 154,156}Nd and {sup 156,158}Sm was performed by Hartree-Fock-Bogolyubov calculations using the DIS Gogny force with two quasi-particles excitations. The confrontation with the experimental results led to an interpretation of these isomeric states as K-isomers. (author)

  7. On the Velocity of Moving Relativistic Unstable Quantum Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Urbanowski

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We study properties of moving relativistic quantum unstable systems. We show that in contrast to the properties of classical particles and quantum stable objects the velocity of freely moving relativistic quantum unstable systems cannot be constant in time. We show that this new quantum effect results from the fundamental principles of the quantum theory and physics: it is a consequence of the principle of conservation of energy and of the fact that the mass of the quantum unstable system is not defined. This effect can affect the form of the decay law of moving relativistic quantum unstable systems.

  8. Reprocessing free nuclear fuel production via fusion fission hybrids

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kotschenreuther, Mike, E-mail: mtk@mail.utexas.edu [Intitute for Fusion Studies, University of Texas at Austin (United States); Valanju, Prashant; Mahajan, Swadesh [Intitute for Fusion Studies, University of Texas at Austin (United States)

    2012-05-15

    Fusion fission hybrids, driven by a copious source of fusion neutrons can open qualitatively 'new' cycles for transmuting nuclear fertile material into fissile fuel. A totally reprocessing-free (ReFree) Th{sup 232}-U{sup 233} conversion fuel cycle is presented. Virgin fertile fuel rods are exposed to neutrons in the hybrid, and burned in a traditional light water reactor, without ever violating the integrity of the fuel rods. Throughout this cycle (during breeding in the hybrid, transport, as well as burning of the fissile fuel in a water reactor) the fissile fuel remains a part of a bulky, countable, ThO{sub 2} matrix in cladding, protected by the radiation field of all fission products. This highly proliferation-resistant mode of fuel production, as distinct from a reprocessing dominated path via fast breeder reactors (FBR), can bring great acceptability to the enterprise of nuclear fuel production, and insure that scarcity of naturally available U{sup 235} fuel does not throttle expansion of nuclear energy. It also provides a reprocessing free path to energy security for many countries. Ideas and innovations responsible for the creation of a high intensity neutron source are also presented.

  9. Reprocessing free nuclear fuel production via fusion fission hybrids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kotschenreuther, Mike; Valanju, Prashant; Mahajan, Swadesh

    2012-01-01

    Fusion fission hybrids, driven by a copious source of fusion neutrons can open qualitatively “new” cycles for transmuting nuclear fertile material into fissile fuel. A totally reprocessing-free (ReFree) Th 232 –U 233 conversion fuel cycle is presented. Virgin fertile fuel rods are exposed to neutrons in the hybrid, and burned in a traditional light water reactor, without ever violating the integrity of the fuel rods. Throughout this cycle (during breeding in the hybrid, transport, as well as burning of the fissile fuel in a water reactor) the fissile fuel remains a part of a bulky, countable, ThO 2 matrix in cladding, protected by the radiation field of all fission products. This highly proliferation-resistant mode of fuel production, as distinct from a reprocessing dominated path via fast breeder reactors (FBR), can bring great acceptability to the enterprise of nuclear fuel production, and insure that scarcity of naturally available U 235 fuel does not throttle expansion of nuclear energy. It also provides a reprocessing free path to energy security for many countries. Ideas and innovations responsible for the creation of a high intensity neutron source are also presented.

  10. Delayed fission

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hatsukawa, Yuichi [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

    1997-07-01

    Delayed fission is a nuclear decay process that couples {beta} decay and fission. In the delayed fission process, a parent nucleus undergoes {beta} decay and thereby populates excited states in the daughter. If these states are of energies comparable to or greater than the fission barrier of the daughter, then fission may compete with other decay modes of the excited states in the daughter. In this paper, mechanism and some experiments of the delayed fission will be discussed. (author)

  11. Metrology for New Generation Nuclear Power Plants - MetroFission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johansson, Lena; Dinsdale, Alan; Keightley, John; Filtz, Jean-Remy; Hay, Bruno; DeFelice, Pierino; Sadli, Mohamed; Plompen, Arjan; Heyse, Jan; Pomme, Stefaan; Cassette, Philippe

    2013-06-01

    containment materials have also been reviewed and new data assessed to represent the interaction between them and the Na coolant, in order to permit calculation of phase and chemical equilibria for severe accident scenarios. Reference metrological facilities and methods have been developed or improved for the measurements of normal spectral emissivity and specific heat up to 1500 deg. C, and thermal diffusivity up to 2000 deg. C. The following actions were notably performed: - Development of two complementary facilities based on different metrological approaches by PTB and LNE for the measurement of emissivity of solid materials at high temperature. - Modification of the LNE diffusivimeter with the development and integration of a specific inductive furnace, and the adaptation of the associated IR detection systems. These facilities have now been used for the measurement of thermophysical properties of some materials. Advantage has been taken of National Measurement Institutes experience in neutron fluence measurements to improve high-energy cross-section measurements. A secondary fluence standard has been established and used to determine the cross sections of actual interest improving nuclear data standards in the form of reduced measurement uncertainties. The heavier actinides and their decay products have a role in the future development and adoption of nuclear power plants in whose fuels they will be present in controlled amounts. An objective of the MetroFission project was to measure the alpha particle emission probabilities of 238 U with certified isotopic composition. The nuclear data from alpha spectrometry of 238 U sources has been successful, obtaining data that will be provided to the international community and that further lower the uncertainties of the nuclear data. The quality of the alpha spectrum measurement, in terms of energy resolution and peak tailing of the 238 U alpha spectra, was significantly better than in any previous measurement. Fission

  12. Nuclear fission and the transuranium elements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seaborg, G.T.

    1989-02-01

    Many of the transuranium elements are produced and isolated in large quantities through the use of neutrons furnished by nuclear fission reactions: plutonium (atomic number 94) in ton quantities; neptunium (93), americium (95), and curium (96) in kilogram quantities; berkelium (97) in 100 milligram quantities; californium (98) in gram quantities; and einsteinium (99) in milligram quantities. Transuranium isotopes have found many practical applications---as nuclear fuel for the large-scale generation of electricity, as compact, long-lived power sources for use in space exploration, as means for diagnosis and treatment in the medical area, and as tools in numerous industrial processes. Of particular interest is the unusual chemistry and impact of these heaviest elements on the periodic table. This account will feature these aspects. 9 refs., 5 figs

  13. Nuclear fission and the transuranium elements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Seaborg, G.T.

    1989-02-01

    Many of the transuranium elements are produced and isolated in large quantities through the use of neutrons furnished by nuclear fission reactions: plutonium (atomic number 94) in ton quantities; neptunium (93), americium (95), and curium (96) in kilogram quantities; berkelium (97) in 100 milligram quantities; californium (98) in gram quantities; and einsteinium (99) in milligram quantities. Transuranium isotopes have found many practical applications---as nuclear fuel for the large-scale generation of electricity, as compact, long-lived power sources for use in space exploration, as means for diagnosis and treatment in the medical area, and as tools in numerous industrial processes. Of particular interest is the unusual chemistry and impact of these heaviest elements on the periodic table. This account will feature these aspects. 9 refs., 5 figs.

  14. Crisis-induced unstable dimension variability in a dynamical system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kubo, Geraldo T.; Viana, Ricardo L.; Lopes, Sergio R.; Grebogi, Celso

    2008-01-01

    Unstable dimension variability is an extreme form of non-hyperbolic behavior in chaotic systems whose attractors have periodic orbits with a different number of unstable directions. We propose a new mechanism for the onset of unstable dimension variability based on an interior crisis, or a collision between a chaotic attractor and an unstable periodic orbit. We give a physical example by considering a high-dimensional dissipative physical system driven by impulsive periodic forcing

  15. Radiochemistry and the Study of Fission

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rundberg, Robert S. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

    2016-11-14

    These are slides from a lecture given at UC Berkeley. Radiochemistry has been used to study fission since its discovery. Radiochemical methods are used to determine cumulative mass yields. These measurements have led to the two-mode fission hypothesis to model the neutron energy dependence of fission product yields. Fission product yields can be used for the nuclear forensics of nuclear explosions. The mass yield curve depends on both the fuel and the neutron spectrum of a device. Recent studies have shown that the nuclear structure of the compound nucleus can affect the mass yield distribution. The following topics are covered: In the beginning: the discovery of fission; forensics using fission products: what can be learned from fission products, definitions of R-values and Q-values, fission bases, K-factors and fission chambers, limitations; the neutron energy dependence of the mass yield distribution (the two mode fission hypothesis); the influence of nuclear structure on the mass yield distribution. In summary: Radiochemistry has been used to study fission since its discovery. Radiochemical measurement of fission product yields have provided the highest precision data for developing fission models and for nuclear forensics. The two-mode fission hypothesis provides a description of the neutron energy dependence of the mass yield curve. However, data is still rather sparse and more work is needed near second and third chance fission. Radiochemical measurements have provided evidence for the importance of nuclear states in the compound nucleus in predicting the mass yield curve in the resonance region.

  16. Radiochemistry and the Study of Fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rundberg, Robert S.

    2016-01-01

    These are slides from a lecture given at UC Berkeley. Radiochemistry has been used to study fission since its discovery. Radiochemical methods are used to determine cumulative mass yields. These measurements have led to the two-mode fission hypothesis to model the neutron energy dependence of fission product yields. Fission product yields can be used for the nuclear forensics of nuclear explosions. The mass yield curve depends on both the fuel and the neutron spectrum of a device. Recent studies have shown that the nuclear structure of the compound nucleus can affect the mass yield distribution. The following topics are covered: In the beginning: the discovery of fission; forensics using fission products: what can be learned from fission products, definitions of R-values and Q-values, fission bases, K-factors and fission chambers, limitations; the neutron energy dependence of the mass yield distribution (the two mode fission hypothesis); the influence of nuclear structure on the mass yield distribution. In summary: Radiochemistry has been used to study fission since its discovery. Radiochemical measurement of fission product yields have provided the highest precision data for developing fission models and for nuclear forensics. The two-mode fission hypothesis provides a description of the neutron energy dependence of the mass yield curve. However, data is still rather sparse and more work is needed near second and third chance fission. Radiochemical measurements have provided evidence for the importance of nuclear states in the compound nucleus in predicting the mass yield curve in the resonance region.

  17. Nuclear energy: fusion and fission - From the atomic nucleus to energy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2002-09-01

    Matter is made up of atoms. In 1912, the English physicist Ernest Rutherford (who had shown that the atom had a nucleus), and the Danish physicist Niels Bohr developed a model in which the atom was made up of a positively charged nucleus surrounded by a cloud of electrons. In 1913, Rutherford discovered the proton, and in 1932, the English physicist Chadwick discovered the neutron. In 1938, Hahn and Strassmann discovered spontaneous fission and the French physicist Frederic Joliot-Curie, assisted by Lew Kowarski and Hans Von Halban, showed in 1939 that splitting uranium nuclei caused an intense release of heat. The discovery of the chain reaction would enable the exploitation of nuclear energy. 'It was the Second World War leaders who, by encouraging research for military purposes, contributed to the development of nuclear energy'. During the Second World War, from 1939 to 1945, studies of fission continued in the United States, with the participation of emigre physicists. The Manhattan project was launched, the aim of which was to provide the country with a nuclear weapon (used at Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945). After the war ended, research into energy production by the nuclear fission reaction continued for civil purposes. CEA (the French Atomic Energy Commission) was set up in France in 1945 under the impetus of General de Gaulle. This public research body is responsible for giving France mastery of the atom in the research, health, energy, industrial, safety and defense sectors. (authors)

  18. Fission products collecting devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsumoto, Hiroshi

    1979-01-01

    Purpose: To enable fission products trap with no contamination to coolants and cover gas by the provision of a fission products trap above the upper part of a nuclear power plant. Constitution: Upon fuel failures in a reactor core, nuclear fission products leak into coolants and move along the flow of the coolants to the coolants above the reactor core. The fission products are collected in a trap container and guided along a pipeline into fission products detector. The fission products detector monitors the concentration of the fission products and opens the downstream valve of the detector when a predetermined concentration of the fission products is detected to introduce the fission products into a waste gas processing device and release them through the exhaust pipe. (Seki, T.)

  19. Prompt muon-induced fission: A probe for nuclear friction in large-amplitude collective motion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oberacker, V.E.; Umar, A.S.; Wells, J.C.; Strayer, M.R.; Maruhn, J.A.; Reinhard, P.G.

    1998-01-01

    Excited muonic atoms in the actinide region may induce prompt fission by inverse internal conversion, i.e. the excitation energy of the muonic atom is transferred to the nucleus. The authors solve the time dependent Dirac equation for the muonic spinor wave function in the Coulomb field of the fissioning nucleus on a 3-dimensional lattice and demonstrate that the muon attachment probability to the light fission fragment is a measure of the nuclear energy dissipation between the outer fission barrier and the scission point

  20. Measurement of delayed neutron-emitting fission products in nuclear reactor coolant water during reactor operation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1981-01-01

    The method covers the detection and measurement of delayed neutron-emitting fission products contained in nuclear reactor coolant water while the reactor is operating. The method is limited to the measurement of the delayed neutron-emitting bromine isotope of mass 87 and the delayed neutron-emitting iodine isotope of mass 137. The other delayed neutron-emitting fission products cannot be accurately distinguished from nitrogen 17, which is formed under some reactor conditions by neutron irradiation of the coolant water molecules. The method includes a description of significance, measurement variables, interferences, apparatus, sampling, calibration, standardization, sample measurement procedures, system efficiency determination, calculations, and precision

  1. Preparation of a primary target for the production of fission products in a nuclear reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arino, H.; Cosolito, F.J.; George, K.D.; Thornton, A.K.

    1976-01-01

    A primary target for the production of fission products in a nuclear reactor, such as uranium or plutonium fission products, is comprised of an enclosed, cylindrical vessel, preferably comprised of stainless steel, having a thin, continuous, uniform layer of fissionable material, integrally bonded to its inner walls and a port permitting access to the interior of the vessel. A process is also provided for depositing uranium material on to the inner walls of the vessel. Upon irradiation of the target with neutrons from a nuclear reactor, radioactive fission products, such as molybdenum-99, are formed, and thereafter separated from the target by the introduction of an acidic solution through the port to dissolve the irradiated inner layer. The irradiation and dissolution are thus effected in the same vessel without the necessity of transferring the fissionable material and fission products to a separate chemical reactor. Subsequently, the desired isotopes are extracted and purified. Molybdenum-99 decays to technetium-99m which is a valuable medical diagnostic radioisotope. 3 claims, 1 drawing figure

  2. Nuclear inertia for fission in a generalized cranking model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kunz, J.; Nix, J.R.

    1984-01-01

    The Inglis cranking model has been widely used to calculate the nuclear inertia associated with collective degrees of freedom. After the inclusion of pairing correlations, theoretical results obtained with the cranking model for nuclear rotations and γ-vibrations were in relatively good agreement with experimental data. Calculations of β-vibrational inertias were also performed in the cranking model for fission deformations. Theoretical results were several times the irrotational values and gave reasonable agreement with experimental spontaneous-fission lifetimes, although in one study a renormalization factor of 0.8 was required. However, as pointed out by many authors, the Inglis cranking model possesses two serious deficiencies. First, problems arise when the single-particle potential contains momentum-dependence terms. Second, in the limit of large pairing strength the inertia approaches zero instead of a finite (irrotational) limit. Alternative approaches to the cranking model which did not lead to such unacceptable results were developed by Migdal, Belyaev and Thouless and Valatin. They showed that these deficiencies of the cranking model are due to a lack of self-consistency, since the reaction of the mean field to the collective motion is neglected in the Inglis model. Previously we used their arguments and developed a generalized cranking model for stationary collective motion. Here it is shown how to develop a time-dependent formalism appropriate to β-vibrations and fission. 10 references

  3. Fission energy program of the US Department of Energy, FY 1981

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1980-03-01

    Information is presented concerning the National Energy Plan and fission energy policy; fission energy program management; converter reactor systems; breeder reactor systems; and special nuclear evaluations and systems

  4. Neutron excess generation by fusion neutron source for self-consistency of nuclear energy system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saito, Masaki; Artisyuk, V.; Chmelev, A.

    1999-01-01

    The present day fission energy technology faces with the problem of transmutation of dangerous radionuclides that requires neutron excess generation. Nuclear energy system based on fission reactors needs fuel breeding and, therefore, suffers from lack of neutron excess to apply large-scale transmutation option including elimination of fission products. Fusion neutron source (FNS) was proposed to improve neutron balance in the nuclear energy system. Energy associated with the performance of FNS should be small enough to keep the position of neutron excess generator, thus, leaving the role of dominant energy producers to fission reactors. The present paper deals with development of general methodology to estimate the effect of neutron excess generation by FNS on the performance of nuclear energy system as a whole. Multiplication of fusion neutrons in both non-fissionable and fissionable multipliers was considered. Based on the present methodology it was concluded that neutron self-consistency with respect to fuel breeding and transmutation of fission products can be attained with small fraction of energy associated with innovated fusion facilities. (author)

  5. Evaluation of nuclear data for emergency preparedness system of nuclear power plants. Comparison of radioactivity inventories by newest nuclear data and rather older nuclear data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshida, Yoshitaka; Kimura, Itsuro

    2004-01-01

    The radioactivity inventories for emergency preparedness systems of nuclear power plants calculated by the combination of the generally-used in Japan (general-version), the INSS used by the present authors (INSS-version) and the newest nuclear data library and codes (newest-version) were compared, and the maintaining of conservativeness of the general-version and the INSS-version against the newest-version was examined. And the influences of the radioactivity inventories by the difference between the nuclear cross section and fission yield data, decay data and calculation codes were investigated. As a result, (1) the radioactivity inventories calculated by general-version and INSS-version were not confirmed the conservativeness to the newest-version. But the difference was less than 10%, and it would not give large influence to the calculation of the emergency preparedness system of nuclear plants. (2) The influence of the radioactivity inventories such as 135 Xe build-up were observed by the difference of neutron flux level in an operation of reactors that occurred by the variety of nuclear cross section and fission yield data. (3) Little influence by the variety of decay data was confirmed. (4) The ORIGEN2.1 code underestimated the amount of fission products generated by fission of minor actinides. From these result, the radioactivity inventories for the emergency preparedness system of nuclear power plants are recommended to use the calculation results by the combination of the library for ORIGEN2 based on JENDL3.3 and the ORIGEN2.2 code. (author)

  6. Theoretical Description of the Fission Process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nazarewicz, Witold

    2009-01-01

    Advanced theoretical methods and high-performance computers may finally unlock the secrets of nuclear fission, a fundamental nuclear decay that is of great relevance to society. In this work, we studied the phenomenon of spontaneous fission using the symmetry-unrestricted nuclear density functional theory (DFT). Our results show that many observed properties of fissioning nuclei can be explained in terms of pathways in multidimensional collective space corresponding to different geometries of fission products. From the calculated collective potential and collective mass, we estimated spontaneous fission half-lives, and good agreement with experimental data was found. We also predicted a new phenomenon of trimodal spontaneous fission for some transfermium isotopes. Our calculations demonstrate that fission barriers of excited superheavy nuclei vary rapidly with particle number, pointing to the importance of shell effects even at large excitation energies. The results are consistent with recent experiments where superheavy elements were created by bombarding an actinide target with 48-calcium; yet even at high excitation energies, sizable fission barriers remained. Not only does this reveal clues about the conditions for creating new elements, it also provides a wider context for understanding other types of fission. Understanding of the fission process is crucial for many areas of science and technology. Fission governs existence of many transuranium elements, including the predicted long-lived superheavy species. In nuclear astrophysics, fission influences the formation of heavy elements on the final stages of the r-process in a very high neutron density environment. Fission applications are numerous. Improved understanding of the fission process will enable scientists to enhance the safety and reliability of the nation's nuclear stockpile and nuclear reactors. The deployment of a fleet of safe and efficient advanced reactors, which will also minimize radiotoxic

  7. Externally perturbed unstable systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Posch, H.A.; Narnhofer, H.; Thirring, W.

    1991-01-01

    We discuss computer solutions of Newton's equation of motion for unstable systems in a container with time-dependent walls. An expansion leads to the formation of a cluster and a significant increase of the temperature. The question of entropy increase for expansion and compression of the system and the related problem of the feasibility of a perpetuum mobile of the second kind are investigated. (Authors)

  8. Uncertainty of decay heat calculations originating from errors in the nuclear data and the yields of individual fission products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rudstam, G.

    1979-01-01

    The calculation of the abundance pattern of the fission products with due account taken of feeding from the fission of 235 U, 238 U, and 239 Pu, from the decay of parent nuclei, from neutron capture, and from delayed-neutron emission is described. By means of the abundances and the average beta and gamma energies the decay heat in nuclear fuel is evaluated along with its error derived from the uncertainties of fission yields and nuclear properties of the inddividual fission products. (author)

  9. Dynamical calculations of nuclear fission and heavy-ion reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nix, J.R.; Sierk, A.J.

    1984-01-01

    With the goal of determining the magnitude and mechanism of nuclear dissipation from comparisons of predictions with experimental data, we describe recent calculations in a unified macroscopic-microscopic approach to large-amplitude collective nuclear motion such as occurs in fission and heavy-ion reactions. We describe the time dependence of the distribution function in phase space of collective coordinates and momenta by a generalized Fokker-Planck equation. The nuclear potential energy of deformation is calculated as the sum of repulsive Coulomb and centrifugal energies and an attractive Yukawa-plus-exponential potential, the inertia tensor is calculated for a superposition of rigid-body rotation and incompressible, nearly irrotational flow by use of the Werner-Wheeler method, and the dissipation ensor that describes the conversion of collective energy into single-particle excitation energy is calculated for two prototype mechanisms that represent opposite extremes of large and small dissipation. We solve the generalized Hamilton equations of motion for the first moments of the distribution function to obtain the mean translational fission-fragment kinetic energy and mass of a third fragment that sometimes forms between the two end fragments, as well as dynamical thresholds, capture cross sections, and ternary events in heavy-ion reactions. 33 references

  10. The Potential Of Fission Nuclear Energy In Resolving Global Climate Change

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pevec, D.

    2015-01-01

    There is an international consensus on the need of drastic reduction of carbon emission if very serious global climate changes are to be avoided. At present target is to limit global temperature increase to 2 Degrees of C and to keep CO 2 concentration below 450 ppm, though some recent request by climatologists argue for lower limit of 1.5 Degrees of C. The carbon emission reduction has to be done in the next few decades, as climate effects are essentially determined by integral emission. The integral emissions should not exceed 1000 Gt CO 2 to keep the probability of exceeding global temperature by 2 Degrees of C below 25 percent. Consequently, when we consider energy sources that could produce carbon free energy we have to concentrate on the period not later than 2060-2065. The sources that can take the burden of reduction in the years up to 2065 are Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and nuclear fission energy. The potential of RES has been estimated by many organizations and individuals. Their predictions indicate that RES are not likely to be sufficient to replace carbon emitters and fulfill the 2 Degrees of C limit requirements. The nuclear fission energy can give a very serious and hopefully timely (unlike nuclear fusion) contribution to reduction of emission. Even with proven conventional reactors using once through fuel cycle without fuel reprocessing the nuclear build-up in the years 2025-2065 could reach 3330 GW. With this concept nuclear contribution of 94.5 EJ/y would be reached by 2065, while integral CO 2 emission savings would be about 500 Gt CO 2 by 2065. This shows that essential nuclear contribution is possible without the use of plutonium and fast breeders, technology not ready for climate-critical next 50 years and not acceptable in present political environment. This nuclear fission energy contribution along with contributions from renewable sources, energy saving, and increased efficiency in energy use can solve the climate problems. (author).

  11. Development of fission micro-chambers for nuclear waste incineration studies

    CERN Document Server

    Fadil, M; Christophe, S; Deruelle, O; Fioni, G; Marie, F; Mounier, C; Ridikas, D; Trapp, J P

    2002-01-01

    The Incineration by Accelerator (INCA) project of the Directorate for Science of Matter of the French Atomic Energy Authority (CEA/DSM) aims to outline the ideal physical conditions to transmute minor actinides in a high intensity neutron flux obtained either by hybrid systems or innovative critical reactors. To measure on-line the incineration rates of minor actinides, we are developing an innovative Double Deposit Fission Chamber (DDFC) working in current mode. Our method is based on a comparison between the isotope under study and a reference material whose nuclear parameters are well known, as sup 2 sup 3 sup 5 U and sup 2 sup 3 sup 9 Pu. This new fission chamber will be used in the High Flux Reactor in Grenoble/France in a neutron flux of 1.2x10 sup 1 sup 5 n cm sup - sup 2 s sup - sup 1 for 50 days, the operating cycle of the reactor. These specific experimental conditions require substantial modifications of the existing chambers. The first experiment will be carried out in fall 2000.

  12. Study of the prompt gamma ray signal from fissions in special nuclear materials induced using an associated particle neutron generator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koltick, D. S.; Kane, S. Z.

    2009-01-01

    More than 42 million cargo containers entered the United States in 2005. To search for a few kilograms of special nuclear material (SNM) within this vast stream of cargo, an inspection system based on neutron-induced fission followed by the coincident detection of multiple prompt fission gamma rays is investigated using MCNP-Polimi code. The system utilizes two deuterium-tritium (DT) associated particle neutron generators, each capable of 10 9 neutrons/s at 14.1 MeV, with sub-nanosecond timing resolution ZnO:Ga alpha detectors internal to the generator. Because prompt fission signals are approximately 100 times stronger than the delayed signals, the neutron flux is greatly reduced compared to 10 11-12 neutrons/s required for systems based on delayed signals such as the 'nuclear car wash' [4]. In addition the system utilizes 30 cm deep liquid krypton (LKr) noble gas detectors having 94% detection efficiency for 1 MeV gamma rays, high solid angle coverage (∼ 50% of the total solid angle), and sub-nanosecond timing resolution (∼ 600 ps). An algorithm for distinguishing U-235 from U-238 is presented. (authors)

  13. Mass and Inertia Parameters for Nuclear Fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Damgaard, J.; Pauli, H.C.; Strutinsky, V.M.; Wong, C.Y.; Brack, M.; Stenholm-Jensen, A.

    1969-01-01

    The effective mass parameter and the moments of inertia for a deformed nucleus are evaluated using the cranking-model formalism. Special attention is paid to the dependence of these quantities on the intrinsic structure, which may arise due to shells in deformed nuclei. It is found that these inertial parameters are very much influenced by the shells present. The effective-mass parameter, which appears in an important way in the theory of spontaneous fission, fluctuates in the same manner as the shell-energy corrections. Its values at the fission barrier are up to two or three times larger than those at the equilibrium minima. This correlation comes about because for the effective mass the change in the local density of single-particle states is very important, much more so than the change in the pairing correlation. The moments of inertia which enter in the theory of angular anisotropy of fission fragments, also fluctuate as a function of the deformation. At low temperatures, the fluctuation is large and shows a distinct but more complicated correlation with the shells. At high temperatures, the moments of inertia fluctuate with a smaller amplitude about the rigid-body value in correlation with the energy-shell corrections. For the first-and second barriers, the rigid-body values are essentially reached at a nuclear temperature of 0.8 to 1.0 MeV. (author)

  14. Fission product chemistry in severe nuclear reactor accidents, specialists' meeting at JRC-Ispra, 15-17 January 1990

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nichols, A.L.

    1990-05-01

    A specialists' meeting was held at JRC-Ispra from 15 to 17 January 1990 to review the current understanding of fission-product chemistry during severe accidents in light water reactors. Discussions focussed on the important chemical phenomena that could occur across the wide range of conditions of a damaged nuclear plant. Recommendations for future chemistry work were made covering the following areas: (a) fuel degradation and fission-product release, (b) transport and attenuation processes in the reactor coolant system, (c) containment chemistry (iodine behaviour and core-concrete interactions). (author)

  15. Nuclear fission today and tomorrow: from renaissance to technological breakthrough (Generation IV)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van Goethem, G.

    2010-01-01

    This paper describes briefly the major scientific and technological challenges related to the very innovative nuclear fission reactor systems to be deployed at the horizon 2040 (called Generation IV). The paper focuses on the benefits of the Generation IV systems, according to criteria or technology goals established at the international level (Generation IV International Forum (GIF)). This goals are drastic improvements on four areas: sustainable development, industrial competitiveness, safety and reliability and proliferation resistance. The focus is on the design objectives and associated research issues that have been agreed upon internationally to meet these four ambitious goals. (author)

  16. Hardware based technology assessment in support of near-term space fission missions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Houts, Mike; Van Dyke, Melissa; Godfroy, Tom; Martin, James; Bragg-Sitton, Shannon; Dickens, Ricky; Salvail, Pat; Williams, Eric; Harper, Roger; Hrbud, Ivana; Carter, Robert

    2003-01-01

    Fission technology can enable rapid, affordable access to any point in the solar system. If fission propulsion systems are to be developed to their full potential; however, near-term customers must be identified and initial fission systems successfully developed, launched, and utilized. Successful utilization will most likely occur if frequent, significant hardware-based milestones can be achieved throughout the program. Achieving these milestones will depend on the capability to perform highly realistic non-nuclear testing of nuclear systems. This paper discusses ongoing and potential research that could help achieve these milestones

  17. Hardware Based Technology Assessment in Support of Near-Term Space Fission Missions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houts, Mike; VanDyke, Melissa; Godfroy, Tom; Martin, James; BraggSitton, Shannon; Carter, Robert; Dickens, Ricky; Salvail, Pat; Williams, Eric; Harper, Roger

    2003-01-01

    Fission technology can enable rapid, affordable access to any point in the solar system. If fission propulsion systems are to be developed to their full potential; however, near-term customers must be identified and initial fission systems successfully developed, launched, and utilized. Successful utilization will most likely occur if frequent, significant hardware-based milestones can be achieved throughout the program. Achieving these milestones will depend on the capability to perform highly realistic non-nuclear testing of nuclear systems. This paper discusses ongoing and potential research that could help achieve these milestones.

  18. Fission yield correlation generation and impact on nuclear problems - 15570

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fiorito, L.; Stankovskiy, A.; Van den Eynde, G.

    2015-01-01

    In our work we defined a scheme to update fission yields and their covariance matrices. We implemented a Generalised Linear Least Square (GLLS) updating procedure to produce inter-isotope fission yield correlations. At each update, a constraining equation was selected and the related set of observables calculated using the prior knowledge of the fission yield data and uncertainties. Then, available extra information on each observable was introduced into the system - e.g. a data set of direct measurements or uncertainties. Our GLLS-based updating tool calculates best-estimate posterior fission yields and covariance matrices which merge both the extra and prior data. The major result of the update is the generation of fission yield correlations. We created complete updated covariance matrices for 6 nuclides (Th 232 , U 233 , U 235 , U 238 , Pu 239 and Pu 241 ) and a total of 14 fissioning systems using the JEFF-3.1.1 files. The fission yield covariance matrices were tested against the criticality and nuclide inventory calculations of the REBUS single pin benchmark after one irradiation cycle. It appears that fission yield correlations reduce the uncertainties to a very great extent, which in many cases are 4 times smaller than those obtained with uncorrelated data

  19. On the combination of delayed neutron and delayed gamma techniques for fission rate measurement in nuclear fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Perret, G.; Jordan, K. A. [Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, 5232 (Switzerland)

    2011-07-01

    Novel techniques to measure newly induced fissions in spent fuel after re-irradiation at low power have been developed and tested at the Proteus zero-power research reactor. The two techniques are based on the detection of high energy gamma-rays emitted by short-lived fission products and delayed neutrons. The two techniques relate the measured signals to the total fission rate, the isotopic composition of the fuel, and nuclear data. They can be combined to derive better estimates on each of these parameters. This has potential for improvement in many areas. Spent fuel characterisation and safeguard applications can benefit from these techniques for non-destructive assay of plutonium content. Another application of choice is the reduction of uncertainties on nuclear data. As a first application of the combination of the delayed neutron and gamma measurement techniques, this paper shows how to reduce the uncertainties on the relative abundances of the longest delayed neutron group for thermal fissions in {sup 235}U, {sup 239}Pu and fast fissions in {sup 238}U. The proposed experiments are easily achievable in zero-power research reactors using fresh UO{sub 2} and MOX fuel and do not require fast extraction systems. The relative uncertainties (1{sigma}) on the relative abundances are expected to be reduced from 13% to 4%, 16% to 5%, and 38% to 12% for {sup 235}U, {sup 238}U and {sup 239}Pu, respectively. (authors)

  20. Fission fragment distributions within dynamical approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mazurek, K. [Institute of Nuclear, Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow (Poland); Nadtochy, P.N. [Omsk State Technical University, Omsk (Russian Federation); Ryabov, E.G.; Adeev, G.D. [Omsk State University, Physics Department, Omsk (Russian Federation)

    2017-04-15

    The review covers recent developments and achievements in the dynamical description of fission process at high excitation energy. It is shown that the dynamical approach based on multidimensional Langevin equations combined with the statistical description of nuclear decay by particles evaporation is capable of fairly well describing the formation of fission fragment mass-energy, charge, and angular distributions of fission fragments in coincidence with the pre- and post-scission particle emission. The final yields of fission and evaporation residues channels products could be obtained. The detailed description of fission dynamics allows studying different stages of fission process, indicating the most important ingredients governing fission process and studying in detail such fundamental nuclear properties as nuclear viscosity and fission timescale. The tasks and perspectives of multidimensional dynamical approach are also discussed. (orig.)

  1. Fusion-fission of heavy systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rivet, M.F.; Alami, R.; Borderie, B.; Fuchs, H.; Gardes, D.; Gauvin, H.

    1988-01-01

    The influence of the entrance channel on fission processes was studied by forming the same composite system by two different target-projectile combinations ( 40 Ar + 209 Bi and 56 Fe + 187 Re, respectively). Compound nucleus fission and quasi fission were observed and the analysis was performed in the framework of the extra-extra-push model, which provides a qualitative interpretation of the results; limits for the extra-extra-push threshold are given, but problems with quantitative predictions for the extra-push are noted. (orig.)

  2. Computer program FPIP-REV calculates fission product inventory for U-235 fission

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, W. S.; Call, D. W.

    1967-01-01

    Computer program calculates fission product inventories and source strengths associated with the operation of U-235 fueled nuclear power reactor. It utilizes a fission-product nuclide library of 254 nuclides, and calculates the time dependent behavior of the fission product nuclides formed by fissioning of U-235.

  3. Effect of fission dynamics on the spectra and multiplicities of prompt fission neutrons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nix, J.R.; Madland, D.G.; Sierk, A.J.

    1985-01-01

    With the goal of examining their effect on the spectra and multiplicities of the prompt neutrons emitted in fission, we discuss recent advances in a unified macroscopic-microscopic description of large-amplitude collective nuclear dynamics. The conversion of collective energy into single-particle excitation energy is calculated for a new surface-plus-window dissipation mechanism. By solving the Hamilton equations of motion for initial conditions appropriate to fission, we obtain the average fission-fragment translational kinetic energy and excitation energy. The spectra and multiplicities of the emitted neutrons, which depend critically upon the average excitation energy, are then calculated on the basis of standard nuclear evaporation theory, taking into account the average motion of the fission fragments, the distribution of fission-fragment residual nuclear temperature, the energy dependence of the cross section for the inverse process of compound-nucleus formation, and the possibility of multiple-chance fission. Some illustrative comparisons of our calculations with experimental data are shown

  4. Japanese list of requests for neutron nuclear data for fission reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Igarasi, Sin-iti; Asami, Tetsuo

    1977-05-01

    Requests for neutron nuclear data for fission reactors are presented. These are screened by a WRENDA Working Group of Japanese Nuclear Data Committee and submitted to WRENDA 76/77. This report includes 163 requests of which 55 requests are newly registered in the WRENDA. Three requests of the previous list are withdrawn. This activity is a part of the international cooperation with CCDN, NEANDC and INDC. (auth.)

  5. Monte Carlo code Serpent calculation of the parameters of the stationary nuclear fission wave

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. M. Khotyayintsev

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available n this work, propagation of the stationary nuclear fission wave was simulated for series of fixed power values using Monte Carlo code Serpent. The wave moved in the axial direction in 5 m long cylindrical core of fast reactor with pure 238U raw fuel. Stationary wave mode arises some period later after the wave ignition and lasts sufficiently long to determine kef with high enough accuracy. The velocity characteristic of the reactor was determined as the dependence of the wave velocity on the neutron multiplication factor. As we have recently shown within a one-group diffusion description, the velocity characteristic is two-valued due to the effect of concentration mechanisms, while thermal feedback affects it only quantitatively. The shape and parameters of the velocity characteristic critically affect feasibility of the reactor design since stationary wave solutions of the lower branch are unstable and do not correspond to any real waves in self-regulated reactor, like CANDLE. In this work calculations were performed without taking into account thermal feedback. They confirm that theoretical dependence correctly describes the shape of the velocity characteristic calculated using the results of the Serpent modeling.

  6. Fission cross section calculations for 209Bi target nucleus based on fission reaction models in high energy regions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kaplan Abdullah

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Implementation of projects of new generation nuclear power plants requires the solving of material science and technological issues in developing of reactor materials. Melts of heavy metals (Pb, Bi and Pb-Bi due to their nuclear and thermophysical properties, are the candidate coolants for fast reactors and accelerator-driven systems (ADS. In this study, α, γ, p, n and 3He induced fission cross section calculations for 209Bi target nucleus at high-energy regions for (α,f, (γ,f, (p,f, (n,f and (3He,f reactions have been investigated using different fission reaction models. Mamdouh Table, Sierk, Rotating Liquid Drop and Fission Path models of theoretical fission barriers of TALYS 1.6 code have been used for the fission cross section calculations. The calculated results have been compared with the experimental data taken from the EXFOR database. TALYS 1.6 Sierk model calculations exhibit generally good agreement with the experimental measurements for all reactions used in this study.

  7. Fission neutron multiplicity calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maerten, H.; Ruben, A.; Seeliger, D.

    1991-01-01

    A model for calculating neutron multiplicities in nuclear fission is presented. It is based on the solution of the energy partition problem as function of mass asymmetry within a phenomenological approach including temperature-dependent microscopic energies. Nuclear structure effects on fragment de-excitation, which influence neutron multiplicities, are discussed. Temperature effects on microscopic energy play an important role in induced fission reactions. Calculated results are presented for various fission reactions induced by neutrons. Data cover the incident energy range 0-20 MeV, i.e. multiple chance fission is considered. (author). 28 refs, 13 figs

  8. Spread of fission products after a nuclear melt-down accident

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andriesse, C.D.; Tanke, R.H.J.

    1987-01-01

    In this article experimental investigation is described into the spread of fission products within a nuclear power plant, which after an accident involving melting of the nucleus, will be possible in spite of prohibiting constructions for the case of severe unbalancing of generated and carried-off energy. 6 refs.; 4 figs

  9. The electronuclear cycle: from fission to new reactor systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Belier, G.; Cugnon, J.; Lapoux, V.; Liatard, E.; Porquet, Marie-Genevieve; Rudolf, G.

    2006-09-01

    The Joliot Curie School trains each year, and since 1981, PhD students, post-Doctorates and researchers on scientific breakthroughs performed in a topic related to nuclear physics, in a broad range. These proceedings brings together the 11 lectures given at the 2006 session of Joliot Curie School on the topic of the electronuclear cycle: - Fission: from phenomenology to theory (Berger, J.F.); - Physics of nuclear reactors (Baeten, P.); - Data modeling and evaluation (Bauge, E.; Hilaire, S.); - Measurement of cross sections of interest for minor actinides incineration (Jurado, B.); - Spallation data and modelling for hybrid reactors (Boudard, A.); - Nuclear wastes: overview (Billard, I.); - Long living nuclear wastes transmutation processes and feasibility (Varaine, F.); - Hybrid reactors: recent advances for a demonstrator (Billebaud, A.); - Systems of the future and strategy (David, S.); - Non-nuclear energies (Nifenecker, H.); - Fundamental physics with ultracold neutrons (Protasov, K). The last section is a compilation of abstracts of presentations given by Young searchers' (Young searchers' seminars)

  10. Semiclassical description of hot nuclear systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brack, M.

    1984-01-01

    We present semiclassical density variational calculations for highly excited nuclear systems. We employ the newly derived functionals tau[rho] and sigma[rho] of the extended Thomas-Fermi (ETF) model, generalized to finite temperatures. Excellent agreement is reached with Hartree-Fock (HF) results. We also calculated the fission barrier of 240 Pu as a function of the nuclear temperature

  11. Specific fission J-window and angular momentum dependence of the fission barrier

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baba, Hiroshi; Saito, Tadashi; Takahashi, Naruto; Yokoyama, Akihiko [Osaka Univ., Suita (Japan); Shinohara, Atsushi

    1997-04-01

    A method to determine a unique J-window in the fission process was devised and the fissioning nuclide associated with thus extracted J-window was identified for each of the heavy-ion reaction systems. Obtained fission barriers at the resulting J-window were compared with the calculated values by the rotating finite range model (RFRM). The deduced barriers for individual nuclides were compared with the RFRM barriers to reproduce more or less the angular momentum dependence the RFRM prediction. The deduced systematic behavior of the fission barrier indicates no even-odd and shell corrections are necessary. The nuclear dissipation effect based on Kramer`s model revealed substantial reduction of the statistically deduced barrier heights and brought a fairly large scattering from the RFRM J-dependence. However, introduction of the temperature-dependent friction coefficient ({gamma} = 2 for T {>=} 1.0 MeV and 0.5 for T < 1.0 MeV) was found to bring about satisfactory agreement with both RFRM fission barriers and the pre-fission neutron multiplicity systematics. (author). 81 refs.

  12. Environmental life cycle assessment of high temperature nuclear fission and fusion biomass gasification plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takeda, Shutaro; Sakurai, Shigeki; Kasada, Ryuta; Konishi, Satoshi

    2017-01-01

    The authors propose nuclear biomass gasification plant as an advancement of conventional gasification plants. Environmental impacts of both fission and fusion plants were assessed through life cycle assessment. The result suggested the reduction of green-house gas emissions would be as large as 85.9% from conventional plants, showing a potential for the sustainable future for both fission and fusion plants. (author)

  13. A constrained approximation for nuclear barrier penetration and fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang, H.H.K.; Negele, J.W.; Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge; Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge

    1983-01-01

    An approximation to the time-dependent mean-field theory for barrier penetration by a nucleus is obtained in terms of constrained Hartree-Fock wave functions and a coherent velocity field. A discrete approximation to the continuum theory suitable for practical numerical calculations is presented and applied to three illustrative models. Potential application of the theory to the study of nuclear fission is discussed. (orig.)

  14. Effects of nuclear structure on quasi-fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simenel, Cedric; Wakhle, Aditya; Hinde, D.J.; Rietz, R. du; Dasgupta, M.; Evers, M.; Lin, C.J.; Luong, D.H.; Avez, B.

    2012-01-01

    The quasi-fission mechanism hinders fusion of heavy systems because of a mass flow between the reactants, leading to a re-separation of more symmetric fragments in the exit channel. A good understanding of the competition between fusion and quasi-fission mechanisms is expected to be of great help to optimize the formation and study of heavy and superheavy nuclei. Quantum microscopic models, such as the time-dependent Hartree-Fock approach, allow for a treatment of all degrees of freedom associated to the dynamics of each nucleon. This provides a description of the complex reaction mechanisms, such as quasi-fission, with no parameter adjusted on reaction mechanisms. In particular, the role of the deformation and orientation of a heavy target, as well as the entrance channel magicity and isospin are investigated with theoretical and experimental approaches. (authors)

  15. Enabling the Use of Space Fission Propulsion Systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mike Houts; Melissa Van Dyke; Tom Godfroy; James Martin; Kevin Pedersen; Ricky Dickens; Ivana Hrbud; Leo Bitteker; Bruce Patton; Suman Chakrabarti; Joe Bonometti

    2000-01-01

    This paper gives brief descriptions of advantages of fission technology for reaching any point in the solar system and of earlier efforts to develop space fission propulsion systems, and gives a more detailed description of the safe, affordable fission engine (SAFE) concept being pursued at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Marshall Space Flight Center

  16. Cycle Trades for Nuclear Thermal Rocket Propulsion Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, C.; Guidos, M.; Greene, W.

    2003-01-01

    Nuclear fission has been used as a reliable source for utility power in the United States for decades. Even in the 1940's, long before the United States had a viable space program, the theoretical benefits of nuclear power as applied to space travel were being explored. These benefits include long-life operation and high performance, particularly in the form of vehicle power density, enabling longer-lasting space missions. The configurations for nuclear rocket systems and chemical rocket systems are similar except that a nuclear rocket utilizes a fission reactor as its heat source. This thermal energy can be utilized directly to heat propellants that are then accelerated through a nozzle to generate thrust or it can be used as part of an electricity generation system. The former approach is Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) and the latter is Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP), which is then used to power thruster technologies such as ion thrusters. This paper will explore a number of indirect-NTP engine cycle configurations using assumed performance constraints and requirements, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each cycle configuration, and present preliminary performance and size results. This paper is intended to lay the groundwork for future efforts in the development of a practical NTP system or a combined NTP/NEP hybrid system.

  17. Interpretation of the mechanism of spontaneous fission of heavy nuclei in the framework of dinuclear system conception

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Volkov, V.V.; Cherepanov, E.A.; Kalandarov, Sh.A.

    2016-01-01

    A new approach to the interpretation of the process of spontaneous fission of heavy nuclei is suggested. It is based on nuclear physics data which are obtained in heavy ion collisions. The process of spontaneous fission consists of three sequential stages: clusterization of the valent nucleons of a heavy nucleus into a light nucleus-cluster, which leads to the formation of a dinuclear system; evolution of the dinuclear system which proceeds by nucleon transfer from the heavy to light nucleus; and decay of the dinuclear system from the equilibrium configuration into two fragments. [ru

  18. On-line nuclear half life and spectroscopic measurements on mass-separated fission product nuclei

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McDonald, J.; Fogelberg, B.; Baecklin, A.

    1979-01-01

    A description is given of the methods and equipment employed for nuclear spectroscopy studies of short lived fission product nuclei at the OSIRIS ISOL facility in Studsvik, Sweden. Furthermore a table of new nuclear half-lives measured with this equipment is presented. (author)

  19. The Fukushima nuclear disaster and its effects on media framing of fission and fusion energy technologies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schmidt, Luisa; Horta, Ana; Pereira, Sergio; Delicado, Ana [Institute of Social Sciences of the University of Lisbon, Av. Prof. Anibal de Bettencourt, 9 1600-189 Lisbon (Portugal)

    2015-07-01

    This paper presents results of a comparison of media coverage of fusion and fission energy technologies in three countries (Germany, Spain and Portugal) and in the English language international print media addressing transnational elite, from 2008 to 2012. The analysis showed that the accident in Fukushima in March 2010 did not have significant impact on media framing of nuclear fusion in the major part of print media under investigation. In fact, fusion is clearly dissociated from traditional nuclear (fission) energy and from nuclear accidents. It tends to be portrayed as a safe, clean and unlimited source of energy, although less credited when confronted with research costs, technological feasibility and the possibility to be achieved in a reasonable period of time. On the contrary, fission is portrayed as a hazardous source of energy, expensive when compared to research costs of renewables, hardly a long-term energy option, susceptible to contribute to the proliferation of nuclear weapons or rogue military use. Fukushima accident was consistently discussed in the context of safety problems of nuclear power plants and in many cases appeared not as an isolated event but rather as a reminder of previous nuclear disasters such as Three Miles Island and Chernobyl. (authors)

  20. The Fukushima nuclear disaster and its effects on media framing of fission and fusion energy technologies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmidt, Luisa; Horta, Ana; Pereira, Sergio; Delicado, Ana

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents results of a comparison of media coverage of fusion and fission energy technologies in three countries (Germany, Spain and Portugal) and in the English language international print media addressing transnational elite, from 2008 to 2012. The analysis showed that the accident in Fukushima in March 2010 did not have significant impact on media framing of nuclear fusion in the major part of print media under investigation. In fact, fusion is clearly dissociated from traditional nuclear (fission) energy and from nuclear accidents. It tends to be portrayed as a safe, clean and unlimited source of energy, although less credited when confronted with research costs, technological feasibility and the possibility to be achieved in a reasonable period of time. On the contrary, fission is portrayed as a hazardous source of energy, expensive when compared to research costs of renewables, hardly a long-term energy option, susceptible to contribute to the proliferation of nuclear weapons or rogue military use. Fukushima accident was consistently discussed in the context of safety problems of nuclear power plants and in many cases appeared not as an isolated event but rather as a reminder of previous nuclear disasters such as Three Miles Island and Chernobyl. (authors)

  1. Fission yield measurements at IGISOL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lantz, M.; Al-Adili, A.; Gorelov, D.; Jokinen, A.; Kolhinen, V. S.; Mattera, A.; Moore, I.; Penttilä, H.; Pomp, S.; Prokofiev, A. V.; Rakopoulos, V.; Rinta-Antila, S.; Simutkin, V.; Solders, A.

    2016-06-01

    The fission product yields are an important characteristic of the fission process. In fundamental physics, knowledge of the yield distributions is needed to better understand the fission process. For nuclear energy applications good knowledge of neutroninduced fission-product yields is important for the safe and efficient operation of nuclear power plants. With the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line (IGISOL) technique, products of nuclear reactions are stopped in a buffer gas and then extracted and separated by mass. Thanks to the high resolving power of the JYFLTRAP Penning trap, at University of Jyväskylä, fission products can be isobarically separated, making it possible to measure relative independent fission yields. In some cases it is even possible to resolve isomeric states from the ground state, permitting measurements of isomeric yield ratios. So far the reactions U(p,f) and Th(p,f) have been studied using the IGISOL-JYFLTRAP facility. Recently, a neutron converter target has been developed utilizing the Be(p,xn) reaction. We here present the IGISOL-technique for fission yield measurements and some of the results from the measurements on proton induced fission. We also present the development of the neutron converter target, the characterization of the neutron field and the first tests with neutron-induced fission.

  2. Fission yield measurements at IGISOL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lantz M.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The fission product yields are an important characteristic of the fission process. In fundamental physics, knowledge of the yield distributions is needed to better understand the fission process. For nuclear energy applications good knowledge of neutroninduced fission-product yields is important for the safe and efficient operation of nuclear power plants. With the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line (IGISOL technique, products of nuclear reactions are stopped in a buffer gas and then extracted and separated by mass. Thanks to the high resolving power of the JYFLTRAP Penning trap, at University of Jyväskylä, fission products can be isobarically separated, making it possible to measure relative independent fission yields. In some cases it is even possible to resolve isomeric states from the ground state, permitting measurements of isomeric yield ratios. So far the reactions U(p,f and Th(p,f have been studied using the IGISOL-JYFLTRAP facility. Recently, a neutron converter target has been developed utilizing the Be(p,xn reaction. We here present the IGISOL-technique for fission yield measurements and some of the results from the measurements on proton induced fission. We also present the development of the neutron converter target, the characterization of the neutron field and the first tests with neutron-induced fission.

  3. Transfer parameters of fission and activation products present in effluents of nuclear power reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cancio, D.; Menossi, C.A.; Ciallella, N.R.

    1978-01-01

    The paper presents results of research carried out in Argentina on transfer parameters of fission and activation products which may be present in the effluents of nuclear power reactors. For some nuclides, as Sr-90, Co-137 and I-131, the parameters were obtained by studies of the fallout, from measurements of integrated levels in the environment and in the food chains. Other values are concentration factors derived from laboratory and field experiments. They refer to fish, molluscs, crustaces and fresh water plants, for several fission and activation nuclides. Transfer parameters obtained have been of significant importance for environmental assessments, relating to nuclear installations in Argentina. (author)

  4. Method and system of simulating nuclear power plant count rate for training purposes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alliston, W.H.; Koenig, R.H.

    1975-01-01

    A method and system are described for the real-time simulation of the dynamic operation of a nuclear power plant in which nuclear flux rate counters are provided for monitoring the rate of nuclear fission of the reactor. The system utilizes apparatus that includes digital computer means for calculating data relating to the rate of nuclear fission of a simulated reactor model, which rate is controlled in accordance with the operation of control panel devices. A digital number from the computer corresponding to the flux rate controls an oscillator driven counter means to produce a pulse after a predetermined count. This pulse controls an oscillator driven polynomial counter to count a random number that controls a third counter in accordance with pulse from the first counter to produce a random fission count for operating the meters. (U.S.)

  5. Decree of 8 October 1969, Stb. 471, concerning the implementation of Sections 13 and 14 of the Nuclear Energy Act (Fissionable Materials and Ores (Registration))

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1969-01-01

    This Decree lays down the system for registration and notification of fissionable materials and ores in accordance with the Nuclear Energy Act. The register must list the quantities of fissionable materials and ores available in the Netherlands and their location. This procedure applies only to materials and ores subject to licensing. (NEA) [fr

  6. Fusion-fission hybrid studies in the United States

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moir, R.W.; Lee, J.D.; Berwald, D.H.; Cheng, E.T.; Delene, J.G.; Jassby, D.L.

    1986-01-01

    Systems and conceptual design studies have been carried out on the following three hybrid types: (1) The fission-suppressed hybrid, which maximizes fissile material produced (Pu or 233 U) per unit of total nuclear power by suppressing the fission process and multiplying neutrons by (n,2n) reactions in materials like beryllium. (2) The fast-fission hybrid, which maximizes fissile material produced per unit of fusion power by maximizing fission of 238 U (Pu is produced) in which twice the fissile atoms per unit of fusion power (but only a third per unit of nuclear power) are made. (3) The power hybrid, which amplifies power in the blanket for power production but does not produce fuel to sell. All three types must sell electrical power to be economical

  7. Nuclear inertia for fission in a generalized cranking model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kunz, J.; Nix, J.R.

    1984-01-01

    A time dependent formalism which is appropriate for β vibrations and fission is developed for a generalized cranking model. The formalism leads to additional terms in the density matrix which affect the nuclear inertia. The case of a harmonic oscillator potential is used to demonstrate the contribution of the pairing gap term on the β vibrational inertia for Pu 240. The inertia remains finite and close to the limiting irrotational value

  8. Fusion--fission energy systems, some utility perspectives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huse, R.A.; Burger, J.M.; Lotker, M.

    1974-01-01

    Some of the issues that are important in assessing fusion-- fission energy systems from a utility perspective are discussed. A number of qualitative systems-oriented observations are given along with some economic quantification of the benefits from fusion--fission hybrids and their allowed capital cost. (U.S.)

  9. Energy production using fission fragment rockets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chapline, G.; Matsuda, Y.

    1991-08-01

    Fission fragment rockets are nuclear reactors with a core consisting of thin fibers in a vacuum, and which use magnetic fields to extract the fission fragments from the reactor core. As an alternative to ordinary nuclear reactors, fission fragment rockets would have the following advantages: Approximately twice as efficient if one can directly convert the fission fragment energy into electricity; by reducing the buildup of a fission fragment inventory in the reactor one could avoid a Chernobyl type disaster; and collecting the fission fragments outside the reactor could simplify the waste disposal problem. 6 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs

  10. Fission product release from nuclear fuel I. Physical modelling in the ASTEC code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brillant, G.; Marchetto, C.; Plumecocq, W.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Physical modeling of FP and SM release in ASTEC is presented. • The release is described as solid state diffusion within fuel for high volatile FP. • The release is described as FP vaporisation for semi volatile FP. • The release is described as fuel vaporisation for low volatile FP. • ASTEC validation is presented in the second paper. - Abstract: This article is the first of a series of two articles dedicated to the mechanisms of fission product release from a degraded core as they are modelled in the ASTEC code. The ASTEC code aims at simulating severe accidents in nuclear reactors from the initiating event up to the radiological consequences on the environment. This code is used for several applications such as nuclear plant safety evaluation including probabilistic studies and emergency preparedness. To cope with the requirements of robustness and low calculation time, the code is based on a semi-empirical approach and only the main limiting phenomena that govern the release from intact rods and from debris beds are considered. For solid fuel, fission products are classified into three groups, depending on their degree of volatility. The kinetics of volatile fission products release depend on the rate-limiting process of solid-state diffusion through fuel grains. For semi-volatile fission products, the release from the open fuel porosities is assumed to be governed by vaporisation and mass transfer processes. The key phenomenon for the release of low volatile fission products is supposed to be fuel volatilisation. A similar approach is used for the release of fission products from a rubble bed. An in-depth validation of the code including both analytical and integral experiments is the subject of the second article

  11. Fission rates measured using high-energy gamma-rays from short half-life fission products in fresh and spent nuclear fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kroehnert, H.

    2011-02-01

    In recent years, higher discharge burn-ups and initial fuel enrichments have led to more and more heterogeneous core configurations in light water reactors (LWRs), especially at the beginning of cycle when fresh fuel assemblies are loaded next to highly burnt ones. As this trend is expected to continue in the future, the Paul Scherrer Institute has, in collaboration with the Swiss Association of Nuclear Utilities, swissnuclear, launched the experimental programme LIFE(at)PROTEUS. The LIFE(at)PROTEUS programme aims to better characterise interfaces between burnt and fresh UO 2 fuel assemblies in modern LWRs. Thereby, a novel experimental database is to be made available for enabling the validation of neutronics calculations of strongly heterogeneous LWR core configurations. During the programme, mixed fresh and highly burnt UO 2 fuel lattices will be investigated in the zero-power research reactor PROTEUS. One of the main types of investigations will be to irradiate the fuel in PROTEUS and measure the resulting fission rate distributions across the interface between fresh and burnt fuel zones. The measurement of fission rates in burnt fuel re-irradiated in a zero-power reactor requires, however, the development of new experimental techniques which are able to discriminate against the high intrinsic activity of the fuel. The principal goal of the present research work has been to develop such a new measurement technique. The selected approach is based on the detection of high-energy gamma-ray lines above the intrinsic background (i.e. above 2200 keV), which are emitted by short-lived fission products freshly created in the fuel. The fission products 88 Kr, 142 La, 138 Cs, 84 Br, 89 Rb, 95 Y, 90m Rb and 90 Rb, with half-lives between 2.6 min and 2.8 h, have been identified as potential candidates. During the present research work, the gamma-ray activity of short-lived fission products has, for the first time, been measured and quantitatively evaluated for re

  12. Fission Surface Power System Initial Concept Definition

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    Under the NASA Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP) and in partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE), NASA has embarked on a project to develop Fission Surface Power (FSP) technology. The primary goals of the project are to 1) develop FSP concepts that meet expected surface power requirements at reasonable cost with added benefits over other options, 2) establish a hardwarebased technical foundation for FSP design concepts and reduce overall development risk, 3) reduce the cost uncertainties for FSP and establish greater credibility for flight system cost estimates, and 4) generate the key products to allow NASA decision-makers to consider FSP as a preferred option for flight development. The FSP project was initiated in 2006 as the Prometheus Program and the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) mission were phased-out. As a first step, NASA Headquarters commissioned the Affordable Fission Surface Power System Study to evaluate the potential for an affordable FSP development approach. With a cost-effective FSP strategy identified, the FSP team evaluated design options and selected a Preliminary Reference Concept to guide technology development. Since then, the FSP Preliminary Reference Concept has served as a point-of-departure for several NASA mission architecture studies examining the use of nuclear power and has provided the foundation for a series of "Pathfinder" hardware tests. The long-term technology goal is a Technology Demonstration Unit (TDU) integrated system test using full-scale components and a non-nuclear reactor simulator. The FSP team consists of Glenn Research Center (GRC), Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and the DOE National Laboratories at Los Alamos (LANL), Idaho (INL), Oak Ridge (ORNL), and Sandia (SNL). The project is organized into two main elements: Concept Definition and Risk Reduction. Under Concept Definition, the team performs trade studies, develops analytical tools, and formulates system concepts. Under Risk

  13. Measurements of fission yields

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Denschlag, H.O.

    2000-01-01

    After some historical introductory remarks on the discovery of nuclear fission and early fission yield determinations, the present status of knowledge on fission yields is briefly reviewed. Practical and fundamental reasons motivating the pursuit of fission yield measurements in the coming century are pointed out. Recent results and novel techniques are described that promise to provide new interesting insights into the fission process during the next century. (author)

  14. Volatilization and reaction of fission products in flowing steam

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johnson, I.; Steidl, D.V.; Johnson, C.E.

    1985-01-01

    The principal risk to the public from nuclear power plants derives from the highly radioactive atoms (fission products) generated as energy is produced in the nuclear fuel. The revolatilization of fission products from reactor system surfaces due to self-heating by radioactive decay has become a complicating factor in the source-term redefinition effort. It has had a major impact on calculations of fission product distributions in accident safety analyses. The focus of this research effort was to investigate the volatilization and transport of fission products and control rod materials in a flowing gaseous steam-hydrogen mixture. Fission product and control rod materials in various combinations were studied including CsI, CsOH, TeO 2 , SrO, Ag, In, Cd and Mn. The vaporization behavior of the deposits were characterized with respect to vaporization rates, chemical species and downstream transport behavior

  15. Nuclear structure effects in multi-nucleon transfer and sequential fission reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Biswas, D.C.

    2001-01-01

    The role of the nuclear structure in multi-nucleon transfer and sequential fission reactions has been discussed. The recent results on multi-nucleon transfer and transfer induced fission reaction, have brought out many interesting features in understanding the reaction mechanism and collective dynamics of heavy ion reactions. The structure of the projectile nucleus has strong influence on the transfer of multi-nucleons and/or clusters from the projectile to the target. The mechanism of multi-nucleon transfer between two heavy nuclei is a complex process which has a strong dependence on the ground state Q-value of the reaction as well as on the number of transferred nucleons

  16. Energy partition in nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruben, A.; Maerten, H.; Seeliger, D.

    1990-01-01

    A scission point model (two spheroid model TSM) including semi-empirical temperature-dependent shell correction energies for deformed fragments at scission is presented. It has been used to describe the mass-asymmetry-dependent partition of the total energy release on both fragments from spontaneous and induced fission. Characteristic trends of experimental fragment energy and neutron multiplicity data as function of incidence energy in the Th-Cf region of fissioning nuclei are well reproduced. Based on model applications, information on the energy dissipated during the descent from second saddle of fission barrier to scission point have been deduced. (author). 39 refs, 13 figs

  17. Fission-fragment and neutron data traced back to the macroscopic and microscopic properties of the fissioning systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schmidt K.-H.

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available A new model description of fission-fragment yields and prompt neutron emission is developed. The yields of the different fission channels and their properties are attributed to the number of relevant states above the potential-energy landscape on the fission path at the moment of dynamical freeze-out, which is specific to the collective coordinate considered. The model combines well established ideas with novel concepts. The separability principle of macroscopic properties of the compound nucleus and microscopic properties of the fragments strongly reduces the number of model parameters and assures a high predictive power. The recently discovered energy-sorting mechanism in superfluid nuclear dynamics determines the sharing of intrinsic excitation energy at scission and the enhancement of even-odd structure in asymmetric splits.

  18. Geochemical properties and nuclear chemical characteristics of Oklo natural fission reactors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hidaka, Hiroshi [Hiroshima Univ., Higashi-Hiroshima (Japan). Faculty of Science

    1997-07-01

    There are six uranium deposits in the Gabonese Republic in the cnetral Africa. `Fission reactor zone`, the fission chain reactions generated about 200 billion years ago, was existed in a part of them. CEA begun geochemical researches of Oklo deposits etc. in 1991. The geochemical and nuclear chemical properties of Oklo were reviewed from the results of researches. Oklo deposits is consisted of main five sedimentary faces such as sandstone (FA), Black Shale formation (FB), mudstone (FC), tuff (FD) and volcaniclastic sandstone (FE) from the bottom on the base rock of granite in the Precambrian era. Uranium is enriched in the upper part of FA layer and the under part of FB layer. {sup 235}U/{sup 238}U, U content, fission proportion, duration time, neutron fluence, temperature, restitution factor of {sup 235}U and epithermal index ({gamma}) were investigated and compared. The geochemical properties of Oklo are as followed: large enrich of uranium, the abundance ratio of {sup 235}U as same as that of enriched uranium, interaction of natural water and small rear earth elements. These factors made casually Oklo fission reactor. (S.Y.)

  19. Estimates of fission yields in nuclear criticality excursions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, J.S.; Thompson, J.W.; Reed, R.

    1995-06-01

    There is a need for computer simulation of hypothetical criticality excursions involving significant quantities of fissionable materials, especially in fissile aqueous system. The need arises due to the requirements for the emergency planning of facilities where the fissionable materials are handled, processed, or stored; and the regulatory requirements associated with facility operation or conversion. It is proposed here that a data base of fission yeilds for critical experiments and known accidents (both aqueous and solid) should be generated by using existing or new computer codes. The success in compiling this data base would provide useful source-terms for criticality excursions, realistic estimates of emergency-response boundary, as well as a replacement for the ''rule-of-thumb'' or ''bounding'' method. 10 refs

  20. Proliferation Resistant Nuclear Reactor Fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gray, L.W.; Moody, K.J.; Bradley, K.S.; Lorenzana, H.E.

    2011-01-01

    Global appetite for fission power is projected to grow dramatically this century, and for good reason. Despite considerable research to identify new sources of energy, fission remains the most plentiful and practical alternative to fossil fuels. The environmental challenges of fossil fuel have made the fission power option increasingly attractive, particularly as we are forced to rely on reserves in ecologically fragile or politically unstable corners of the globe. Caught between a globally eroding fossil fuel reserve as well as the uncertainty and considerable costs in the development of fusion power, most of the world will most likely come to rely on fission power for at least the remainder of the 21st century. Despite inevitable growth, fission power faces enduring challenges in sustainability and security. One of fission power's greatest hurdles to universal acceptance is the risk of potential misuse for nefarious purposes of fissionable byproducts in spent fuel, such as plutonium. With this issue in mind, we have discussed intrinsic concepts in this report that are motivated by the premise that the utility, desirability, and applicability of nuclear materials can be reduced. In a general sense, the intrinsic solutions aim to reduce or eliminate the quantity of existing weapons usable material; avoid production of new weapons-usable material through enrichment, breeding, extraction; or employ engineering solutions to make the fuel cycle less useful or more difficult for producing weapons-usable material. By their nature, these schemes require modifications to existing fuel cycles. As such, the concomitants of these modifications require engagement from the nuclear reactor and fuel-design community to fully assess their effects. Unfortunately, active pursuit of any scheme that could further complicate the spread of domestic nuclear power will probably be understandably unpopular. Nevertheless, the nonproliferation and counterterrorism issues are paramount, and

  1. Phase 1 space fission propulsion system design considerations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Houts, Mike; Van Dyke, Melissa; Godfroy, Tom; Pedersen, Kevin; Martin, James; Dickens, Ricky; Salvail, Pat; Hrbud, Ivana; Carter, Robert

    2002-01-01

    Fission technology can enable rapid, affordable access to any point in the solar system. If fission propulsion systems are to be developed to their full potential; however, near-term customers must be identified and initial fission systems successfully developed, launched, and operated. Studies conducted in fiscal year 2001 (IISTP, 2001) show that fission electric propulsion (FEP) systems operating at 80 kWe or above could enhance or enable numerous robotic outer solar system missions of interest. At these power levels it is possible to develop safe, affordable systems that meet mission performance requirements. In selecting the system design to pursue, seven evaluation criteria were identified: safety, reliability, testability, specific mass, cost, schedule, and programmatic risk. A top-level comparison of three potential concepts was performed: an SP-100 based pumped liquid lithium system, a direct gas cooled system, and a heatpipe cooled system. For power levels up to at least 500 kWt (enabling electric power levels of 125-175 kWe, given 25-35% power conversion efficiency) the heatpipe system has advantages related to several criteria and is competitive with respect to all. Hardware-based research and development has further increased confidence in the heatpipe approach. Successful development and utilization of a 'Phase 1' fission electric propulsion system will enable advanced Phase 2 and Phase 3 systems capable of providing rapid, affordable access to any point in the solar system

  2. Options for Affordable Fission Surface Power Systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Houts, Mike; Gaddis, Steve; Porter, Ron; Van Dyke, Melissa; Martin, Jim; Godfroy, Tom; Bragg-Sitton, Shannon; Garber, Anne; Pearson, Boise

    2006-01-01

    Fission surface power systems could provide abundant power anywhere on the surface of the moon or Mars. Locations could include permanently shaded regions on the moon and high latitudes on Mars. To be fully utilized, however, fission surface power systems must be safe, have adequate performance, and be affordable. This paper discusses options for the design and development of such systems. (authors)

  3. Multi-Detector Analysis System for Spent Nuclear Fuel Characterization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reber, Edward Lawrence; Aryaeinejad, Rahmat; Cole, Jerald Donald; Drigert, Mark William; Jewell, James Keith; Egger, Ann Elizabeth; Cordes, Gail Adele

    1999-09-01

    The Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) Non-Destructive Analysis (NDA) program at INEEL is developing a system to characterize SNF for fissile mass, radiation source term, and fissile isotopic content. The system is based on the integration of the Fission Assay Tomography System (FATS) and the Gamma-Neutron Analysis Technique (GNAT) developed under programs supported by the DOE Office of Non-proliferation and National Security. Both FATS and GNAT were developed as separate systems to provide information on the location of special nuclear material in weapons configuration (FATS role), and to measure isotopic ratios of fissile material to determine if the material was from a weapon (GNAT role). FATS is capable of not only determining the presence and location of fissile material but also the quantity of fissile material present to within 50%. GNAT determines the ratios of the fissile and fissionable material by coincidence methods that allow the two prompt (immediately) produced fission fragments to be identified. Therefore, from the combination of FATS and GNAT, MDAS is able to measure the fissile material, radiation source term, and fissile isotopics content.

  4. Report of fission study meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1986-03-01

    This book is the report of fission Study Meeting held from September 19 to 21, 1985 in the Research Center for Nuclear Physics, Osaka University. The objective of this study meeting was to stimulate the research on nuclear physics in Japan, which began to show new development accompanying the advance of the research on heavy ion nuclear reaction, and to make this a new starting point. More than 50 participants from physical, chemical and engineering fields, who have interest in the theory and experiment related to nuclear fission, gathered, and the meeting was a success beyond expectation. The contents covered a wide range including nuclear smashing reaction as well as nuclear fission in a narrow sense. In this book, the gists of 28 papers are collected. (Kako, I.)

  5. Detection of fission fragments using thick samples in contact with solid state nuclear track detectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lima, D.A. de; Martins, J.B.; Tavares, O.A.P.

    1987-01-01

    Whenever use is made of thick samples in contact with solid state nuclear track detectors for determining fission yields, one of the fundamental problems is the evaluation of the effective number of target nuclei which contributes to the fraction of the number of fission events that will be recorded. The evaluation of the effective number of target nuclei which contributes to recorded events is based on the effective thickness of the sample. A method for evaluating effective thickness of thick samples for binary fission modes, is presented. A cross section equation which takes into account all the necessary corrections due to fragment attenuation effects by a thick target for calculation induced fission yields, was obtained. (Author) [pt

  6. Role of deformed shell effects on the mass asymmetry in nuclear fission of mercury isotopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Panebianco, Stefano; Sida, Jean-Luc; Goutte, Heloise; Lemaitre, Jean-Francois; Dubray, Noel; Hilaire, Stephane

    2012-01-01

    Until now, the mass asymmetry in the nuclear fission process has been understood in terms of the strong influence of the nuclear structure of the nascent fragments. Recently, a surprising asymmetric fission has been discovered in the light mercury region and has been interpreted as the result of the influence of the nuclear structure of the parent nucleus, totally discarding the influence of the fragments' structure. To assess the role of the fragment shell effects in the mass asymmetry in this particular region, a scission-point model, based on a full energy balance between the two nascent fragments, has been developed using one of the best theoretical descriptions of microscopic nuclear structure. As for actinides, this approach shows that the asymmetric splitting of the Hg-180 nucleus and the symmetric one of Hg-198 can be understood on the basis of only the microscopic nuclear structure of the fragments at scission. (authors)

  7. Properties of neutron-rich nuclei studied by fission product nuclear chemistry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meyer, R.A.; Henry, E.A.; Griffin, H.C.; Lien, O.G. III; Lane, S.M.; Stevenson, P.C.; Yaffe, R.P.; Skarnemark, G.

    1979-09-01

    A review is given of the properties of neutron-rich nuclei studied by fission product nuclear chemistry and includes the techniques used in elemental isolation and current research on the structure of nuclei near 132 Sn, particle emission, and coexisting structure in both neutron-poor and neutron-rich nuclei. 35 references

  8. Energy distribution of antineutrinos originating from the decay of fission products in a nuclear reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rudstam, G.; Aleklett, K.

    1979-01-01

    The energy spectrum of antineutrinos around a nuclear reactor has been derived by summing contributions from individual fission products. The resulting spectrum is weaker at energies above approx. 8 MeV than earlier published antineutrino spectra. The reason may be connected to the strong feeding of high-lying daughter states in the beta decay of fission products with high disintegration energies

  9. A new prompt heavy-ion-induced fission mode

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    finement of nuclear systems, methods which are still sometimes used in ... Another type of essentially binary nuclear disintegration of projectile-like fragment ... While the field of nuclear fission research still has a range of questions to investigate, it .... momentum, qualitative to semiquantitative expectations can be formulated ...

  10. Fission modelling with FIFRELIN

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Litaize, Olivier; Serot, Olivier; Berge, Leonie

    2015-01-01

    The nuclear fission process gives rise to the formation of fission fragments and emission of particles (n,γ, e - ). The particle emission from fragments can be prompt and delayed. We present here the methods used in the FIFRELIN code, which simulates the prompt component of the de-excitation process. The methods are based on phenomenological models associated with macroscopic and/or microscopic ingredients. Input data can be provided by experiment as well as by theory. The fission fragment de-excitation can be performed within Weisskopf (uncoupled neutron and gamma emission) or a Hauser-Feshbach (coupled neutron/gamma emission) statistical theory. We usually consider five free parameters that cannot be provided by theory or experiments in order to describe the initial distributions required by the code. In a first step this set of parameters is chosen to reproduce a very limited set of target observables. In a second step we can increase the statistics to predict all other fission observables such as prompt neutron, gamma and conversion electron spectra but also their distributions as a function of any kind of parameters such as, for instance, the neutron, gamma and electron number distributions, the average prompt neutron multiplicity as a function of fission fragment mass, charge or kinetic energy, and so on. Several results related to different fissioning systems are presented in this work. The goal in the next decade will be i) to replace some macroscopic ingredients or phenomenological models by microscopic calculations when available and reliable, ii) to be a support for experimentalists in the design of detection systems or in the prediction of necessary beam time or count rates with associated statistics when measuring fragments and emitted particle in coincidence iii) extend the model to be able to run a calculation when no experimental input data are available, iv) account for multiple chance fission and gamma emission before fission, v) account for the

  11. Fission gas measuring technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Hyung Kwon; Kim, Eun Ka; Hwang, Yong Hwa; Lee, Eun Pyo; Chun, Yong Bum; Seo, Ki Seog; Park, Dea Gyu; Chu, Yong Sun; Ahn, Sang Bok.

    1998-02-01

    Safety and economy of nuclear plant are greatly affected by the integrity of nuclear fuels during irradiation reactor core. A series of post-irradiation examination (PIE) including non-destructive and destructive test is to be conducted to evaluate and characterize the nuclear performance. In this report, a principle of the examination equipment to measure and analyse fission gases existing nuclear fuels were described and features of the component and device consisting the fission gas measuring equipment are investigated. (author). 4 refs., 2 tabs., 6 figs

  12. Fission gas measuring technology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Hyung Kwon; Kim, Eun Ka; Hwang, Yong Hwa; Lee, Eun Pyo; Chun, Yong Bum; Seo, Ki Seog; Park, Dea Gyu; Chu, Yong Sun; Ahn, Sang Bok

    1998-02-01

    Safety and economy of nuclear plant are greatly affected by the integrity of nuclear fuels during irradiation reactor core. A series of post-irradiation examination (PIE) including non-destructive and destructive test is to be conducted to evaluate and characterize the nuclear performance. In this report, a principle of the examination equipment to measure and analyse fission gases existing nuclear fuels were described and features of the component and device consisting the fission gas measuring equipment are investigated. (author). 4 refs., 2 tabs., 6 figs.

  13. The Oklo natural nuclear reactors: neutron parameters, age and duration of the reactions, uranium and fission products migrations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruffenach, J.-C.

    1979-09-01

    Mass spectrometry and isotopic dilution technique are used in order to carry out, on various samples from the fossil nuclear reactors at Oklo, Gabon, isotopic and chemical analyses of some particular elements involved in the nuclear reactions: uranium, lead, bismuth, thorium, rare gases (krypton, xenon), rare earths (neodymium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, dysprosium), ruthenium and palladium. Interpretations of these analyses lead to the determination of many neutron parameters such as the neutron fluence received by the samples, the spectrum index, the conversion coefficient, and also the percentages of fissions due to uranium-238 and plutonium-239 and the total number of fissions relative to uranium. All these results make it possible to determine the age of the nuclear reactions by measuring the amounts of fission rare earths formed, i.e. 1.97 billion years. This study brings some informations to the general problem of radioactive wastes storage in deep geological formations, the storage of uranium, plutonium and many fission products having been carried out naturally, and for about two billion years [fr

  14. Mobile nuclear power systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andersson, B.

    1988-11-01

    This report is meant to present a general survey of the mobile nuclear power systems and not a detailed review of their technical accomplishments. It is based in published material mainly up to 1987. Mobile nuclear power systems are of two fundamentally different kinds: nuclear reactors and isotopic generators. In the reactors the energy comes from nuclear fission and in the isotopic generators from the radioactive decay of suitable isotopes. The reactors are primarily used as power sourves on board nuclear submarines and other warships but have also been used in the space and in remote places. Their thermal power has ranged from 30 kWth (in a satellite) to 175 MWth (on board an aircraft carrier). Isotopic generators are suitable only for small power demands and have been used on board satellites and spaceprobes, automatic weatherstations, lighthouses and marine installations for navigation and observation. (author)

  15. Table of superdeformed nuclear bands and fission isomers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Firestone, R.B.; Singh, B.

    1994-06-01

    A minimum in the second potential well of deformed nuclei was predicted and the associated shell gaps are illustrated in the harmonic oscillator potential shell energy surface calculations shown in this report. A strong superdeformed minimum in 152 Dy was predicted for β 2 -0.65. Subsequently, a discrete set of γ-ray transitions in 152 DY was observed and, assigned to the predicted superdeformed band. Extensive research at several laboratories has since focused on searching for other mass regions of large deformation. A new generation of γ-ray detector arrays is already producing a wealth of information about the mechanisms for feeding and deexciting superdeformed bands. These bands have been found in three distinct regions near A=l30, 150, and 190. This research extends upon previous work in the actinide region near A=240 where fission isomers were identified and also associated with the second potential well. Quadrupole moment measurements for selected cases in each mass region are consistent with assigning the bands to excitations in the second local minimum. As part of our committment to maintain nuclear structure data as current as possible in the Evaluated Nuclear Structure Reference File (ENSDF) and the Table of Isotopes, we have updated the information on superdeformed nuclear bands. As of April 1994, we have complied data from 86 superdeformed bands and 46 fission isomers identified in 73 nuclides for this report. For each nuclide there is a complete level table listing both normal and superdeformed band assignments; level energy, spin, parity, half-life, magneto moments, decay branchings; and the energies, final levels, relative intensities, multipolarities, and mixing ratios for transitions deexciting each level. Mass excess, decay energies, and proton and neutron separation energies are also provided from the evaluation of Audi and Wapstra

  16. Table of superdeformed nuclear bands and fission isomers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Firestone, R.B. [Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States); Singh, B. [McMaster Univ., Hamilton, ON (Canada)

    1994-06-01

    A minimum in the second potential well of deformed nuclei was predicted and the associated shell gaps are illustrated in the harmonic oscillator potential shell energy surface calculations shown in this report. A strong superdeformed minimum in {sup 152}Dy was predicted for {beta}{sub 2}-0.65. Subsequently, a discrete set of {gamma}-ray transitions in {sup 152}DY was observed and, assigned to the predicted superdeformed band. Extensive research at several laboratories has since focused on searching for other mass regions of large deformation. A new generation of {gamma}-ray detector arrays is already producing a wealth of information about the mechanisms for feeding and deexciting superdeformed bands. These bands have been found in three distinct regions near A=l30, 150, and 190. This research extends upon previous work in the actinide region near A=240 where fission isomers were identified and also associated with the second potential well. Quadrupole moment measurements for selected cases in each mass region are consistent with assigning the bands to excitations in the second local minimum. As part of our committment to maintain nuclear structure data as current as possible in the Evaluated Nuclear Structure Reference File (ENSDF) and the Table of Isotopes, we have updated the information on superdeformed nuclear bands. As of April 1994, we have complied data from 86 superdeformed bands and 46 fission isomers identified in 73 nuclides for this report. For each nuclide there is a complete level table listing both normal and superdeformed band assignments; level energy, spin, parity, half-life, magneto moments, decay branchings; and the energies, final levels, relative intensities, multipolarities, and mixing ratios for transitions deexciting each level. Mass excess, decay energies, and proton and neutron separation energies are also provided from the evaluation of Audi and Wapstra.

  17. Yields of products from thermal-neutron induced fission of 235U

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rudstam, G.; Aagaard, P.; Zwicky, H.U.

    1985-01-01

    Methods for fission yield determinations at an ISOL-system connected to a nuclear reactor have been developed. The present report contains detailed descriptions both of the experimental techniques and of the method used to correct the experimental yields for the decay of short-lived nuclear species in the delay between production and measurement. The methods have been applied to the determination of the fission yields of 40 fission products including 2 isometric pairs in the light mass region and those of 99 fission products including 25 isometric pairs or triplets in the heavy mass region. For 64 cases this is the first determination published. (author)

  18. Compilation and evaluation of fission yield nuclear data. Final report of a co-ordinated research project 1991-1996

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2000-12-01

    Fission product yields are required at several stages of the nuclear fuel cycle and are therefore included in all large international data files for reactor calculations and related applications. Such files are maintained and disseminated by the Nuclear Data Section of the IAEA as a member of an international data centres network. Users of these data are from the fields of reactor design and operation, waste management and nuclear materials safeguards, all of which are essential parts of the IAEA programme. In the 1980s, the number of measured fission yields increased so drastically that the manpower available for evaluating them to meet specific user needs was insufficient. To cope with this task, it was concluded in several meetings on fission product nuclear data, some of them convened by the IAEA, that international co-operation was required, and an IAEA co-ordinated research project (CRP) was recommended. This recommendation was endorsed by the International Nuclear Data Committee, an advisory body for the nuclear data programme of the IAEA. As a consequence, the CRP on the Compilation and Evaluation of Fission Yield Nuclear Data was initiated in 1991, after its scope, objectives and tasks had been defined by a preparatory meeting. The different tasks, such as special evaluations and development of improved methods, were distributed among participants. The results of the research work were discussed and approved by all participants in research co-ordination meetings. For a successful development of theoretical and empirical models, experiments had to be recommended and their results to be awaited, which made necessary an extension of the CRP by two years. This TECDOC is the result of a joint effort of all participants in this CRP. The individual sections represent CRP tasks and were prepared by the participants responsible for doing the research, some of which comprise significant new scientific developments. The appendices to this book contain voluminous

  19. Self-Organized Fission Control for Flocking System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mingyong Liu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper studies the self-organized fission control problem for flocking system. Motivated by the fission behavior of biological flocks, information coupling degree (ICD is firstly designed to represent the interaction intensity between individuals. Then, from the information transfer perspective, a “maximum-ICD” based pairwise interaction rule is proposed to realize the directional information propagation within the flock. Together with the “separation/alignment/cohesion” rules, a self-organized fission control algorithm is established that achieves the spontaneous splitting of flocking system under conflict external stimuli. Finally, numerical simulations are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

  20. Fusion-Fission Transmutation Scheme-Efficient destruction of nuclear waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kotschenreuther, M.; Valanju, P.M.; Mahajan, S.M.; Schneider, E.A.

    2009-01-01

    A fusion-assisted transmutation system for the destruction of transuranic nuclear waste is developed by combining a subcritical fusion-fission hybrid assembly uniquely equipped to burn the worst thermal nonfissile transuranic isotopes with a new fuel cycle that uses cheaper light water reactors for most of the transmutation. The center piece of this fuel cycle, the high power density compact fusion neutron source (100 MW, outer radius <3 m), is made possible by a new divertor with a heat-handling capacity five times that of the standard alternative. The number of hybrids needed to destroy a given amount of waste is an order of magnitude below the corresponding number of critical fast-spectrum reactors (FRs) as the latter cannot fully exploit the new fuel cycle. Also, the time needed for 99% transuranic waste destruction reduces from centuries (with FR) to decades

  1. Low energy nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nifenecker, H.

    1980-08-01

    In these lectures the liquid drop model of fission is presented and some of its predictions compared with experiment. The liquid drop analogy allows to define in a rather simple and intuitive way a number of useful concepts and possible observables. It is shown how a synthesis of the liquid drop model and of the shell model can be made using the Strutinsky shell averaging procedure. Some experimental data related to the existence of shape isomers are presented and discussed. We conclude by discussing some aspects, both experimental and theoretical, of fission dynamics

  2. Two billion year old natural analogs for nuclear waste disposal: the natural nuclear fission reactors in Gabon (Africa)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gauthier-Lafaye, F.

    2002-01-01

    Two billion years ago, the increase of oxygen in atmosphere and the high 235 U/ 238 U uranium ratio (> 3%) made possible the occurrence of natural nuclear reactors on Earth. These reactors are considered to be a good natural analogue for nuclear waste disposal. Their preservation during such a long period of time is mainly due to the geological stability of the site, the occurrence of clays surrounding the reactors and acting as an impermeable shield, and the occurrence of organic matter that maintained the environment in reducing conditions, favourable for the stability of uraninite. Hydrogeochemical studies and modelling have shown the complexity of the geochemical system at Oklo and Bangombe (Gabon) and the lack of precise data about uranium and fission products retention and migration mechanisms in geological environments. (author)

  3. Proceedings of the 12. International Symposium on Nuclear Physics - Heavy-Ion Collisions and Nuclear Fission - organized by the Technical University of Dresden, November 22-26, 1982 in Gaussig (GDR)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reif, R.; Teichert, J.

    1982-12-01

    The following problems in experimental and theoretical investigations of heavy-ion reactions and the dynamics of nuclear fission processes are discussed: (1) emission of fast light particles in heavy-ion collisions, preequilibrium effects; (2) dynamics of deep inelastic heavy-ion reactions; (3) selected topics in quasi-elastic heavy-ion collisions; and (4) collective transport theory for fission, cross sections and neutron spectra of fission. Problems of neutron induced reactions and nuclear data evaluation are also covered. (author)

  4. Fission yield covariance generation and uncertainty propagation through fission pulse decay heat calculation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fiorito, L.; Diez, C.J.; Cabellos, O.; Stankovskiy, A.; Van den Eynde, G.; Labeau, P.E.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Fission yield data and uncertainty comparison between major nuclear data libraries. • Fission yield covariance generation through Bayesian technique. • Study of the effect of fission yield correlations on decay heat calculations. • Covariance information contribute to reduce fission pulse decay heat uncertainty. - Abstract: Fission product yields are fundamental parameters in burnup/activation calculations and the impact of their uncertainties was widely studied in the past. Evaluations of these uncertainties were released, still without covariance data. Therefore, the nuclear community expressed the need of full fission yield covariance matrices to be able to produce inventory calculation results that take into account the complete uncertainty data. State-of-the-art fission yield data and methodologies for fission yield covariance generation were researched in this work. Covariance matrices were generated and compared to the original data stored in the library. Then, we focused on the effect of fission yield covariance information on fission pulse decay heat results for thermal fission of 235 U. Calculations were carried out using different libraries and codes (ACAB and ALEPH-2) after introducing the new covariance values. Results were compared with those obtained with the uncertainty data currently provided by the libraries. The uncertainty quantification was performed first with Monte Carlo sampling and then compared with linear perturbation. Indeed, correlations between fission yields strongly affect the uncertainty of decay heat. Eventually, a sensitivity analysis of fission product yields to fission pulse decay heat was performed in order to provide a full set of the most sensitive nuclides for such a calculation

  5. Materials degradation in fission reactors: Lessons learned of relevance to fusion reactor systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Was, Gary S.

    2007-01-01

    The management of materials in power reactor systems has become a critically important activity in assuring the safe, reliable and economical operation of these facilities. Over the years, the commercial nuclear power reactor industry has faced numerous 'surprises' and unexpected occurrences in materials. Mitigation strategies have sometimes solved one problem at the expense of creating another. Other problems have been solved successfully and have motivated the development of techniques to foresee problems before they occur. This paper focuses on three aspects of fission reactor experience that may benefit future fusion systems. The first is identification of parameters and processes that have had a large impact on the behavior of materials in fission systems such as temperature, dose rate, surface condition, gradients, metallurgical variability and effects of the environment. The second is the development of materials performance and failure models to provide a basis for assuring component integrity. Last is the development of proactive materials management programs that identify and pre-empt degradation processes before they can become problems. These aspects of LWR experience along with the growing experience with materials in the more demanding advanced fission reactor systems form the basis for a set of 'lessons learned' to aid in the successful management of materials in fusion reactor systems

  6. Selective Trapping of Volatile Fission Products with an Off-Gas Treatment System

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    B.R. Westphal; J.J. Park; J.M. Shin; G.I. Park; K.J. Bateman; D.L. Wahlquist

    2008-07-01

    A head-end processing step, termed DEOX for its emphasis on decladding via oxidation, is being developed for the treatment of spent oxide fuel by pyroprocessing techniques. The head-end step employs high temperatures to oxidize UO2 to U3O8 resulting in the separation of fuel from cladding and the removal of volatile fission products. Development of the head-end step is being performed in collaboration with the Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) through an International Nuclear Energy Research Initiative. Following the initial experimentation for the removal of volatile fission products, an off-gas treatment system was designed in conjunction with KAERI to collect specific fission gases. The primary volatile species targeted for trapping were iodine, technetium, and cesium. Each species is intended to be collected in distinct zones of the off-gas system and within those zones, on individual filters. Separation of the volatile off-gases is achieved thermally as well as chemically given the composition of the filter media. A description of the filter media and a basis for its selection will be given along with the collection mechanisms and design considerations. In addition, results from testing with the off-gas treatment system will be presented.

  7. Energy dissipation in the process of ternary fission in heavy nuclear reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Xian; Wang Chengqian; Yan Shiwei

    2015-01-01

    We studied the evolution of the collective motion, interaction potential, the total kinetic and excitation energies in ternary fissions of 197 Au + 197 Au system at 15 MeV/u, and discussed energy dissipation of this reaction. Through the comparison with energy-angle correlation data in binary fissions, we preliminarily concluded that the rst fission of ternary fission was an extreme deep-inelastic process. We further analyzed the correlation of the total kinetic energy with impact parameters in both binary and ternary reactions, and found that the total energy of binary reactions systems was lost about 150 MeV more than ternary fission with small impact parameters, and with larger impact parameters the total energy of ternary reactions were lost 300 MeV more than binary reactions. (authors)

  8. A revised calculational model for fission

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Atchison, F

    1998-09-01

    A semi-empirical parametrization has been developed to calculate the fission contribution to evaporative de-excitation of nuclei with a very wide range of charge, mass and excitation-energy and also the nuclear states of the scission products. The calculational model reproduces measured values (cross-sections, mass distributions, etc.) for a wide range of fissioning systems: Nuclei from Ta to Cf, interactions involving nucleons up to medium energy and light ions. (author)

  9. Liquid metal coolants for fusion-fission hybrid system: A neutronic analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marques, Renato V.A.; Velasquez, Carlos E.; Pereira, Claubia; Veloso, Maria Auxiliadora F.; Costa, Antonella L., E-mail: claubia@nuclear.ufmg.br [Universidade de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Departamento de Engenharia Nuclear; Barros, Graiciany P. [Comissão Nacional de Energia Nuclear (CNEN), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

    2017-07-01

    Based on a work already published by the UFMG Nuclear Engineering Department, it was suggested to use different coolant materials in a fusion-fission system after a fuel burnup simulation, including that one used in reference work. The goal is to compare the neutron parameters, such as the effect multiplication factor and actinide amounts in transmutation layer, for each used coolant and find the best(s) coolant material(s) to be applied in the considered system. Results indicate that the lead and lead-bismuth coolant are the most suitable choices to be applied to cool the system. (author)

  10. Identification of fission-like events in the 16O + 181Ta system: Mass and isotopic yield distribution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharma, Vijay R.; Yadav, Abhishek; Singh, Devendra P.; Unnati,; Singh, B. P.; Prasad, R.; Singh, Pushpendra P.; Sharma, Manoj K.; Kumar, R.; Golda, K. S.; Sinha, A. K.

    2011-01-01

    In this paper, nuclear reaction cross sections for 24 fission-like fragments (30≤Z≤60) have been measured for the 6.5 MeV/A 16 O + 181 Ta system. The recoil-catcher activation technique was employed followed by off-line γ spectroscopy. The isotopic yield distributions for yttrium and indium isotopes have been obtained from the experimental data. The variance of the presently measured isotopic yield distributions have been found to be in agreement with the literature values. However, the variance of the mass distribution of fission residues has found to be narrower as compared to other relatively heavier systems. A self-consistent approach to determining the isobaric charge dispersion parameters has been adopted. The measured fission cross sections at 97 and 100 MeV are satisfactorily described by a statistical model code. An attempt has been made to explain the production cross sections of intermediate mass residues in the fission of heavy residues populated via complete and/or incomplete fusion processes.

  11. Determination of the fission products yields, lanthanide and yttrium, in the fission of 238U with neutrons of fission spectra

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nicoli, I.G.

    1981-06-01

    A radiochemical investigation is performed to measure the cumulative fission product yields of several lantanides and yttrium nuclides in the 238 U by fission neutron spectra. Natural and depleted uranium are irradiated under the same experimental conditions in order to find a way to subtract the contribution of the 235 U fission. 235 U percentage in the natural uranium was 3.5 times higher than in the depleted uranium. Uranium oxides samples are irradiated inside the core of the Argonaut Reactor, at the Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear, and the lantanides and yttrium are chemically separated. The fission products gamma activities were detected, counted and analysed in a system constituted by a high resolution Ge(Li) detector, 4096 multichannel analyser and a PDP-11 computer. Cumulative yields for fission products with half-lives between 1 to 33 hours are measured: 93 Y, 141 La, 142 La, 143 Ce and 149 Nd. The chain total yields are calculated. The cumulative fission yields measured for 93 Y, 141 La, 142 La, 143 Ce and 149 Nd are 4,49%, 4,54%, 4,95%, 4,16% and 1,37% respectively and they are in good agreement with the values found in the literature. (Author) [pt

  12. Nuclear data project in Korea and resonance parameter evaluation of fission products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, Jonghwa; Oh, Soo-Youl

    2000-01-01

    Nuclear data activities in the fields of evaluation, processing, measurement, and service in Korea are presented in this paper. As one of the current activities, the neutron resonance parameters for stable or long-lived nineteen fission products have been evaluated and the results are presented here. (author)

  13. Research and Development on nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2007-01-01

    Research and development activities on advanced and innovative reactors are performed within a domestic programme and international initiatives. The ongoing New Nuclear Fission National Programme is synergic and complementary to the International Nuclear Energy Initiative (INERI) and EURATOM framework programmes and is managed by ENEA through a specific agreement signed in June 2007 by the Italian Ministry for Economic Development (MSE). The activities concern an integral advanced pressurised light-water-cooled reactor (IRIS nuclear power plant [NPP]) and several Generation-4. fast reactors: lead-cooled, very high temperature and sodium-cooled. A summary of the main results achieved in 2007 follows. In the framework of the INERI programme ENEA and other Italian organisations are involved in the design of the International Reactor Innovative and Secure (IRIS NPP), particularly in the design certification. An appropriate integral testing programme will be performed in the SPES-3 facility to be built at the SIET laboratories in Piacenza. The facility will be located inside the building of the decommissioned Emilia oil-fired power plant. Once erected, the facility will simulate IRIS at full height, full pressure and temperature, and with volumes and power scaled by factors of 1:100 and 1:150, respectively. The activity will be carried out in a collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), USA under an international initiative concerning cooperation in the field of nuclear-related technologies of mutual interest. In 2007 activities were mainly devoted to the conceptual design of the SPES-3 facility, the development of SPES-3 nodalization and the seismic isolation analysis of the IRIS auxiliary building

  14. Discussion on effective utilization of nuclear fuel based on peculiar property of the fifth unstable nuclide series

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Jiahua

    2000-01-01

    Based on a peculiar property of the Fifth Unstable Nuclide Series (FUNS) in developing stage, namely the transformation rate of parent fuel- 238 U consumption to fission production being increased with the fuel's reactor core life, it was shown that the used fuel taken out from the reactor core of PWR could be used again as PWR fuel, and the post processing for the used fuel needed only to de-contaminate the fission products from the used fuel and then to rebuild it into its normal form. Scheme A discussed the condition of using such rebuilt used fuel in PWR. Another peculiar property of FUNS is characterized by the fact that the equilibrium saturate concentrations of the derived nuclides in FUNS are different for different types of reactor. It is well known that the saturate concentration of 239 Pu in PWR is much larger than that in HWR. Scheme B i.e. a method of using the rebuilt used fuel from PWR to replace the natural uranium fuel for HWR was discussed

  15. Fission rates measured using high-energy gamma-rays from short half-life fission products in fresh and spent nuclear fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kroehnert, H.

    2011-02-15

    In recent years, higher discharge burn-ups and initial fuel enrichments have led to more and more heterogeneous core configurations in light water reactors (LWRs), especially at the beginning of cycle when fresh fuel assemblies are loaded next to highly burnt ones. As this trend is expected to continue in the future, the Paul Scherrer Institute has, in collaboration with the Swiss Association of Nuclear Utilities, swissnuclear, launched the experimental programme LIFE(at)PROTEUS. The LIFE(at)PROTEUS programme aims to better characterise interfaces between burnt and fresh UO{sub 2} fuel assemblies in modern LWRs. Thereby, a novel experimental database is to be made available for enabling the validation of neutronics calculations of strongly heterogeneous LWR core configurations. During the programme, mixed fresh and highly burnt UO{sub 2} fuel lattices will be investigated in the zero-power research reactor PROTEUS. One of the main types of investigations will be to irradiate the fuel in PROTEUS and measure the resulting fission rate distributions across the interface between fresh and burnt fuel zones. The measurement of fission rates in burnt fuel re-irradiated in a zero-power reactor requires, however, the development of new experimental techniques which are able to discriminate against the high intrinsic activity of the fuel. The principal goal of the present research work has been to develop such a new measurement technique. The selected approach is based on the detection of high-energy gamma-ray lines above the intrinsic background (i.e. above 2200 keV), which are emitted by short-lived fission products freshly created in the fuel. The fission products {sup 88}Kr, {sup 142}La, {sup 138}Cs, {sup 84}Br, {sup 89}Rb, {sup 95}Y, {sup 90m}Rb and {sup 90}Rb, with half-lives between 2.6 min and 2.8 h, have been identified as potential candidates. During the present research work, the gamma-ray activity of short-lived fission products has, for the first time, been

  16. Nuclear-charge polarization at scission in fission from moderately excited light-actinide nuclei

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishinaka, Ichiro

    2009-01-01

    Fragment mass yields and the average neutron multiplicity in the proton-induced fission of 232 Th and 238 U were measured by a double time-of-flight method. The most probable charges of secondary fragments were evaluated from the fragment mass yields measured by the double time-of-flight method and the fractional cumulative and independent yields reported in literature. The nuclear-charge polarization of primary fragments at scission was obtained by correcting the most probable charge of secondary fragments for neutron evaporation. The results show that the nuclear-charge polarization at scission is associated with the liquid-drop properties of nuclei and the proton shell effect with Z = 50 of heavy fragments and that it is practically insensitive to mass and excitation energy of the fissioning nucleus in the region of light-actinide nuclei. (author)

  17. Nuclear fission - the unexpected discovery seventy years ago

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weis, Michael

    2008-01-01

    Seventy years ago, on December 17, 1938, Otto Hahn, Lise Meitner, and Fritz Strassmann discovered nuclear fission. It was a serendipitous discovery resulting from the consistent pursuit, for many years, of occasionally unexpected radiochemical experimental findings. Hardly any other scientific discovery has had such direct bearing on our life, changing our view of the world. It over-threw the tenet of physics, believed to be incontestable, that the atom was indivisible. The use of nuclear power it has made possible has given rise to immense benefits, but it has also allowed mankind's most dreadful weapon so far to be developed. All this is ample reason seventy years later to recall the discovery, the discoverers and their times. It will also be shown what later generations have made of this discovery, and what economic and ecological prospects it continues to hold. (orig.)

  18. Consultancy on the potential of fusion/fission sub-critical neutron systems for energy production and transmutation. Working material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2005-01-01

    The Workshop on Sub-critical Neutron Production held at the University of Maryland and the Eisenhower Institute on 11-13 October 2004 brought together members of fusion, fission and accelerator technical communities to discuss issues of spent fuel, nonproliferation, reactor safety and the use of neutrons for sub-critical operation of nuclear reactors. The Workshop strongly recommended that the fusion community work closely with other technical communities to ensure that a wider range of technical solutions is available to solve the spent fuel problem and to utilize the current actinide inventories. Participants of the Workshop recommended that a follow-on Workshop, possibly under the aegis of the IAEA, should be held in the first half of the year 2005. The Consultancy Meeting is the response to this recommendation. The objectives of the Consultancy meeting were to hold discussions on the role of fusion/fission systems in sub-critical operations of nuclear reactors. The participants agreed that development of innovative (fourth generation) fission reactors, advanced fuel cycle options, and disposition of existing spent nuclear fuel inventories in various Member Sates can significantly benefit from including sub-critical systems, which are driven by external neutron sources. Spallation neutrons produced by accelerators have been accepted in the past as the means of driving sub-critical reactors. The accelerator community deserves credit in pioneering this novel approach to reactor design. Progress in the design and operation of fusion devices now offers additional innovative means, broadening the range of sub-critical operations of fission reactors. Participants felt that fusion should participate with accelerators in providing a range of technical options in reactor design. Participants discussed concrete steps to set up a small fusion/fission system to demonstrate actinide burning in the laboratory and what advice should be given to the Agency on its role in

  19. 1: the atom. 2: radioactivity. 3: man and radiations. 4: the energy. 5: nuclear energy: fusion and fission. 6: the operation of a nuclear reactor. 7: the nuclear fuel cycle; 1: l'atome. 2: la radioactivite. 3: l'homme et les rayonnements. 4: l'energie. 5: l'energie nucleaire: fusion et fission. 6: le fonctionnement d'un reacteur nucleaire. 7: le cycle du combustible nucleaire

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2002-07-01

    This series of 7 digest booklets present the bases of the nuclear physics and of the nuclear energy: 1 - the atom (structure of matter, chemical elements and isotopes, the four fundamental interactions, nuclear physics); 2 - radioactivity (definition, origins of radioelements, applications of radioactivity); 3 - man and radiations (radiations diversity, biological effects, radioprotection, examples of radiation applications); 4 - energy (energy states, different forms of energy, characteristics); 5 - nuclear energy: fusion and fission (nuclear energy release, thermonuclear fusion, nuclear fission and chain reaction); 6 - operation of a nuclear reactor (nuclear fission, reactor components, reactor types); 7 - nuclear fuel cycle (nuclear fuel preparation, fuel consumption, reprocessing, wastes management). (J.S.)

  20. Extraction chromatography of fission products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonnevie-Svendsen, M.; Goon, K.

    1978-01-01

    Various cases of using extraction chromatography during analysis of fission products are reviewed. The use of the extraction chromatography method is considered while analysing reprocessed products of nuclear fuel for quantitative radiochemical analysis and control of fission product and actinoide separation during extraction and their chemical state in production solutions. The method is used to obtain pure fractions of typical burnup monitors (neodymium, molybdenum, cerium, cesium, europium, lanthanides) during determination of nuclear fuel burnup degree. While studying the nature of nuclear reactions the method is used to separate quickly short-life isotopes, to purify β-radiator fractions before measuring their half-life periods, to enrich isotopes forming with low output during fission. Examples of using extraction chromatography are given to separate long half-life or stable fission products from spent solutions, to control environment object contamination

  1. Measurement of Fission Product Yields from Fast-Neutron Fission

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arnold, C. W.; Bond, E. M.; Bredeweg, T. A.; Fowler, M. M.; Moody, W. A.; Rusev, G.; Vieira, D. J.; Wilhelmy, J. B.; Becker, J. A.; Henderson, R.; Kenneally, J.; Macri, R.; McNabb, D.; Ryan, C.; Sheets, S.; Stoyer, M. A.; Tonchev, A. P.; Bhatia, C.; Bhike, M.; Fallin, B.; Gooden, M. E.; Howell, C. R.; Kelley, J. H.; Tornow, W.

    2014-09-01

    One of the aims of the Stockpile Stewardship Program is a reduction of the uncertainties on fission data used for analyzing nuclear test data [1,2]. Fission products such as 147Nd are convenient for determining fission yields because of their relatively high yield per fission (about 2%) and long half-life (10.98 days). A scientific program for measuring fission product yields from 235U,238U and 239Pu targets as a function of bombarding neutron energy (0.1 to 15 MeV) is currently underway using monoenergetic neutron beams produced at the 10 MV Tandem Accelerator at TUNL. Dual-fission chambers are used to determine the rate of fission in targets during activation. Activated targets are counted in highly shielded HPGe detectors over a period of several weeks to identify decaying fission products. To date, data have been collected at neutron bombarding energies 4.6, 9.0, 14.5 and 14.8 MeV. Experimental methods and data reduction techniques are discussed, and some preliminary results are presented.

  2. Accidental behaviour of nuclear fuel in a warehousing site under air: investigation of the nuclear ceramic oxidation and of fission gas release

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Desgranges, L.

    2006-12-01

    After a brief presentation of the context of his works, i.e. the nuclear fuel, its behaviour in a nuclear reactor, and studies performed in high activity laboratory, the author more precisely presents its research topic: the behaviour of defective nuclear fuel in air. Then, he describes the researches performed in three main directions: firstly, the characterization and understanding of fission gas localisation (experimental localisation, understanding of the bubble forming mechanisms), secondly, the determination of mechanisms related to oxidation (atomic mechanisms related to UO 2 oxidation, oxidation of fragments of irradiated fuel, the CROCODILE installation). He finally presents his scientific project which notably deals with fission gas release (from UO 2 to U 3 O 7 , and from U 3 O 7 to U 3 O 8 ), and with further high activity laboratory experiments

  3. Sommerfeld-Watson transformation for nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alexandru, G.

    1978-01-01

    It is proved that the fission matrix element can be written like a Sommerfeld-Watson relation. This leads to a dispersion relation for the fission process in which the substraction term is uniquely determined. (author)

  4. Uncertainties in fission-product decay-heat calculations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oyamatsu, K.; Ohta, H.; Miyazono, T.; Tasaka, K. [Nagoya Univ. (Japan)

    1997-03-01

    The present precision of the aggregate decay heat calculations is studied quantitatively for 50 fissioning systems. In this evaluation, nuclear data and their uncertainty data are taken from ENDF/B-VI nuclear data library and those which are not available in this library are supplemented by a theoretical consideration. An approximate method is proposed to simplify the evaluation of the uncertainties in the aggregate decay heat calculations so that we can point out easily nuclei which cause large uncertainties in the calculated decay heat values. In this paper, we attempt to clarify the justification of the approximation which was not very clear at the early stage of the study. We find that the aggregate decay heat uncertainties for minor actinides such as Am and Cm isotopes are 3-5 times as large as those for {sup 235}U and {sup 239}Pu. The recommended values by Atomic Energy Society of Japan (AESJ) were given for 3 major fissioning systems, {sup 235}U(t), {sup 239}Pu(t) and {sup 238}U(f). The present results are consistent with the AESJ values for these systems although the two evaluations used different nuclear data libraries and approximations. Therefore, the present results can also be considered to supplement the uncertainty values for the remaining 17 fissioning systems in JNDC2, which were not treated in the AESJ evaluation. Furthermore, we attempt to list nuclear data which cause large uncertainties in decay heat calculations for the future revision of decay and yield data libraries. (author)

  5. Nuclear energy an introduction to the concepts, systems, and applications of nuclear processes

    CERN Document Server

    Murray, Raymond L

    1993-01-01

    This expanded, revised, and updated fourth edition of Nuclear Energy maintains the tradition of providing clear and comprehensive coverage of all aspects of the subject, with emphasis on the explanation of trends and developments. As in earlier editions, the book is divided into three parts that achieve a natural flow of ideas: Basic Concepts, including the fundamentals of energy, particle interactions, fission, and fusion; Nuclear Systems, including accelerators, isotope separators, detectors, and nuclear reactors; and Nuclear Energy and Man, covering the many applications of radionuclides, r

  6. Nuclear fission: reaction to the discovery in 1939

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Badash, L.; Hodes, E.; Tiddens, A.

    1985-01-01

    Historical aspects of the behavior of scientists in the aftermath of the discovery of nuclear fission are presented. An extensive background section is given which documents the worldwide discussion of atomic energy over the preceding four decades. A second section briefly surveys the research highlights of 1939. The third section examines the reactions of scientists, primarily in the United States, and includes coverage by newspapers, magazines and radio. The final section includes a number of themes to explain why there was little acknowledgment of the potential of the bomb to affect personal morality, the scientific community and international relations

  7. Fusion-fission energy systems evaluation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Teofilo, V.L.; Aase, D.T.; Bickford, W.E.

    1980-01-01

    This report serves as the basis for comparing the fusion-fission (hybrid) energy system concept with other advanced technology fissile fuel breeding concepts evaluated in the Nonproliferation Alternative Systems Assessment Program (NASAP). As such, much of the information and data provided herein is in a form that meets the NASAP data requirements. Since the hybrid concept has not been studied as extensively as many of the other fission concepts being examined in NASAP, the provided data and information are sparse relative to these more developed concepts. Nevertheless, this report is intended to provide a perspective on hybrids and to summarize the findings of the rather limited analyses made to date on this concept.

  8. Fusion-fission energy systems evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teofilo, V.L.; Aase, D.T.; Bickford, W.E.

    1980-01-01

    This report serves as the basis for comparing the fusion-fission (hybrid) energy system concept with other advanced technology fissile fuel breeding concepts evaluated in the Nonproliferation Alternative Systems Assessment Program (NASAP). As such, much of the information and data provided herein is in a form that meets the NASAP data requirements. Since the hybrid concept has not been studied as extensively as many of the other fission concepts being examined in NASAP, the provided data and information are sparse relative to these more developed concepts. Nevertheless, this report is intended to provide a perspective on hybrids and to summarize the findings of the rather limited analyses made to date on this concept

  9. Low energy nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nifenecker, H.

    1982-02-01

    In these lectures we present the liquid drop model of fission and compare some of its prediction with experiment. The liquid drop analogy allows to define in a rather simple and intuitive way a number of useful concepts and possible observables. We then discuss, using the example of the oscillator model, the generality of shell effects. We show how a synthesis of the liquid drop model and of the shell model can be made using the Strutinsky shell averaging procedure. Some experimental data related to the existence of shape isomers are presented and discussed. We conclude by discussing some aspects, both experimental and theoretical, of fission dynamics

  10. Disposition of plutonium from dismantled nuclear weapons: Fission options and comparisons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Omberg, R.P.; Walter, C.E.

    1993-01-01

    Over the next decade, the United States expects to recover about 50 Mg of excess weapon plutonium and the Republic of Russia expects to recover a similar amount. Ensuring that these large quantities of high-grade material are not reused in nuclear weapons has drawn considerable attention. In response to this problem, the US Department of Energy (DOE) chartered the Plutonium Disposition Task Force (PDTF), in the summer of 1992, to assess a range of practical means for disposition of excess US plutonium. This report summarizes and compares the ''Fission Options'' provided to the Fission Working Group Review Committee (the committee) of the PDTF. The review by the committee was based on preliminary information received as of December 4, 1992, and as such the results summarized in this report should also be considered preliminary. The committee concluded that irradiation of excess weapon plutonium in fission reactors in conjunction with the generation of electricity and storing the spent fuel is a fast, cost-effective, and environmentally acceptable method of addressing the safeguards (diversion) issue. When applied appropriately, this method is consistent with current nonproliferation policy. The principal effect of implementing the fission options is at most a moderate addition of plutonium to that existing in commercial spent fuel. The amount of plutonium in commercial spent fuel by the year 2000 is estimated to be 300 Mg. The addition of 50 Mg of excess weapon plutonium, in this context, is not a determining factor, moreover, several of the fission options achieve substantial annihilation of plutonium

  11. Fission and r-process nucleosynthesis in neutron star mergers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Giuliani, Samuel Andrea

    2018-01-01

    Fission plays a crucial role for the r-process nucleosynthesis in neutron star mergers. Due to the high neutron densities achieved in this astrophysical scenario the sequence of neutron captures and beta decays that constitutes the r process produces superheavy neutron rich nuclei that become unstable against fission. Fission determines thus the heaviest nuclei that can be produced by the r process and the fission yields shape the abundances of lighter nuclei. But despite the key role of fission the sensitivity of the r-process nucleosynthesis to uncertainties in fission predictions has not been explored. Nowadays there are only few set of fission rates suited for r-process calculations and most of them rely on a simplified treatment of the fission process. In this thesis we go beyond these approximations and compute the fission properties of r-process nuclei using the energy density functional approach. Fission is described as a tunneling process where the nucleus ''moves'' in a collective space characterized by coordinates describing the nuclear shape. Thus fission depends on the evolution of the energy with the deformation but also on the inertia due to the motion in the collective space. This is analogous to the quantum mechanical tunneling of a particle inside a potential well. In our study the relevant quantities for the description of the fission process are consistently computed for 3642 nuclei following the Hartree-Fock-Bogolyubov theory with constraining operators. We perform an extensive benchmark against the available experimental data and explore the variations of the fission properties along the superheavy landscape. We find that while collective inertias have a strong impact in the fission probabilities of light nuclei their role becomes less relevant in r -process nuclei. Within the statistical model we compute the neutron induced stellar reaction rates relevant for the r-process nucleosynthesis. These sets of stellar reaction

  12. FPFPspace2: A code for following airborne fission products in generic nuclear plant flow paths

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Owcarski, P.C.; Burk, K.W.; Ramsdell, J.V.; Yasuda, D.D.

    1991-03-01

    In order to assure that a nuclear power plant control room remains habitable during certain types of postulated accidents, Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) has undertaken a special study for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This purpose of this study is to develop software that can aid in the analyses of control room habitability during accidents in which airborne fission products could challenge internal air pathways to the control room. PNL has completed an initial version (FPFP) and final version (FPFP 2) of a software package that can estimate the unsteady-state invasion of quantities of fission products into the control room or any other destination within the nuclear plant via generic internal flow paths. This report consists of three parts: Section 2.0, Technical Bases, describes the flow path components and mechanisms of natural fission product deposition; Section 3.0, FPFP 2 Code Description, describes code organization and the functions of the subroutines; and Section 4.0, Code Operation, discusses details of input requirements, code output, and a sample case demonstration. The appendices consist of an FPFP 2 Fortran code listing, a listing of a code for building input files, forms for building input files, and the sample case input and output files. 7 refs., 3 figs

  13. About total kinetic energy distribution between fragments of binary fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khugaev, A.V.; Koblik, Yu.N.; Pikul, V.P.; Ioannou, P.; Dimovasili, E.

    2002-01-01

    At the investigation of binary fission reactions one of the main characteristic of process is total kinetic energy (TKE) of fission fragments and it distribution between them. From the values of these characteristics it is possible to extract the information about structure of fission fragments in the break up point of initial fissionable nuclear system. In our work TKE dependence from the deformation parameters of shape and density distribution of charge in the fission fragments are investigated. In the end of paper some generalizations of obtaining results are carried out and presented in the form of tables and figures

  14. Calculation of fission gases internal pressure in nuclear fuel rods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vasconcelos Santana, M. de.

    1981-12-01

    Models concerning the principal phenomena, particularly thermal expansion, fuel swelling, densification, reestructuring, relocation, mechanical strain, fission gas production and release, direct or indirectly important to calculate the internal pressure in nuclear fuel rods were analysed and selected. Through these analyses a computer code was developed to calculate fuel pin internal pressure evolution. Three different models were utilized to calculate the internal pressure in order to select the best and the most conservative estimate. (Author) [pt

  15. General Description of Fission Observables - JEFF Report 24. GEF Model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmidt, Karl-Heinz; Jurado, Beatriz; Amouroux, Charlotte

    2014-06-01

    The Joint Evaluated Fission and Fusion (JEFF) Project is a collaborative effort among the member countries of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Data Bank to develop a reference nuclear data library. The JEFF library contains sets of evaluated nuclear data, mainly for fission and fusion applications; it contains a number of different data types, including neutron and proton interaction data, radioactive decay data, fission yield data and thermal scattering law data. The General fission (GEF) model is based on novel theoretical concepts and ideas developed to model low energy nuclear fission. The GEF code calculates fission-fragment yields and associated quantities (e.g. prompt neutron and gamma) for a large range of nuclei and excitation energy. This opens up the possibility of a qualitative step forward to improve further the JEFF fission yields sub-library. This report describes the GEF model which explains the complex appearance of fission observables by universal principles of theoretical models and considerations on the basis of fundamental laws of physics and mathematics. The approach reveals a high degree of regularity and provides a considerable insight into the physics of the fission process. Fission observables can be calculated with a precision that comply with the needs for applications in nuclear technology. The relevance of the approach for examining the consistency of experimental results and for evaluating nuclear data is demonstrated. (authors)

  16. Neutronics issues in fusion-fission hybrid reactor design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Chengan

    1995-01-01

    The coupled neutron and γ-ray transport equations and nuclear number density equations, and its computer program systems concerned in fusion-fission hybrid reactor design are briefly described. The current status and focal point for coming work of nuclear data used in fusion reactor design are explained

  17. Contribution to the study of prompt gamma-rays from fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Regnier, D.

    2013-01-01

    This PhD thesis has essentially been motivated by the nuclear heating problematic in reactors. The main goal of this work was the production of methods capable of simulating the prompt gamma emission from fission. First of all, several algorithms for the treatment of the nucleus deexcitation were implemented. They have been successfully tested through various calculations (isomeric branching ratio, total radiative width, etc). These methods were then incorporated in the frame of the fission code FIFRELIN. The tool which results from this work, enables the determination of numerous fission observables in the frame of a single consistent model. A sensitivity study of the results to several numerical and nuclear models has been realized. At last, calculation have been lead for the 252 Cf spontaneous fission and the thermal neutron induced fission of 235 U and 239 Pu. The prompt gamma spectra obtained for those three fissioning systems have been determined. The results are in good agreement with available experimental data, including recent measurements published in 2012 and 2013. (author) [fr

  18. The Sustainable Nuclear Future: Fission and Fusion E.M. Campbell Logos Technologies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, E. Michael

    2010-02-01

    Global industrialization, the concern over rising CO2 levels in the atmosphere and other negative environmental effects due to the burning of hydrocarbon fuels and the need to insulate the cost of energy from fuel price volatility have led to a renewed interest in nuclear power. Many of the plants under construction are similar to the existing light water reactors but incorporate modern engineering and enhanced safety features. These reactors, while mature, safe and reliable sources of electrical power have limited efficiency in converting fission power to useful work, require significant amounts of water, and must deal with the issues of nuclear waste (spent fuel), safety, and weapons proliferation. If nuclear power is to sustain its present share of the world's growing energy needs let alone displace carbon based fuels, more than 1000 reactors will be needed by mid century. For this to occur new reactors that are more efficient, versatile in their energy markets, require minimal or no water, produce less waste and more robust waste forms, are inherently safe and minimize proliferation concerns will be necessary. Graphite moderated, ceramic coated fuel, and He cooled designs are reactors that can satisfy these requirements. Along with other generation IV fast reactors that can further reduce the amounts of spent fuel and extend fuel resources, such a nuclear expansion is possible. Furthermore, facilities either in early operations or under construction should demonstrate the next step in fusion energy development in which energy gain is produced. This demonstration will catalyze fusion energy development and lead to the ultimate development of the next generation of nuclear reactors. In this presentation the role of advanced fission reactors and future fusion reactors in the expansion of nuclear power will be discussed including synergies with the existing worldwide nuclear fleet. )

  19. Quantum demolition filtering and optimal control of unstable systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belavkin, V P

    2012-11-28

    A brief account of the quantum information dynamics and dynamical programming methods for optimal control of quantum unstable systems is given to both open loop and feedback control schemes corresponding respectively to deterministic and stochastic semi-Markov dynamics of stable or unstable systems. For the quantum feedback control scheme, we exploit the separation theorem of filtering and control aspects as in the usual case of quantum stable systems with non-demolition observation. This allows us to start with the Belavkin quantum filtering equation generalized to demolition observations and derive the generalized Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation using standard arguments of classical control theory. This is equivalent to a Hamilton-Jacobi equation with an extra linear dissipative term if the control is restricted to Hamiltonian terms in the filtering equation. An unstable controlled qubit is considered as an example throughout the development of the formalism. Finally, we discuss optimum observation strategies to obtain a pure quantum qubit state from a mixed one.

  20. Burn-up calculation of fusion-fission hybrid reactor using thorium cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shido, S.; Matsunaka, M.; Kondo, K.; Murata, I.; Yamamoto, Y.

    2006-01-01

    A burn-up calculation system has been developed to estimate performance of blanket in a fusion-fission hybrid reactor which is a fusion reactor with a blanket region containing nuclear fuel. In this system, neutron flux is calculated by MCNP4B and then burn-up calculation is performed by ORIGEN2. The cross-section library for ORIGEN2 is made from the calculated neutron flux and evaluated nuclear data. The 3-dimensional ITER model was used as a base fusion reactor. The nuclear fuel (reprocessed plutonium as the fission materials mixed with thorium as the fertile materials), transmutation materials (minor actinides and long-lived fission products) and tritium breeder were loaded into the blanket. Performances of gas-cooled and water-cooled blankets were compared with each other. As a result, the proposed reactor can meet the requirement for TBP and power density. As far as nuclear waste incineration is concerned, the gas-cooled blanket has advantages. On the other hand, the water cooled-blanket is suited to energy production. (author)

  1. Fusion-fission of superheavy nuclei at low excitation energies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Itkis, M.G.; Oganesyan, Yu.Ts.; Kozulin, E.M.

    2000-01-01

    The process of fusion-fission of superheavy nuclei with Z = 102 -122 formed in the reactions with 22 Ne, 26 Mg, 48 Ca, 58 Fe and 86 Kr ions at energies near and below the Coulomb barrier has been studied. The experiments were carried out at the U-400 accelerator of the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions (JINR) using a time-of-flight spectrometer of fission fragments CORSET and a neutron multi-detector DEMON. As a result of the experiments, mass and energy distributions of fission fragments, fission and quasi-fission cross sections, multiplicities of neutrons and gamma-rays and their dependence on the mechanism of formation and decay of compound superheavy systems have been studied

  2. MACK/MACKLIB system for nuclear response functions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdou, M.A.; Gohar, Y.M.

    1978-01-01

    The MACK computer program calculates energy pointwise and multigroup nuclear response functions from basic nuclear data in ENDF/B format. The new version of the program MACK-IV, incorporates major developments and improvements aimed at maximizing the utilization of available nuclear data and ensuring energy conservation in nuclear heating calculations. A new library, MACKLIB-IV, of nuclear response functions was generated in the CTR energy group structure of 171 neutron groups and 36 gamma groups. The library was prepared using MACK-IV and ENDF/B-IV and is suitable for fusion, fusion-fission hydrids, and fission applications

  3. MACK/MACKLIB system for nuclear response functions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdou, M.A.; Gohar, Y.

    1978-01-01

    The MACK computer program calculates energy pointwise and multigroup nuclear response functions from basic nuclear data in ENDF/B format. The new version of the program, MACK-IV, incorporates major developments and improvements aimed at maximizing the utilization of available nuclear data and ensuring energy conservation in nuclear heating calculations. A new library, MACKLIB-IV, of nuclear response functions was generated in the CTR energy group structure of 171 neutron groups and 36 gamma groups. The library was prepared using MACK-IV, and ENDF/B-IV, and is suitable for fusion, fusion--fission hybrids, and fission applications. 3 figures, 4 tables

  4. MACK/MACKLIB system for nuclear response functions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abdou, M.A.; Gohar, Y.M.

    1978-03-15

    The MACK computer program calculates energy pointwise and multigroup nuclear response functions from basic nuclear data in ENDF/B format. The new version of the program MACK-IV, incorporates major developments and improvements aimed at maximizing the utilization of available nuclear data and ensuring energy conservation in nuclear heating calculations. A new library, MACKLIB-IV, of nuclear response functions was generated in the CTR energy group structure of 171 neutron groups and 36 gamma groups. The library was prepared using MACK-IV and ENDF/B-IV and is suitable for fusion, fusion-fission hydrids, and fission applications.

  5. Stabilization of switched nonlinear systems with unstable modes

    CERN Document Server

    Yang, Hao; Cocquempot, Vincent

    2014-01-01

    This book provides its reader with a good understanding of the stabilization of switched nonlinear systems (SNS), systems that are of practical use in diverse situations: design of fault-tolerant systems in space- and aircraft; traffic control; and heat propagation control of semiconductor power chips. The practical background is emphasized throughout the book; interesting practical examples frequently illustrate the theoretical results with aircraft and spacecraft given particular prominence. Stabilization of Switched Nonlinear Systems with Unstable Modes treats several different subclasses of SNS according to the characteristics of the individual system (time-varying and distributed parameters, for example), the state composition of individual modes and the degree and distribution of instability in its various modes. Achievement and maintenance of stability across the system as a whole is bolstered by trading off between individual modes which may be either stable or unstable, or by exploiting areas of part...

  6. Fission product range effects on HEU fissile gas monitoring for UF6 gas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Munro, J.K. Jr.; Valentine, T.E.; Perez, R.B.

    1997-01-01

    The amount of 235 U in UF 6 flowing in a pipe can be monitored by counting gamma rays emitted from fission fragments carried along by the flowing gas. Neutron sources are mounted in an annular sleeve that is filled with moderator material and surrounds the pipe. This provides a source of thermal neutrons to produce the fission fragments. Those fragments that remain in the gas stream following fission are carried past a gamma detector. A typical fragment will be quite unstable, giving up energy as it decays to a more stable isotope with a significant amount of this energy being emitted in the form of gamma rays. A given fragment can emit several gamma rays over its lifetime. The gamma ray emission activity level of a distribution of fission fragments decreases with time. The monitoring system software uses models of these processes to interpret the gamma radiation counting data measured by the gamma detectors

  7. Fission decay properties of nuclear giant multipole resonances

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dias, H.; Arruda Neto, J.D.T.; Hussein, M.S.; Carlson, B.V.

    1986-05-01

    The statistical fission decay properties of the giant dipole, quadrupole and monopole resonances in 236 U are investigated with the aid of the Hauser-Feshbach model. It is found, contrary to several recent claims, that the GQR fission decay probability is as large as that of the GDR, at energies higher than the fission barrier. At energies close to the f.b., the GQR fission probability is found to be appreciably larger than that of the GDR. The GMR fission probability follows closely that of the GQR. (Author) [pt

  8. The programme 'fission product deposition' at the IRB of Juelich nuclear research centre

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gottaut, H.; Iniotakis, N.; Malinowski, J.; Muenchow, K.H.; Sackmann, B.

    1976-01-01

    The transport and deposition behaviour of the non-gaseous fission and activation products in the primary circuit of HTR-type reactors determines the possibility of inspection and maintenance of single components of the primary circuit as well as the safety of the reactor in normal operation and during accidents. For the investigation of these problems, the programme 'fission product deposition' was started at Juelich nuclear research centre in 1969 in cooperation with a number of industrial firms. The programme covers in-pile and out-of-pile experiments, in which the HTR conditions are simulated as realistically as possible, as well as various laboratory experiments and extensive theoretical studies. It is the objective of this work to establish a realistic physical model and computer programme with which the transport and deposition of nuclides in the primary circuit of HTR reactors can be calculated in advance. A report is given on the experimental and theoretical studies carried out at the IRB of Juelich nuclear research centre. (orig./AK) [de

  9. Needs and accuracy requirements for fission product nuclear data in the physics design of power reactor cores

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rowlands, J.L.

    1978-01-01

    The fission product nuclear data accuracy requirements for fast and thermal reactor core performance predictions were reviewed by Tyror at the Bologna FPND Meeting. The status of the data was assessed at the Meeting and it was concluded that the requirements of thermal reactors were largely met, and the yield data requirements of fast reactors, but not the cross section requirements, were met. However, the World Request List for Nuclear Data (WRENDA) contains a number of requests for fission product capture cross sections in the energy range of interest for thermal reactors. Recent reports indicate that the fast reactor reactivity requirements might have been met by integral measurements made in zero power critical assemblies. However, there are requests for the differential cross sections of the individual isotopes to be determined in addition to the integral data requirements. The fast reactor requirements are reviewed, taking into account some more recent studies of the effects of fission products. The sodium void reactivity effect depends on the fission product cross sections in a different way to the fission product reactivity effect in a normal core. This requirement might call for different types of measurement. There is currently an interest in high burnup fuel cycles and alternative fuel cycles. These might require more accurate fission product data, data for individual isotopes and data for capture products. Recent calculations of the time dependence of fission product reactivity effects show that this is dependent upon the data set used and there are significant uncertainties. Some recent thermal reactor studies on approximations in the treatment of decay chains and the importance of xenon and samarium poisoning are also summarized. (author)

  10. Structure and clusters of light unstable nuclei

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    En'yo, Yoshiko

    2010-01-01

    As it is known, cluster structures are often observed in light nuclei. In the recent evolution of unstable nuclear research (on nuclei having unbalanced number of neutron and proton) further new types of clusters are coming to be revealed. In this report, structures of light unstable nuclei and some of the theoretical models to describe them are reviewed. The following topics are picked up. 1. Cluster structure and theoretical models, 2. Cluster structure of unstable nuclei (low excited state). 3. Cluster structure of neutron excess beryllium isotopes. 4. Cluster gas like state in C isotope. 5. Dineutron structure of He isotopes. Numbers of strange nuclear structures of light nuclei are illustrated. Antisymmetrized molecular dynamics (AMD) is the recently developed theoretical framework which has been successfully used in heavy ion reactions and nuclear structure studies. Successful application of AMD to the isotopes of Be, B and C are illustrated. (S. Funahashi)

  11. Nuclear fission: a review of experimental advances and phenomenology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andreyev, A. N.; Nishio, K.; Schmidt, K.-H.

    2018-01-01

    In the last two decades, through technological, experimental and theoretical advances, the situation in experimental fission studies has changed dramatically. With the use of advanced production and detection techniques both much more detailed and precise information can now be obtained for the traditional regions of fission research and, crucially, new regions of nuclei have become routinely accessible for fission studies. This work first of all reviews the recent developments in experimental fission techniques, in particular the resurgence of transfer-induced fission reactions with light and heavy ions, the emerging use of inverse-kinematic approaches, both at Coulomb and relativistic energies, and of fission studies with radioactive beams. The emphasis on the fission-fragment mass and charge distributions will be made in this work, though some of the other fission observables, such as prompt neutron and γ-ray emission will also be reviewed. A particular attention will be given to the low-energy fission in the so far scarcely explored nuclei in the very neutron-deficient lead region. They recently became the focus for several complementary experimental studies, such as β-delayed fission with radioactive beams at ISOLDE(CERN), Coulex-induced fission of relativistic secondary beams at FRS(GSI), and several prompt fusion–fission studies. The synergy of these approaches allows a unique insight in the new region of asymmetric fission around {\\hspace{0pt}}180 Hg, recently discovered at ISOLDE. Recent extensive theoretical efforts in this region will also be outlined. The unprecedented high-quality data for fission fragments, completely identified in Z and A, by means of reactions in inverse kinematics at FRS(GSI) and VAMOS(GANIL) will be also reviewed. These experiments explored an extended range of mercury-to-californium elements, spanning from the neutron-deficient to neutron-rich nuclides, and covering both asymmetric, symmetric and transitional fission regions

  12. International conference on fifty years research in nuclear fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1989-02-01

    These proceedings contain extended abstracts of the papers presented at the named conference. They deal with static properties of fission, instrumentation for fission studies, fission in compound-nucleus reactions, fission dynamics, fission-like heavy ion reactions, and fusion reactions. See hints under the relevant topics. (HSI)

  13. Ternary fission of 184466,476X formed in U + U collisions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karthikraj, C.; Subramanian, S.; Selvaraj, S.

    2016-01-01

    Recently, the very rare process of nuclear ternary fission has been of great interest in nuclear dynamics. Based on the statistical theory of fission, we discuss here the ternary-fission mass distribution of 184 466,476 X formed in low-energy U + U collisions for different heavy third fragments at T = 1 and 2 MeV. The expected ternary configurations 208 Pb + 208 Pb + 50 Ca and 204 Hg + 204 Hg + 58 Cr are obtained from the ternary fission of 184 466 X at T = 2 MeV. In addition, for both the systems, various possible ternary modes are listed for different heavy third fragments. Our results clearly indicate that the favored ternary configurations have either proton and/or neutron shell closure nucleus as one of their partners. (orig.)

  14. Consultancy to review and finalize the IAEA publication 'Compendium on the use of fusion/fission hybrids for the utilization and transmutation of actinides and long-lived fission products'. Working material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2004-01-01

    In addition to the traditional fission reactor research, fusion R and D activities are becoming of interest also to nuclear fission power development. There is renewed interest in utilizing fusion neutrons, Heavy Liquid Metals, and molten salts for innovative systems (energy production and transmutation). Indeed, for nuclear power development to become sustainable as a long-term energy option, innovative fuel cycle and reactor technologies will have to be developed to solve the problems of resource utilization and long-lived radioactive waste management. In this context Member States clearly expressed the need for comparative assessments of various transmutation reactors. Both the fusion and fission communities are currently investigating the potential of innovative reactor and fuel cycle strategies that include a fusion/fission system. The attention is mainly focused on substantiating the potential advantages of such systems: utilization and transmutation of actinides and long-lived fission products, intrinsic safety features, enhanced proliferation resistance, and fuel breeding capabilities. An important aspect of the ongoing activities is the comparison with the accelerator driven subcritical system (spallation neutron source), which is the other main option for producing excess neutrons. Apart from comparative assessments, knowledge preservation is another subject of interest to the Member States: the goal, applied to fusion/fission systems, is to review the status of, and to produce a 'compendium' of past and present achievements in this area

  15. ENDF/B-5. Fission Product Yields File

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schwerer, O.

    1985-10-01

    The ENDF/B-5 Fission Product Yields File contains a complete set of independent and cumulative fission product yields, representing the final data from ENDF/B-5 as received at the IAEA Nuclear Data Section in June 1985. Yields for 11 fissioning nuclides at one or more neutron incident energies are included. The data are available costfree on magnetic tape from the IAEA Nuclear Data Section. (author). 4 refs

  16. Symmetry energy, unstable nuclei and neutron star crusts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Iida, Kei [Kochi University, Department of Natural Science, Kochi (Japan); RIKEN Nishina Center, Saitama (Japan); Oyamatsu, Kazuhiro [RIKEN Nishina Center, Saitama (Japan); Aichi Shukutoku University, Department of Human Informatics, Aichi (Japan)

    2014-02-15

    The phenomenological approach to inhomogeneous nuclear matter is useful to describe fundamental properties of atomic nuclei and neutron star crusts in terms of the equation of state of uniform nuclear matter. We review a series of researches that we have developed by following this approach. We start with more than 200 equations of state that are consistent with empirical masses and charge radii of stable nuclei and then apply them to describe matter radii and masses of unstable nuclei, proton elastic scattering and total reaction cross sections off unstable nuclei, and nuclei in neutron star crusts including nuclear pasta. We finally discuss the possibility of constraining the density dependence of the symmetry energy from experiments on unstable nuclei and even observations of quasi-periodic oscillations in giant flares of soft gamma-ray repeaters. (orig.)

  17. International handling of fissionable material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1975-01-01

    The opinion of the ministry for foreign affairs on international handling of fissionable materials is given. As an introduction a survey is given of the possibilities to produce nuclear weapons from materials used in or produced by power reactors. Principles for international control of fissionable materials are given. International agreements against proliferation of nuclear weapons are surveyed and methods to improve them are proposed. (K.K.)

  18. Measurement of the neutron-induced fission cross-section of 240,242Pu

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salvador-Castineira, P.; Hambsch, F.J.; Brys, T.; Oberstedt, S.; Vidali, M.; Pretel, C.

    2014-01-01

    Fast spectrum neutron-induced fission cross-section data for transuranic isotopes are in high demand in the nuclear data community. In particular, highly accurate data are needed for the new Generation-IV nuclear applications. The aim is to obtain precise neutron-induced fission cross-sections for 240 Pu and 242 Pu. In this context accurate data on spontaneous fission half-lives have also been measured. To minimise the total uncertainty on the fission cross-sections the detector efficiency has been studied in detail. Both isotopes have been measured using a twin Frisch-grid ionisation chamber (TFGIC) due to its superiority compared to other detector systems in view of radiation hardness, 2 x 2π solid angle coverage and very good energy resolution. (authors)

  19. IAEA CRP on Fission Yield Data and activity of WG in Japanese Nuclear Data Committee

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Katakura, Junichi; Fukahori, Tokio

    1999-01-01

    The outline of the coordinate research program on fission yield data organized by International Atomic Energy Agency and the working group on the subject newly organized in Japanese Nuclear Data Committee are presented. (author)

  20. Nuclear Energy for Space Exploration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houts, Michael G.

    2010-01-01

    Nuclear power and propulsion systems can enable exciting space exploration missions. These include bases on the moon and Mars; and the exploration, development, and utilization of the solar system. In the near-term, fission surface power systems could provide abundant, constant, cost-effective power anywhere on the surface of the Moon or Mars, independent of available sunlight. Affordable access to Mars, the asteroid belt, or other destinations could be provided by nuclear thermal rockets. In the further term, high performance fission power supplies could enable both extremely high power levels on planetary surfaces and fission electric propulsion vehicles for rapid, efficient cargo and crew transfer. Advanced fission propulsion systems could eventually allow routine access to the entire solar system. Fission systems could also enable the utilization of resources within the solar system. Fusion and antimatter systems may also be viable in the future

  1. Biological effects induced by low amounts of nuclear fission products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vasilenko, I.Ya.; Shishkin, V.F.; Khudyakova, N.V.

    1991-01-01

    The review deals with the problem of biological hazard of low radiation doses for animals and human beings taking into the danger of internal and external irradiation by nuclear fission products under conditions of enhancing anthropogenic radiation contamination of biosphere. An attention is paid to the estimation of life span carcinogenesis, genetic and delayed effects. A conclusion is made on a necessity of multiaspect investigation of biological importance of low radiation doses taking into account modifying effects of other environmental factors

  2. Potentials of fissioning plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karlheinz, Thom.

    1979-01-01

    Successful experiments with the nuclear pumping of lasers have demonstrated that in gaseous medium the kinetic energy of fission fragments can be converted directly into non-equilibrium optical radiation. This confirms the concept that the fissioning medium in a gas-phase nuclear reactor shows an internal structure such as a plasma in nearly thermal equilibrium varying up to a state of extreme-non-equilibrium. The accompanying variations of temperatures, pressure and radiative spectrum suggest wide ranges of applications. For example, in the gas-phase fission reactor concept enriched uranium hexafluoride or an uranium plasma replaces conventional fuel elements and permits operation above the melting point of solid materials. This potential has been motivation for the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to conduct relevant research for high specific impulse propulsion in space. The need to separate the high temperature gaseous fuel from the surfaces of a containing vessel and to protect them against thermal radiation has led to the concept of an externally moderated reactor in which the fissioning gaseous material is suspended by fluid dynamic means and the flow of opaque buffer gas removes the power. The gaseous nuclear fuel can slowly be circulated through the reactor for continuous on-site reprocessing including the annihilation of transuranium actinides at fission when being fed back into the reactor. An equilibrium of the generation and destruction of such actinides at fission when being fed back into the reactor. An equilibrium of the generation and destruction of such actinides can thus be achieved. These characteristics and the unique radiative properties led to the expectation that the gas-phase fission reactor could feature improved safety, safeguarding and economy, in addition to new technologies such as processing, photochemistry and the transmission of power over large distances in space

  3. Determination of fission gas release of spent nuclear fuel in puncturing test and in leaching experiments under anoxic conditions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    González-Robles, E., E-mail: ernesto.gonzalez-robles@kit.edu [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal (KIT-INE), P.O. Box 3640, D-76021, Karlsruhe (Germany); Metz, V. [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal (KIT-INE), P.O. Box 3640, D-76021, Karlsruhe (Germany); Wegen, D.H. [European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements (JRC-ITU), P.O. Box 2340, 76125, Karlsruhe (Germany); Herm, M. [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal (KIT-INE), P.O. Box 3640, D-76021, Karlsruhe (Germany); Papaioannou, D. [European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements (JRC-ITU), P.O. Box 2340, 76125, Karlsruhe (Germany); Bohnert, E. [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal (KIT-INE), P.O. Box 3640, D-76021, Karlsruhe (Germany); Gretter, R. [European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements (JRC-ITU), P.O. Box 2340, 76125, Karlsruhe (Germany); Müller, N. [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal (KIT-INE), P.O. Box 3640, D-76021, Karlsruhe (Germany); Nasyrow, R.; Weerd, W. de; Wiss, T. [European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements (JRC-ITU), P.O. Box 2340, 76125, Karlsruhe (Germany); Kienzler, B. [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal (KIT-INE), P.O. Box 3640, D-76021, Karlsruhe (Germany)

    2016-10-15

    During reactor operation the fission gases Kr and Xe are formed within the UO{sub 2} matrix of nuclear fuel. Their quantification is important to evaluate their impact on critical parameters regarding the fuel behaviour during irradiation and (long-term) interim storage, such as internal pressure of the fuel rod and fuel swelling. Moreover the content of Kr and Xe in the plenum of a fuel rod and their content in the UO{sub 2} fuel itself are widely used as indicators for the release properties of {sup 129}I, {sup 137}Cs, and other safety relevant radionuclides with respect to final disposal of spent nuclear fuel. The present study deals with the fission gas release from spent nuclear fuel exposed to simulated groundwater in comparison with the fission gas previously released to the fuel rod plenum during irradiation in reactor. In a unique approach we determined both the Kr and Xe inventories in the plenum by means of a puncturing test and in leaching experiments with a cladded fuel pellet and fuel fragments in bicarbonate water under 3.2 bar H{sub 2} overpressure. The fractional inventory of the fission gases released during irradiation into the plenum was (8.3 ± 0.9) %. The fraction of inventory of fission gases released during the leaching experiments was (17 ± 2) % after 333 days of leaching of the cladded pellet and (25 ± 2) % after 447 days of leaching of the fuel fragments, respectively. The relatively high release of fission gases in the experiment with fuel fragments was caused by the increased accessibility of water to the Kr and Xe occluded in the fuel.

  4. FFTF fission gas monitor computer system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hubbard, J.A.

    1987-01-01

    The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) is a liquid-metal-cooled test reactor located on the Hanford site. A dual computer system has been developed to monitor the reactor cover gas to detect and characterize any fuel or test pin fission gas releases. The system acquires gamma spectra data, identifies isotopes, calculates specific isotope and overall cover gas activity, presents control room alarms and displays, and records and prints data and analysis reports. The fission gas monitor system makes extensive use of commercially available hardware and software, providing a reliable and easily maintained system. The design provides extensive automation of previous manual operations, reducing the need for operator training and minimizing the potential for operator error. The dual nature of the system allows one monitor to be taken out of service for periodic tests or maintenance without interrupting the overall system functions. A built-in calibrated gamma source can be controlled by the computer, allowing the system to provide rapid system self tests and operational performance reports

  5. Asymmetry in ternary fission induced by polarized neutrons and fission mechanism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bunakov, V.E.; Gennenvajn, F.; Dzhessinger, P.; Mutterer, M.; Petrov, G.A.

    2003-01-01

    The results of measuring the P-odd, P-even (right-left) and T-odd asymmetries of the charged particles emission in the double and ternary fission, induced by the polarized neutrons, are considered. It is shown, what kind of information on the mechanism of the ternary nuclear fission may be obtained from the theoretical analysis of these data [ru

  6. Di-nuclear systems studied with the velocity filter SHIP

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Heinz, S.; Hessberger, F.P.; Ackermann, D.; Burkhard, H.G.; Khuyagbaatar, J.; Kindler, B.; Lommel, B.; Mann, R.; Maurer, J. [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt (Germany); Comas, V.; Heredia, J. [Institute of Technologies and Applied Sciences, Habana (Cuba); Hofmann, S. [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt (Germany); Goethe-Universitaet Frankfurt, Institut fuer Physik, Frankfurt (Germany); Gan, Z. [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Modern Physics, Lanzhou (China); Nishio, K. [Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan); Sulignano, B. [DAPNIA / SPhN, CEA Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France)

    2008-11-15

    Various nuclear reactions like quasi-fission, fusion-fission or particle and cluster evaporation from excited compound nuclei were studied in heavy-ion reactions at the velocity filter SHIP of GSI. The velocity filter offers the possibility to detect all reaction products under zero degree relative to the beam direction. Together with the measurement of the product velocity distribution this allows for an identification of the underlying reaction mechanism. This article is focussed on reactions of {sup 25}Mg and {sup 64}Ni beams on {sup 206,207}Pb targets at energies of 5.9 x A MeV and 8.7 x A MeV. Besides evaporation residues from {sup 25}Mg+{sup 206}Pb collisions we found evidence for rotation and quasi-fission of nuclear molecules formed in the entrance channel after the capture stage. The break-up of the systems showed a preferred clustering leading to isotopes in the region 84{<=}Z{<=}88 and 122{<=}N{<=}127 of the chart of nuclei. (orig.)

  7. A self-consistent nuclear energy supply system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fujii-e, Y.; Morita, T.; Kawakami, H.; Arie, K.; Suzuki, M.; Iida, M.; Yamazaki, H.

    1992-01-01

    A self-consistent nuclear energy supply system (SCNESS) is investigated for a Fast Reactor. SCNESS is proposed as a future stable energy supplier with no harmful influence on humans or environment for the ultimate goal of nuclear energy development. SCNESS should be inherently safe, be able to breed fissionable material, and transmute long-lived radioactive nuclides (i.e., minor actinides and long-lived fission products). The relationship between these characteristics and the spatial assignment of excess neutrons (v-1) for each characteristic are analyzed. The analysis shows that excess neutrons play an intrinsic role in realizing SCNESS. The reactor concept of SCNESS is investigated by considering utilization of excess neutrons. Results show that a small-size axially double-layered annular core with metal fuel is a choice candidate for SCNESS. SCNESS is concluded feasible. (author). 4 refs., 9 figs

  8. Design of an accelerator-driven system for the destruction of nuclear waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kadi, Y.; Revol, J.P.

    2003-01-01

    Progress in particle accelerator technology makes it possible to use a proton accelerator to produce energy and to destroy nuclear waste efficiently. The Energy Amplifier (EA) proposed by Carlo Rubbia and his group is a sub-critical fast neutron system driven by a proton accelerator. It is particularly attractive for destroying, through fission, transuranic elements produced by present nuclear reactors. The EA could also transform efficiently and at minimal cost long-lived fission fragments using the concept of Adiabatic Resonance Crossing (ARC) recently tested at CERN with the TARC experiment. (author)

  9. BTC the UK focus for nuclear fission R and D in the post NDA era

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rice, T.G.; Carpenter, J.C.; Williamson, R.

    2005-01-01

    The BNFL Technology Centre at Sellafield, UK, will provide the focal point for nuclear fission R and D in the UK for the 21th Century. The facility provides a range of non-active, trace active, plutonium active and high active facilities enabling NSTS to support the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority's remit to manage the UK's nuclear legacy and other requirements The facilities also provide an environment for academic research and foster the development of University Research Alliances. (Author)

  10. Control of a laser inertial confinement fusion-fission power plant

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moses, Edward I.; Latkowski, Jeffery F.; Kramer, Kevin J.

    2015-10-27

    A laser inertial-confinement fusion-fission energy power plant is described. The fusion-fission hybrid system uses inertial confinement fusion to produce neutrons from a fusion reaction of deuterium and tritium. The fusion neutrons drive a sub-critical blanket of fissile or fertile fuel. A coolant circulated through the fuel extracts heat from the fuel that is used to generate electricity. The inertial confinement fusion reaction can be implemented using central hot spot or fast ignition fusion, and direct or indirect drive. The fusion neutrons result in ultra-deep burn-up of the fuel in the fission blanket, thus enabling the burning of nuclear waste. Fuels include depleted uranium, natural uranium, enriched uranium, spent nuclear fuel, thorium, and weapons grade plutonium. LIFE engines can meet worldwide electricity needs in a safe and sustainable manner, while drastically shrinking the highly undesirable stockpiles of depleted uranium, spent nuclear fuel and excess weapons materials.

  11. Neutron-induced fission cross sections

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weigmann, H.

    1991-01-01

    In the history of fission research, neutron-induced fission has always played the most important role. The practical importance of neutron-induced fission rests upon the fact that additional neutrons are produced in the fission process, and thus a chain reaction becomes possible. The practical applications of neutron-induced fission will not be discussed in this chapter, but only the physical properties of one of its characteristics, namely (n,f) cross sections. The most important early summaries on the subject are the monograph edited by Michaudon which also deals with the practical applications, the earlier review article on fission by Michaudon, and the review by Bjornholm and Lynn, in which neutron-induced fission receives major attention. This chapter will attempt to go an intermediate way between the very detailed theoretical treatment in the latter review and the cited monograph which emphasizes the applied aspects and the techniques of fission cross-section measurements. The more recent investigations in the field will be included. Section II will survey the properties of cross sections for neutron-induced fission and also address some special aspects of the experimental methods applied in their measurement. Section Ill will deal with the formal theory of neutron-induced nuclear reactions for the resolved resonance region and the region of statistical nuclear reactions. In Section IV, the fission width, or fission transmission coefficient, will be discussed in detail. Section V will deal with the broader structures due to incompletely damped vibrational resonances, and in particular will address the special case of thorium and neighboring isotopes. Finally, Section VI will briefly discuss parity violation effects in neutron-induced fission. 74 refs., 14 figs., 3 tabs

  12. Source driven breeding fission power reactors and the nuclear energy strategy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Greenspan, E.

    The nuclear energy economy is facing severe difficulties associated with low utilization of uranium resources, safety, non-proliferation and environmental issues. Energy policy makers face the dilemma: commercialize LMFBRs immediately with the risk of negative economical, proliferation or other consequences, or continue with R and D programs that will provide the information needed for sounder decisions, but now taking the risk of running out of economically exploitable uranium ore resources. The development of hybrid reactors can provide an assurance against the latter risk and offers many interesting new options for the nuclear energy strategy. Being based on the technology of LWRs and HWRs, Light Water Hybrid Reactors (LWHR) provide a most natural link between the fission reactor technology of the present and the fusion power technology of the future. The investment in their development in excess of that required for the development of fusion power reactors is expected to be relatively small, thus making the development of LWHRs potentially a high benefit-to-cost ratio program. It is recommended that the fission and fusion communities will cooperate in hybrids R and D programs aimed at assessing the technological and economical viability of hybrid reactors as reliably and soon as possible. (author)

  13. Fission dynamics in the proton induced fission of heavy nuclei

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rubchenya, V.A. E-mail: rubchen@phys.jyu.fi; Trzaska, W.H.; Itkis, I.M.; Itkis, M.G.; Kliman, J.; Kniajeva, G.N.; Kondratiev, N.A.; Kozulin, E.M.; Krupa, L.; Pokrovski, I.V.; Voskressenski, V.M.; Hanappe, F.; Materna, T.; Dorvaux, O.; Stuttge, L.; Chubarian, G.; Khlebnikov, S.V.; Vakhtin, D.N.; Lyapin, V.G

    2004-04-05

    Multi-parameter correlation study of the reaction {sup 242}Pu(p, f) at E{sub p} 13, 20 and 55 MeV has been carried out. Fission fragment mass and kinetic energy distributions and the double differential neutron spectra have been measured. It was observed that the two-humped shape of mass distributions prevailed up to highest proton energy. Manifestation of the nuclear shell Z 28 near fragment mass A{sub fr} = 70 has been detected. The experimental results were analyzed in the framework of a time-dependent statistical model with inclusion of nuclear friction effects in the fission process. The multi-parameter correlation study of the reaction.

  14. Relativistic Coulomb Fission

    Science.gov (United States)

    Norbury, John W.

    1992-01-01

    Nuclear fission reactions induced by the electromagnetic field of relativistic nuclei are studied for energies relevant to present and future relativistic heavy ion accelerators. Cross sections are calculated for U-238 and Pu-239 fission induced by C-12, Si-28, Au-197, and U-238 projectiles. It is found that some of the cross sections can exceed 10 b.

  15. Preliminary results of total kinetic energy modelling for neutron-induced fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Visan, I.; Giubega, G.; Tudora, A.

    2015-01-01

    The total kinetic energy as a function of fission fragments mass TKE(A) is an important quantity entering in prompt emission calculations. The experimentally distributions of TKE(A) are referring to a limited number of fission systems and incident energies. In the present paper, a preliminary model for TKE calculation in neutron induced fission system is presented. The range of fission fragments is chosen as in the Point by Point treatment. The model needs as input only mass excesses and deformation parameters taken from available nuclear databases being based on the following approximations: total excitation energy of fully accelerated fission fragments TXE is calculated from energy balance of neutron-induced fission systems as sum of the total excitation energy at scission E*sciss and deformation energy Edef. The deformation energy at scission is given by minimizing the potential energy at the scission configuration. At the scission point, the fission system is described by two spheroidal fragments nearly touching by a pre-scission distance or neck caused by the nuclear forces between fragments. Therefore, the Columbian repulsion depending on neck and, consequently, on the fragments deformation at scission, is essentially in TKE determination. An approximation is made based on the fission modes. For the very symmetric fission, the dominant super long channel is characterized by long distance between fragments leading to low TKE values. Due to magic and double-magic shells closure, the dominant S1 fission mode for pairs with heavy fragment mass AH around 130-134 is characterized by spherical heavy fragment shape and easily deformed light fragment. The nearly spherical shape of the complementary fragments are characterized by minimum distance, and consequently to maximum TKE values. The results obtained for TKE(A) are in good agreement with existing experimental data for many neutron induced fission systems, e.g. ''2''3''3&apos

  16. Mixing phases of unstable two-level systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sokolov, V.V.; Brentano, P. von.

    1993-01-01

    An unstable two-level system decaying into an arbitrary number of channels is considered. It is shown that the mixing phases of the two overlapping resonances can be expressed in the terms of their partial widths and one additional universal mixing parameter. Some applications to a doublet of 2 + resonances in 8 Be and to the ρ-ω systems are considered. 18 refs

  17. Nuclear instrumentation systems in prototype fast breeder reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vijayakumaran, P.M.; Nagaraj, C.P.; Paramasivan-Pillai, C.; Ramakrishnan, R.; Sivaramakrishna, M.

    2004-01-01

    The nuclear instrumentation systems of the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) primarily comprise of global Neutron Flux Monitoring, Failed Fuel Detection and Location, Radiation Monitoring and Post-Accident Monitoring. High temperature fission chambers are provided at in-vessel locations for monitoring neutron flux. Failed fuel detection and location is by monitoring the cover gas for fission gases and primary sodium for delayed neutrons. Signals of the core monitoring detectors are used to initiate SCRAM (safety action) to protect the reactor from various postulated initiating events. Radiation levels in all potentially radioactive areas are monitored to act as an early warning system to keep the release of radioactivity to the environment and exposure to personnel well below the permissible limits. Fission Chambers and Gamma Ionisation Chambers are located in the reactor vault concrete for monitoring the neutron flux and gamma radiation levels during and after an accident. (authors)

  18. Excitation-energy influence at the scission configuration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ramos D.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Transfer- and fusion-induced fission in inverse kinematics was proven to be a powerful tool to investigate nuclear fission, widening the information of the fission fragments and the access to unstable fissioning systems with respect to other experimental approaches. An experimental campaign for fission investigation has being carried out at GANIL with this technique since 2008. In these experiments, a beam of 238U, accelerated to 6.1 MeV/u, impinges on a 12C target. Fissioning systems from U to Cf are populated through transfer and fusion reactions, with excitation energies that range from few MeV up to 46 MeV. The use of inverse kinematics, the SPIDER telescope, and the VAMOS spectrometer permitted the characterization of the fissioning system in terms of mass, nuclear charge, and excitation energy, and the isotopic identification of the full fragment distribution. The neutron excess, the total neutron multiplicity, and the even-odd staggering in the nuclear charge of fission fragments are presented as a function of the excitation energy of the fissioning system. Structure effects are observed at Z∼50 and Z∼55, where their impact evolves with the excitation energy.

  19. Fission gas behaviour in water reactor fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2002-01-01

    During irradiation, nuclear fuel changes volume, primarily through swelling. This swelling is caused by the fission products and in particular by the volatile ones such as krypton and xenon, called fission gas. Fission gas behaviour needs to be reliably predicted in order to make better use of nuclear fuel, a factor which can help to achieve the economic competitiveness required by today's markets. These proceedings communicate the results of an international seminar which reviewed recent progress in the field of fission gas behaviour in light water reactor fuel and sought to improve the models used in computer codes predicting fission gas release. State-of-the-art knowledge is presented for both uranium-oxide and mixed-oxide fuels loaded in water reactors. (author)

  20. Fission product release during MCCI. CEC nuclear safety program: MCCI project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cenerino, G [CEA Centre d` Etudes Nucleaires de Fontenay-aux-Roses, 92 (France). Inst. de Protection et de Surete Nucleaire; Cordfunke, E H.P. [Netherlands Energy Research Foundation (ECN), Petten (Netherlands); Hunterlaar, M E [Netherlands Energy Research Foundation (ECN), Petten (Netherlands)

    1995-01-01

    The assessment of the consequences of severe accidents in nuclear reactors involving molten core-concrete interactions (MCCls) requires estimates of the quantities and physicochemical forms of the radioactive species released from the melt into the cavity atmosphere. Such estimates in turn require a detailed knowledge of the complex chemical interactions which would occur between the fission products, fuel and the components of the core structural materials and the concrete. In recent years, effort has been put into the thermodynamic characterization of these processes. The results of such studies are important for predicting several aspects of MCCls, including: 1. The release of species by vaporization; 2. the extent of concrete penetration: a. The melt solidus and liquidus temperatures, which in turn affect the heat transfer processes and hence tile predictions of the melt temperature and the onset of solidification, b. the amounts of the solid and liquid phases and the respective compositions, which determines the viscosity of the melt, and c. the composition of the crust formed following the addition of water to quench the interaction. d. the distribution of fission products among metallic and oxidic phases. This SOAR is devoted to thermochemical calculations in the context of MCCI where most fission products and the metallic components of the melt are transferred into an oxidic form sooner or later. Calculations on fission product release from a molten pool without MCCI are underway in the source term project of the CEC-RCA. The following conditions have to be taken into account in order to be able to perform reliable thermodynamic calculations. (orig./HP).

  1. Fission product release during MCCI. CEC nuclear safety program: MCCI project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cenerino, G.; Hunterlaar, M.E.

    1995-01-01

    The assessment of the consequences of severe accidents in nuclear reactors involving molten core-concrete interactions (MCCls) requires estimates of the quantities and physicochemical forms of the radioactive species released from the melt into the cavity atmosphere. Such estimates in turn require a detailed knowledge of the complex chemical interactions which would occur between the fission products, fuel and the components of the core structural materials and the concrete. In recent years, effort has been put into the thermodynamic characterization of these processes. The results of such studies are important for predicting several aspects of MCCls, including: 1. The release of species by vaporization; 2. the extent of concrete penetration: a. The melt solidus and liquidus temperatures, which in turn affect the heat transfer processes and hence tile predictions of the melt temperature and the onset of solidification, b. the amounts of the solid and liquid phases and the respective compositions, which determines the viscosity of the melt, and c. the composition of the crust formed following the addition of water to quench the interaction. d. the distribution of fission products among metallic and oxidic phases. This SOAR is devoted to thermochemical calculations in the context of MCCI where most fission products and the metallic components of the melt are transferred into an oxidic form sooner or later. Calculations on fission product release from a molten pool without MCCI are underway in the source term project of the CEC-RCA. The following conditions have to be taken into account in order to be able to perform reliable thermodynamic calculations. (orig./HP)

  2. Impact of fusion-fission hybrids on world nuclear future

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdel-Khalick, S.; Jansen, P.; Kessler, G.; Klumpp, P.

    1980-08-01

    An investigation has been conducted to examine the impact of fusion-fission hybrids on world nuclear future. The primary objectives of this investigation have been: (1) to determine whether hybrids can allow us to meet the projected nuclear component of the world energy demand within current estimates of uranium resources without fast breeders, and (2) to identify the preferred hybrid concept from a resource standpoint. The results indicate that hybrids have the potential to lower the world uranium demand to values well below the resource base. However, the time window for hybrid introduction is quite near and narrow (2000-2020). If historical market penetration rates are assumed, the demand will not be met within the resource base unless hybrids are coupled to the breeders. The results also indicate that from a resource standpoint hybrids which breed their own tritium and have a low blanket energy multiplication are preferable. (orig.) [de

  3. Multi-dimensional fission-barrier calculations from Se to the SHE; from the proton to the neutron drip lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moeller, Peter; Sierk, Arnold J.; Bengtsson, Ragnar; Iwamoto, Akira

    2003-01-01

    We present fission-barrier-height calculations for nuclei throughout the periodic system based on a realistic theoretical model of the multi-dimensional potential-energy surface of a fissioning nucleus. This surface guides the nuclear shape evolution from the ground state, over inner and outer saddle points, to the final configurations of separated fission fragments. We have previously shown that our macroscopic-microscopic nuclear potential-energy model yields calculated 'outer' fission-barrier heights (E B ) for even-even nuclei throughout the periodic system that agree with experimental data to within about 1.0 MeV. We present final results of this work. Just recently we have enhanced our macroscopic-microscopic nuclear potential-energy model to also allow the consideration of axially asymmetric shapes. This shape degree of freedom has a substantial effect on the calculated height (E A ) of the inner peak of some actinide fission barriers. We present examples of fission-barrier calculations by use of this model with its redetermined constants. Finally we discuss what the model now tells us about fission barriers at the end of the r-process nucleosynthesis path. (author)

  4. Fission Power System Technology for NASA Exploration Missions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mason, Lee; Houts, Michael

    2011-01-01

    Under the NASA Exploration Technology Development Program, and in partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE), NASA is conducting a project to mature Fission Power System (FPS) technology. A primary project goal is to develop viable system options to support future NASA mission needs for nuclear power. The main FPS project objectives are as follows: 1) Develop FPS concepts that meet expected NASA mission power requirements at reasonable cost with added benefits over other options. 2) Establish a hardware-based technical foundation for FPS design concepts and reduce overall development risk. 3) Reduce the cost uncertainties for FPS and establish greater credibility for flight system cost estimates. 4) Generate the key products to allow NASA decisionmakers to consider FPS as a preferred option for flight development. In order to achieve these goals, the FPS project has two main thrusts: concept definition and risk reduction. Under concept definition, NASA and DOE are performing trade studies, defining requirements, developing analytical tools, and formulating system concepts. A typical FPS consists of the reactor, shield, power conversion, heat rejection, and power management and distribution (PMAD). Studies are performed to identify the desired design parameters for each subsystem that allow the system to meet the requirements with reasonable cost and development risk. Risk reduction provides the means to evaluate technologies in a laboratory test environment. Non-nuclear hardware prototypes are built and tested to verify performance expectations, gain operating experience, and resolve design uncertainties.

  5. Unstable mass outflow from a binary system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nariai, K [Tokyo Univ., Mitaka (Japan). Tokyo Astronomical Observatory; Sugimoto, D

    1976-12-01

    A contact binary system which fills the outer Lagrangian lobe is unstable against the mass loss from the second Lagrangian point. The effect of the mass loss on the remaining system is studied for several typical cases. It is shown that the separation between the components at the periastron decreases with a high rate in most cases; therefore, the system continues to lose mass once gas begins to flow out from the second Lagrangian point.

  6. Role and use of nuclear theories and models in practical evaluation of neutron nuclear data needed for fission and fusion reactor design and other nuclear applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prince, A.

    1975-01-01

    A review of the various nuclear models used in the evaluation of neutron nuclear data for fission and fusion reactors is presented. Computer codes embodying the principles of the relevant nuclear models are compared with each other and with experimental data. The regions of validity and limitations of the conceptual formalisms are also included, along with the effects of the numerical procedures used in the codes themselves. Conclusions and recommendations for future demands are outlined.15 tables, 15 figures, 90 references

  7. Fission dynamics of superheavy nuclei formed in uranium induced reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gurjit Kaur; Sandhu, Kirandeep; Sharma, Manoj K.

    2017-01-01

    The compound nuclear system follows symmetric fission if the competing processes such as quasi-elastic, deep inelastic, quasi-fission etc are absent. The contribution of quasi fission events towards the fusion-fission mechanism depends on the entrance channel asymmetry of reaction partners, deformations and orientations of colliding nuclei beside the dependence on energy and angular momentum. Usually the 209 Bi and 208 Pb targets are opted for the production of superheavy nuclei with Z CN =104-113. The nuclei in same mass/charge range can also be synthesized using actinide targets + light projectiles (i.e. asymmetric reaction partners) via hot fusion interactions. These actinide targets are prolate deformed which prefer the compact configurations at above barrier energies, indicating the occurrence of symmetric fission events. Here an attempt is made to address the dynamics of light superheavy system (Z CN =104-106), formed via hot fusion interactions involving actinide targets

  8. Fusion-fission hybrids: environmental aspects and their role in hybrid rationale

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holdren, J.P.

    1981-01-01

    The rationale for developing hybrids depends on real or perceived liabilities of relying on pure fission to do the same job. Quite possibly the main constraint on expanded use of fission will be neither lack of fuel nor high costs, but perceived environmental liabilities - radioactive wastes, reactor safety, and links to nuclear weaponry. The environmental characteristics of hybrid systems and pure-fisson systems are compared here in detail. The findings are that significant environmental advantages for hybrids cannot now be demonstrated and may not exist. Therefore, if environmental drawbacks constrain the application of pure fission, hybrids probably also will be thus constrained

  9. Development of nuclear microfilters using the fission tracks registration technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamasaki, I.M.; Geraldo, L.P.

    1990-10-01

    Nuclear microfilters with mean pores diameter in the range from 1.9 to 10.6 μm have been produced using the fission tracks registration technique in Makrofol KG (8 μm thickness). Fluctuations around 11% and 10% were obtained respectively for the pores size and pores uniformity in the analysis of a typical sample of microfilter. The essential features of the microfilters were similar to those ones, commercially known as Nuclepore and thus they may be routinely employed in the several applications areas of the Industry and Biology. (author)

  10. The role and use of nuclear theories and models in practical evaluation of neutron nuclear data needed for fission and fusion reactor design and other nuclear applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prince, A.

    1976-01-01

    A review of the various nuclear models used in the evaluation of neutron nuclear data for fission and fusion reactors is presented. Computer codes embodying the principles of the relevant nuclear models are compared with each other and with experimental data. The regions of validity and limitations of the conceptual formalisms are also included, along with the effects of the numerical procedures used in the codes themselves. Conclusions and recommendations for future demands are outlined. (author)

  11. Reference reactor module for NASA's lunar surface fission power system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poston, David I.; Kapernick, Richard J.; Dixon, David D.; Werner, James; Qualls, Louis; Radel, Ross

    2009-01-01

    Surface fission power systems on the Moon and Mars may provide the first US application of fission reactor technology in space since 1965. The Affordable Fission Surface Power System (AFSPS) study was completed by NASA/DOE to determine the cost of a modest performance, low-technical risk surface power system. The AFSPS concept is now being further developed within the Fission Surface Power (FSP) Project, which is a near-term technology program to demonstrate system-level TRL-6 by 2013. This paper describes the reference FSP reactor module concept, which is designed to provide a net power of 40 kWe for 8 years on the lunar surface; note, the system has been designed with technologies that are fully compatible with a Martian surface application. The reactor concept uses stainless-steel based. UO 2 -fueled, pumped-NaK fission reactor coupled to free-piston Stirling converters. The reactor shielding approach utilizes both in-situ and launched shielding to keep the dose to astronauts much lower than the natural background radiation on the lunar surface. The ultimate goal of this work is to provide a 'workhorse' power system that NASA can utilize in near-term and future Lunar and Martian mission architectures, with the eventual capability to evolve to very high power, low mass systems, for either surface, deep space, and/or orbital missions.

  12. Preliminary assessment of a symbiotic fusion--fission power system using the TH/U refresh fuel cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bender, D.J.; Lee, J.D.; Moir, R.W.

    1977-10-01

    Studies of the mirror hybrid reactor by LLL/GA have concluded that the most promising role for this reactor concept is that of a producer of fissile fuel for fission reactors. Studies to date have examined primarily the U/Pu fuel cycle with light-water reactors serving as the consumers of the hybrid-bred fissile fuel; the specific scenarios examined required reprocessing and refabrication of the bred fuel before introduction into the fission reactor. This combination of technologies was chosen to illustrate the manner in which the hybrid reactor concept could serve the needs of, and use the technology of, the fission reactor industry as it now exists (and as it was thought it would evolve). However, the current U.S. Administration has expressed strong concerns about proliferation of nuclear weapons capability and terrorist diversion of weapons-grade nuclear materials. These concerns are based on the projected technology for the light-water reactor/fast breeder reactor using the U/Pu fuel cycle and extensive reprocessing/refabrication. A symbiotic nuclear power generation concept (hybrid fissile producer plus fission burner reactors) is described which eliminates those aspects of the present nuclear fuel cycle that (may) represent significant proliferation/diversion risks. Specifically, the proposed concept incorporates the following features: (1)Th/U 233 fuel cycle, (2) no reprocessing or fabrication of fissile material, and (3) no fissile material in a weapons-grade state

  13. Behavior of Nb fission product during nuclear fuel reprocessing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gue, J.P.

    1977-02-01

    Investigations on niobium fission product behavior in nitric acid and tributyl phosphate media have been carried out in order to explain the difficulties encountered in separating this element from fissile materials during spent nuclear fuel reprocessing. The studies have shown that in nitric acid solution, pentavalent niobium has a colloidal hydroxide form. The so-obtained sols were characterized by light scattering, electronic microscopy, electrophoresis and ultracentrifugation methods. In heterogeneous extracting media containing tributyl phosphate and dibutyl phosphoric acid the niobium hydroxide sols could be flocculated by low dibutyl phosphoric acid concentration or extracted into the organic phase containing an excess of dibutyl phosphoric acid [fr

  14. Fission delay and GDR γ-ray from very heavy system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shen, W.Q.; Wang, J.S.; Ye, W.; Cai, Y.H.; Ma, Y.G.; Feng, J.; Fang, D.Q.; Cai, X.Z.

    1999-01-01

    The study of the fission delay in reaction of 84 Kr+ 27 Al at 10.6 Mev/u and the systematics of fission delay are described. Authors also discussed the possibility to study the GDR γ rays emitted from the super-heavy compound system on the basis of the strong increasing of the GDR γ rays duo to the fission delay. The calculation results of the GDR γ rays from the super-heavy compound system via microscopic semi-classical Vlasov equation and the experimental data analysis for searching the super-heavy compound system via GDR γ were given

  15. Dynamic Systems Analysis Report for Nuclear Fuel Recycle

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brent Dixon; Sonny Kim; David Shropshire; Steven Piet; Gretchen Matthern; Bill Halsey

    2008-12-01

    This report examines the time-dependent dynamics of transitioning from the current United States (U.S.) nuclear fuel cycle where used nuclear fuel is disposed in a repository to a closed fuel cycle where the used fuel is recycled and only fission products and waste are disposed. The report is intended to help inform policy developers, decision makers, and program managers of system-level options and constraints as they guide the formulation and implementation of advanced fuel cycle development and demonstration efforts and move toward deployment of nuclear fuel recycling infrastructure.

  16. Research activities in fission chamber modeling in support of the nuclear energy industry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jammes, C.; Filliatre, P.; Geslot, B.; Oriol, L.; Berhouet, F.; Villard, J. F. [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, DEN/SPEX/LDCI, Centre de Cadarache, F-13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France); Vermeeren, L. [SCK-CEN, Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol (Belgium)

    2009-07-01

    Fission chambers are widely used in the nuclear industry. As an example, they play a major role in the control of any fission reactor and are thus regarded as a key component for ensuring their safety. They are also employed in the material testing reactors for monitoring irradiations. We have recently started a research program, the objective of which is to improve the performance of those neutron detectors in terms of lifetime, calibration and online diagnosis. In this paper, we present several studies carried out in order to model the signal delivered by a fission chamber. First, the simulation of the deposit evolution allowed us to select the most appropriate fissile material for a given spectrum and fluence. Second, we studied the impact of the bias voltage and filling gas characteristics on the charge collection time. Finally, the simulation of a pulse signal prior to amplification showed how it is important to have a satisfactory knowledge of the energy for creating ion pairs to accurately assess the signal in current or Campbelling mode. (authors)

  17. Research activities in fission chamber modeling in support of the nuclear energy industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jammes, C.; Filliatre, P.; Geslot, B.; Oriol, L.; Berhouet, F.; Villard, J. F.; Vermeeren, L.

    2009-01-01

    Fission chambers are widely used in the nuclear industry. As an example, they play a major role in the control of any fission reactor and are thus regarded as a key component for ensuring their safety. They are also employed in the material testing reactors for monitoring irradiations. We have recently started a research program, the objective of which is to improve the performance of those neutron detectors in terms of lifetime, calibration and online diagnosis. In this paper, we present several studies carried out in order to model the signal delivered by a fission chamber. First, the simulation of the deposit evolution allowed us to select the most appropriate fissile material for a given spectrum and fluence. Second, we studied the impact of the bias voltage and filling gas characteristics on the charge collection time. Finally, the simulation of a pulse signal prior to amplification showed how it is important to have a satisfactory knowledge of the energy for creating ion pairs to accurately assess the signal in current or Campbelling mode. (authors)

  18. Impact of fusion-fission hybrids on world nuclear future

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdel-Khalik, S.I.; Jansen, P.; Kessler, G.; Klumpp, P.

    1981-01-01

    An investigation has been conducted to examine the impact of fusion-fission hybrids on world nuclear future. The primary objectives of this investigation have been: (1) to determine whether hybrids can allow us to meet the projected nuclear component of the world energy demand within current estimates of uranium resources with or without fast breeders, and (2) to identify the preferred hybrid concept from a resource standpoint. The results indicate that hybrids have the potential to lower the world uranium demand to values well below the resource base. However, the time window for hybrid introduction is quite near and narrow (2000-2020). If historical market penetration rates are assumed, the demand will not be met within the resource base unless hybrids are coupled to the breeders. The results also indicate that from a resource standpoint hybrids which breed their own tritium and have a low blanket energy multiplication are preferable. (orig.) [de

  19. Impact of fusion-fission hybrids on world nuclear future

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdel-Khalik, S.I.

    1980-01-01

    An investigation has been conducted to examine the impact of fusion-fission hybrids on world nuclear future. The primary objectives of this investigation have been (1) to determine whether hybrids can allow us to meet the projected nuclear component of the world energy demand within current estimates of uranium resources with or without fast breeders, and (2) to identify the preferred hybrid concept from a resource standpoint. The results indicate that hybrids have the potential to lower the world uranium demand to values well below the resource base. However, the time window for hybrid introduction is quite near and narrow (2000-2020). If historical market penetration rates are assumed, the demand will not be met within the resource base unless hybrides are coupled to the breeders. The results also indicate that from a resource standpaint hybrids which breed their own tritium and have a low blanket energy multiplication are preferable. (orig.) [de

  20. Improving the safety of future nuclear fission power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frisch, W.; Gros, G.

    2001-01-01

    The main objectives and principles in nuclear fission reactor safety are presented, e.g. the defence in depth strategy and technical principles such as redundancy, diversity and physical separation. After a brief historical review of the continuous development of safety improvement, the most recent international discussion is presented. This includes mainly the international activities within IAEA and its International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group (INSAG). The safety improvement, presented in recommendations of IAEA and INSAG is expressed as an improvement of all elements and all levels of the defence in depth concept. Special emphasis is put on improvement of the highest level, which requires the implementation of means to mitigate consequences of accidents with severe core damage. The different future concepts are briefly characterised. Some examples from the French-German safety approach are taken to demonstrate how requirements for safety improvement by means of an enhancement of the defence in depth principle are developed

  1. Nuclear irradiation parameters of beryllium under fusion, fission and IFMIF irradiation conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fischer, U.; Chen, Y.; Leichtle, D.; Simakov, S.; Moeslang, A.; Vladimirov, P.

    2004-01-01

    A computational analysis is presented of the nuclear irradiation parameters for Beryllium under irradiation in typical neutron environments of fission and fusion reactors, and of the presently designed intense fusion neutron source IFMIF. The analysis shows that dpa and Tritium production rates at fusion relevant levels can be achieved with existing high flux fission reactors while the achievable Helium production is too low. The resulting He-Tritium and He/dpa ratios do not meet typical fusion irradiation conditions. Irradiation simulations in the medium flux test modules of the IFMIF neutron source facility were shown to be more suitable to match fusion typical irradiation conditions. To achieve sufficiently high production rates it is suggested to remove the creep-fatigue testing machine together with the W spectra shifter plate and move the tritium release module upstream towards the high flux test module. (author)

  2. Study of fission mechanism with the reactions 230Th, 231Pa, 235U, 237Np(n,f) and 252Cf(fs)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Benfoughal, T.

    1983-01-01

    In this work, the different stages of the nuclear fission process have been investigated. The analysis of fission cross-section and fission fragment angular distribution measurements are made using the hypothesis of asymmetrically deformed states. From the correlation between fissioning nucleus excitation energy and fragment total kinetic energy measurement for several fissioning systems, it is shown that the nuclear viscosity is relatively strong during the saddle-point to scission-point transition. The study of the spontaneous fission of 252 Cf shows that the fragment mass and kinetic energy distributions are mainly determinated by the nucleon shell effects and pairing correlations [fr

  3. The Radiological and Thermal Characteristics of Fission Waste from a Deep-Burn Fusion-Fission Hybrid (LIFE) and Implications for Repository Performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shaw, H.F.; Blink, J.; Farmer, J.; Latkowski, J.; Kramer, K.

    2009-01-01

    We are studying the use of a Laser Inertial-confinement Fusion Engine (LIFE) to drive a hybrid fusion-fission system that can generate electrical power and/or burn nuclear waste. The system uses the neutrons from laser driven ICF to produce tritium and to drive nuclear reactions in a subcritical fission blanket. The fusion neutron source obviates the need for a self-sustaining chain reaction in the fission blanket. Either fissile or fertile could be used as fission fuel, thus eliminating the need for isotopic enrichment. The 'driven' system potentially allows very high levels of burnup to be reached, extracting a large fraction of the available energy in the fission fuel without the need for reprocessing. In this note, we discuss the radionuclide inventory of a depleted uranium (DU) fuel burned to greater than 95% FIMA (Fissions per Initial heavy Metal Atom), the implications for thermal management of the resulting waste, and the implications of this waste for meeting the dose standards for releases from a geological repository for high-level waste. The fission waste discussed here would be that produced by a LIFE hybrid with a 500-MW fusion source. The fusion neutrons are multiplied and moderated by a sequence of concentric shells of materials before encountering the fission fuel, and fission in this region is largely due to thermal neutrons. The fission blanket consists of 40 metric tons (MT) of DU, assumed to be in the form of TRISO-like UOC fuel particles embedded in 2-cm-diameter graphite pebbles. (It is recognized that TRISO-based fuel may not reach the high burnup of the fertile fuel considered here, and other fuel options are being investigated. We postulate the existence of a fuel that can reach >95% FIMA so that the waste disposal implications of high burnup can be assessed.) The engine and plant design considered here would receive one load of fission fuel and produce ∼2 GWt of power (fusion + fission) over its 50- to 70-year lifetime. Neutron and

  4. User's manual for computer code RIBD-II, a fission product inventory code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marr, D.R.

    1975-01-01

    The computer code RIBD-II is used to calculate inventories, activities, decay powers, and energy releases for the fission products generated in a fuel irradiation. Changes from the earlier RIBD code are: the expansion to include up to 850 fission product isotopes, input in the user-oriented NAMELIST format, and run-time choice of fuels from an extensively enlarged library of nuclear data. The library that is included in the code package contains yield data for 818 fission product isotopes for each of fourteen different fissionable isotopes, together with fission product transmutation cross sections for fast and thermal systems. Calculational algorithms are little changed from those in RIBD. (U.S.)

  5. Possible Mechanisms of Ternary Fission in the 197Au+197 Au System at 15 AMeV

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jun-Long, Tian; Xian, Li; Shi-Wei, Yan; Xi-Zhen, Wu; Zhu-Xia, Li

    2009-01-01

    Ternary fission in 197 Au+ 197 Au collisions at 15 A MeV is investigated by using the improved quantum molecular dynamical (ImQMD) model. The experimental mass distributions for each of the three fragments are reproduced for the first time without any freely adjusting parameters. The mechanisms of ternary fission in central and semi-central collisions are dynamically studied. In direct prolate ternary fission, two necks are found to be formed almost simultaneously and rupture sequentially in a very short time interval. Direct oblate ternary fission is a very rare fission event, in which three necks are formed and rupture simultaneously, forming three equally sized fragments along space-symmetric directions in the reaction plane. In sequential ternary fission a binary division is followed by another binary fission event after hundreds of fm/c. (nuclear physics)

  6. Isotopic yield measurement in the heavy mass region for 239Pu thermal neutron induced fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bail, A.; Serot, O.; Mathieu, L.; Litaize, O.; Materna, T.; Koester, U.; Faust, H.; Letourneau, A.; Panebianco, S.

    2011-01-01

    Despite the huge number of fission yield data available in the different evaluated nuclear data libraries, such as JEFF-3.1.1, ENDF/B-VII.0, and JENDL-4.0, more accurate data are still needed both for nuclear energy applications and for our understanding of the fission process itself. It is within the framework of this that measurements on the recoil mass spectrometer Lohengrin (at the Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble, France) was undertaken, to determine isotopic yields for the heavy fission products from the 239 Pu(n th ,f) reaction. In order to do this, a new experimental method based on γ-ray spectrometry was developed and validated by comparing our results with those performed in the light mass region with completely different setups. Hence, about 65 fission product yields were measured with an uncertainty that has been reduced on average by a factor of 2 compared to that previously available in the nuclear data libraries. In addition, for some fission products, a strongly deformed ionic charge distribution compared to a normal Gaussian shape was found, which was interpreted as being caused by the presence of a nanosecond isomeric state. Finally, a nuclear charge polarization has been observed in agreement, with the one described on other close fissioning systems.

  7. Isotopic yield measurement in the heavy mass region for 239Pu thermal neutron induced fission

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bail, A.; Serot, O.; Mathieu, L.; Litaize, O.; Materna, T.; Köster, U.; Faust, H.; Letourneau, A.; Panebianco, S.

    2011-09-01

    Despite the huge number of fission yield data available in the different evaluated nuclear data libraries, such as JEFF-3.1.1, ENDF/B-VII.0, and JENDL-4.0, more accurate data are still needed both for nuclear energy applications and for our understanding of the fission process itself. It is within the framework of this that measurements on the recoil mass spectrometer Lohengrin (at the Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble, France) was undertaken, to determine isotopic yields for the heavy fission products from the 239Pu(nth,f) reaction. In order to do this, a new experimental method based on γ-ray spectrometry was developed and validated by comparing our results with those performed in the light mass region with completely different setups. Hence, about 65 fission product yields were measured with an uncertainty that has been reduced on average by a factor of 2 compared to that previously available in the nuclear data libraries. In addition, for some fission products, a strongly deformed ionic charge distribution compared to a normal Gaussian shape was found, which was interpreted as being caused by the presence of a nanosecond isomeric state. Finally, a nuclear charge polarization has been observed in agreement, with the one described on other close fissioning systems.

  8. Power-balance analysis of muon-catalyzed fusion-fission hybrid reactor systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miller, R.L.; Krakowski, R.A.

    1985-01-01

    A power-balance model of a muon-catalyzed fusion system in the context of a fission-fuel factory is developed and exercised to predict the required physics performance of systems competitive with either pure muon-catalyzed fusion systems or thermonuclear fusion-fission fuel factory hybrid systems

  9. Study of α-particle multiplicity in 16O+196Pt fusion-fission reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kapoor, K.; Kumar, A.; Bansal, N.

    2016-01-01

    Study of dynamics of fusion-fission reaction is one of the interesting parts of heavy-ion-induced nuclear reaction. Extraction of fission time scales using different probes is of central importance for understanding the dynamics of fusion-fission process. In the past, extensive theoretical and experimental efforts have been made to understand the various aspects of the heavy ion induced fusion-fission reactions. Compelling evidences have been obtained from the earlier studies that the fission decay of hot nuclei is protracted process i.e. slowed down relative to the expectations of the standard statistical model, and large dynamical delays are required due to this hindrance. Nuclear dissipation is assumed to be responsible for this delay and more light particles are expected to be emitted during the fission process. One of neutron multiplicity measurements have been performed for the 16,18 O+ 194,198 Pt populating the CN 210,212,214,216 Rn and observed fission delay due to nuclear viscosity. In order to have complete understanding for the dynamics of 212 Rn nucleus, we measured the charged particle multiplicity for 16 O+ 196 Pt system. Study of charged particles will give us more information about the emitter in comparison to neutrons as charged particles faces Coulomb barrier and are more sensitive probe for understanding the dynamics of fusion-fission reactions. In the present work, we are reporting some of the preliminary results of charged particle multiplicity

  10. Method to separate fission noble gases from gaseous wastes of a reprocessing plant for nuclear fuel material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schnez, H.

    1977-01-01

    In order to avoid the high cost expenditure in the separation of fission noble gases from waste gas of the head end, the following economical method is suggested: The fission noble gases released in the solvent - after grinding and burn-up of the nuclear fuel elements and dissolving in HNO 3 - are purified in a known method and collected in an equalizing tank. From here, the fission noble gas quantity necessary as washing gas is recycled into the solvent, so that a part of the fission noble gas quantity flows in a circuit. The quantity of fission noble gas not required for the above is separated from the circuit, compressed and put into a storage container from where it can be put into gas flashs or be recycled in the gas circuit where necessary. Furthermore, the method involves that to separate krypton, the filtered fission noble gas is compressed, cooled and rectified, whereby the krypton mixture taken from the rectification column is stored under high pressure and the gas part containing xenon, occuring as liquid, is at least partly fed back to the solvent. (HPH) [de

  11. Fission gas detection system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Colburn, R.P.

    1984-01-01

    A device for collecting fission gas released by failed fuel rods which device uses a filter adapted to pass coolant but to block passage of fission gas bubbles due to the surface tension of the bubbles. The coolant may be liquid metal. (author)

  12. NJOY nuclear data processing system. Volume IV. The ERRORR and COVR modules

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muir, D.W.; MacFarlane, R.E.

    1985-12-01

    The NJOY nuclear data processing system is a comprehensive computer code package for producing cross sections and related nuclear parameters from ENDF/B evaluated nuclear data. This volume provides detailed descriptions of the NJOY modules ERRORR and COVR, which are concerned with the covariances (uncertainties and correlations) of multigroup cross sections and fission neutron yield (anti nu) values. 17 refs

  13. Evaluation of fission product worth margins in PWR spent nuclear fuel burnup credit calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blomquist, R.N.; Finck, P.J.; Jammes, C.; Stenberg, C.G.

    1999-01-01

    Current criticality safety calculations for the transportation of irradiated LWR fuel make the very conservative assumption that the fuel is fresh. This results in a very substantial overprediction of the actual k eff of the transportation casks; in certain cases, this decreases the amount of spent fuel which can be loaded in a cask, and increases the cost of transporting the spent fuel to the repository. Accounting for the change of reactivity due to fuel depletion is usually referred to as ''burnup credit.'' The US DOE is currently funding a program aimed at establishing an actinide only burnup credit methodology (in this case, the calculated reactivity takes into account the buildup or depletion of a limited number of actinides). This work is undergoing NRC review. While this methodology is being validated on a significant experimental basis, it implicitly relies on additional margins: in particular, the absorption of neutrons by certain actinides and by all fission products is not taken into account. This provides an important additional margin and helps guarantee that the methodology is conservative provided these neglected absorption are known with reasonable accuracy. This report establishes the accuracy of fission product absorption rate calculations: (1) the analysis of European fission product worth experiments demonstrates that fission product cross-sections available in the US provide very good predictions of fission product worth; (2) this is confirmed by a direct comparison of European and US cross section evaluations; (3) accuracy of Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) fission product content predictions is established in a recent ORNL report where several SNF isotopic assays are analyzed; and (4) these data are then combined to establish in a conservative manner the fraction of the predicted total fission product absorption which can be guaranteed based on available experimental data

  14. Collective nuclear dynamics. Abstracts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abrosimov, V.I.; Kolomietz, V.M.

    1994-01-01

    The fourth International school on nuclear physics was help on 29 Aug - 7 Sep, 1994 in Ukraine. The specialists discussed following subjects: liquid drop and the shell correction method; nuclear deformation energy and fission; nuclear structure at high spins, superdeformed states, structure of excited and exotic nuclei; nuclear fluid dynamics and large scale collective motion; order and chaos as they relate to the collective motion; quantum and interference phenomena in nuclear collisions; quasi-fission and multinucleon fragmentation effects; shell effects in non-nuclear systems; new nuclear facilities

  15. Collective nuclear dynamics. Proceedings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ivanyuk, F.A.

    1994-01-01

    The Fourth International school on nuclear physics was help on 29 Aug - 7 Sep, 1994 in Ukraine. The specialists discussed following subjects:liquid drop and the shell correction method; nuclear deformation energy and fission; nuclear structure at high spins, superdeformed states, structure of excited and exotic nuclei; nuclear fluid dynamics and large scale collective motion; order and chaos as they relate to the collective motion; quantum and interference phenomena in nuclear collisions; quasi-fission and multinucleon fragmentation effects; shell effects in non-nuclear systems; new nuclear facilities

  16. Collective nuclear dynamics. Proceedings.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ivanyuk, F A [eds.

    1994-12-31

    The Fourth International school on nuclear physics was help on 29 Aug - 7 Sep, 1994 in Ukraine. The specialists discussed following subjects:liquid drop and the shell correction method; nuclear deformation energy and fission; nuclear structure at high spins, superdeformed states, structure of excited and exotic nuclei; nuclear fluid dynamics and large scale collective motion; order and chaos as they relate to the collective motion; quantum and interference phenomena in nuclear collisions; quasi-fission and multinucleon fragmentation effects; shell effects in non-nuclear systems; new nuclear facilities.

  17. Studies on fission with ALADIN. Precise and simultaneous measurement of fission yields, total kinetic energy and total prompt neutron multiplicity at GSI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martin, Julie-Fiona; Taieb, Julien; Chatillon, Audrey; Belier, Gilbert; Boutoux, Guillaume; Ebran, Adeline; Gorbinet, Thomas; Grente, Lucie; Laurent, Benoit; Pellereau, Eric; Alvarez-Pol, Hector; Ayyad, Yassid; Benlliure, Jose; Cortina Gil, Dolores; Caamano, Manuel; Fernandez Dominguez, Beatriz; Paradela, Carlos; Ramos, Diego; Rodriguez-Sanchez, Jose-Luis; Vargas, Jossitt; Audouin, Laurent; Tassan-Got, Laurent; Aumann, Thomas; Casarejos, Enrique; Farget, Fanny; Rodriguez-Tajes, Carme; Heinz, Andreas; Jurado, Beatriz; Kelic-Heil, Aleksandra; Kurz, Nikolaus; Nociforo, Chiara; Pietri, Stephane; Rossi, Dominic; Schmidt, Karl-Heinz; Simon, Haik; Voss, Bernd; Weick, Helmut

    2015-01-01

    A novel technique for fission studies, based on the inverse kinematics approach, is presented. Following pioneering work in the nineties, the SOFIA Collaboration has designed and built an experimental set-up dedicated to the simultaneous measurement of isotopic yields, total kinetic energies and total prompt neutron multiplicities, by fully identifying both fission fragments in coincidence, for the very first time. This experiment, performed at GSI, permits to study the fission of a wide variety of fissioning systems, ranging from mercury to neptunium, possibly far from the valley of stability. A first experiment, performed in 2012, has provided a large array of unprecedented data regarding the nuclear fission process. An excerpt of the results is presented. With this solid starter, further improvements of the experimental set-up are considered, which are consistent with the expected developments at the GSI facility, in order to measure more fission observables in coincidence. The completeness reached in the SOFIA data, permits to scrutinize the correlations between the interesting features of fission, offering a very detailed insight in this still unraveled mechanism. (orig.)

  18. Studies on fission with ALADIN. Precise and simultaneous measurement of fission yields, total kinetic energy and total prompt neutron multiplicity at GSI

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Martin, Julie-Fiona; Taieb, Julien; Chatillon, Audrey; Belier, Gilbert; Boutoux, Guillaume; Ebran, Adeline; Gorbinet, Thomas; Grente, Lucie; Laurent, Benoit; Pellereau, Eric [CEA DAM Bruyeres-le-Chatel, Arpajon (France); Alvarez-Pol, Hector; Ayyad, Yassid; Benlliure, Jose; Cortina Gil, Dolores; Caamano, Manuel; Fernandez Dominguez, Beatriz; Paradela, Carlos; Ramos, Diego; Rodriguez-Sanchez, Jose-Luis; Vargas, Jossitt [Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Audouin, Laurent; Tassan-Got, Laurent [CNRS/IN2P3, IPNO, Orsay (France); Aumann, Thomas [Technische Universitaet Darmstadt, Darmstadt (Germany); Casarejos, Enrique [Universidad de Vigo, Vigo (Spain); Farget, Fanny; Rodriguez-Tajes, Carme [CNRS/IN2P3, GANIL, Caen (France); Heinz, Andreas [Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg (Sweden); Jurado, Beatriz [CNRS/IN2P3, CENBG, Gradignan (France); Kelic-Heil, Aleksandra; Kurz, Nikolaus; Nociforo, Chiara; Pietri, Stephane; Rossi, Dominic; Schmidt, Karl-Heinz; Simon, Haik; Voss, Bernd; Weick, Helmut [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt (Germany)

    2015-12-15

    A novel technique for fission studies, based on the inverse kinematics approach, is presented. Following pioneering work in the nineties, the SOFIA Collaboration has designed and built an experimental set-up dedicated to the simultaneous measurement of isotopic yields, total kinetic energies and total prompt neutron multiplicities, by fully identifying both fission fragments in coincidence, for the very first time. This experiment, performed at GSI, permits to study the fission of a wide variety of fissioning systems, ranging from mercury to neptunium, possibly far from the valley of stability. A first experiment, performed in 2012, has provided a large array of unprecedented data regarding the nuclear fission process. An excerpt of the results is presented. With this solid starter, further improvements of the experimental set-up are considered, which are consistent with the expected developments at the GSI facility, in order to measure more fission observables in coincidence. The completeness reached in the SOFIA data, permits to scrutinize the correlations between the interesting features of fission, offering a very detailed insight in this still unraveled mechanism. (orig.)

  19. Modelisation of the fission cross section

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morariu, Claudia

    2013-03-01

    The neutron cross sections of four nuclear systems (n+ 235 U, n+ 233 U, n+ 241 Am and n+ 237 Np) are studied in the present document. The target nuclei of the first case, like 235 U and 239 Pu, have a large fission cross section after the absorption of thermal neutrons. These nuclei are called 'fissile' nuclei. The other type of nuclei, like 237 Np and 241 Am, fission mostly with fast neutrons, which exceed the fission threshold energy. These types of nuclei are called 'fertile'. The compound nuclei of the fertile nuclei have a binding energy higher than the fission barrier, while for the fissile nuclei the binding energy is lower than the fission barrier. In this work, the neutron induced cross sections for both types of nuclei are evaluated in the fast energy range. The total, reaction and shape-elastic cross sections are calculated by the coupled channel method of the optical model code ECIS, while the compound nucleus mechanism are treated by the statistical models implemented in the codes STATIS, GNASH and TALYS. The STATIS code includes a refined model of the fission process. Results from the theoretical calculations are compared with data retrieved from the experimental data base EXFOR. (author) [fr

  20. 4π-spectrometer technique for measurements of secondary neutron average number in nuclear fission by 252Cf neutrons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vasil'ev, Yu.A.; Barashkov, Yu.A.; Golovanov, O.A.; Sidorov, L.V.

    1977-01-01

    A method for determining the average number of secondary neutrons anti ν produced in nuclear fission by the neutrons of the 252 Cf fission spectra by means of a 4π time-of-flight spectrometer is described. Layers of 252 Cf and an isotope studied are placed close to each other; if the isotope layer density is 1 mg/cm 2 probability of its fission is about 10 -5 per one spontaneous fission of californium. Fission fragments of 252 Cf and the isotope investigated have been detected by two surface-barrier counters with an efficiency close to 100%. The layers and the counters are situated in a measuring chamber placed in the center of the 4π time-of-flight spectrometer. The latter is utilized as a neutron counter because of its fast response. The method has been verified by carrying out measurements for 235 U and 239 Pu. A comparison of the experimental and calculated results shows that the method suggested can apply to determine the number of secondary neutrons in fission of isotopes that have not been investigated yet

  1. Problems of the agriculture radiology and radiobiology at the environment contamination by the young mixture of the nuclear fission products; Problemy sel'skokhozyajstvennoj radioehkologii i radiobiologii pri zagryaznenii okruzhayushchej sredy molodoj smes'yu produktov yadernogo deleniya

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Prister, B S

    2008-07-01

    The basic problem on population radiation safety and the farm production at the environment contamination by the young mixture of the nuclear fission products are considered. In the field experiments, the conformities of the out of root plant contamination, kinetics of the irradiation absorbed doses and the biological effect of the NFP on the plants during the different ontogenesis phases are investigated. The kinetics of the nuclear fission product accumulation and drawing out from the cattle organisms of the most movable radionuclides in the biological systems; the distribution and kinetics of the absorbed irradiation doses formation and the nuclear fission products biological effect on the cattle organism is studied. The comparative quantitative assessment of the meaning of the basic formation factors of the radiation situation is produced.

  2. ENDF/B-VII.1 Nuclear Data for Science and Technology: Cross Sections, Covariances, Fission Product Yields and Decay Data

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chadwick, M.B.; Herman, M.; Author(s): Chadwick,M.B.; Herman,M.; Oblozinsky,P.; Dunn,M.E.; Danon,Y.; Kahler,A.C.; Smith,D.L.; Pritychenko,B.; Arbanas,G.; Arcilla,R.; Brewer,R.; Brown,D.A.; Capote,R.; Carlson,A.D.; Cho,Y.S.; Derrien,H.; Guber,K.; Hale,G.M.; Hoblit,S.; Holloway,S.: Johnson,T.D.; Kawano,T.; Kiedrowski,B.C.; Kim,H.; Kunieda,S.; Larson,N.M.; Leal,L.; Lestone,J.P.; Little,R.C.; McCutchan,E.A.; MacFarlane,R.E.; MacInnes,M.; Mattoon,C.M.; McKnight,R.D.; Mughabghab,S.F.; Nobre,G.P.A.; Palmiotti,G.; Palumbo,A.; Pigni,M.T.; Pronyaev,V.G.; Sayer,R.O.; Sonzogni,A.A.; Summers,N.C.; Talou,P.; Thompson,I.J.; Trkov,A.; Vogt,R.L.; van der Marck,S.C.; Wallner,A.; White,M.C.; Wiarda,D.; Young,P.G.

    2011-12-01

    The ENDF/B-VII.1 library is our latest recommended evaluated nuclear data file for use in nuclear science and technology applications, and incorporates advances made in the five years since the release of ENDF/B-VII.0. These advances focus on neutron cross sections, covariances, fission product yields and decay data, and represent work by the US Cross Section Evaluation Working Group (CSEWG) in nuclear data evaluation that utilizes developments in nuclear theory, modeling, simulation, and experiment. The principal advances in the new library are: (1) An increase in the breadth of neutron reaction cross section coverage, extending from 393 nuclides to 423 nuclides; (2) Covariance uncertainty data for 190 of the most important nuclides, as documented in companion papers in this edition; (3) R-matrix analyses of neutron reactions on light nuclei, including isotopes of He, Li, and Be; (4) Resonance parameter analyses at lower energies and statistical high energy reactions for isotopes of Cl, K, Ti, V, Mn, Cr, Ni, Zr and W; (5) Modifications to thermal neutron reactions on fission products (isotopes of Mo, Tc, Rh, Ag, Cs, Nd, Sm, Eu) and neutron absorber materials (Cd, Gd); (6) Improved minor actinide evaluations for isotopes of U, Np, Pu, and Am (we are not making changes to the major actinides {sup 235,238}U and {sup 239}Pu at this point, except for delayed neutron data and covariances, and instead we intend to update them after a further period of research in experiment and theory), and our adoption of JENDL-4.0 evaluations for isotopes of Cm, Bk, Cf, Es, Fm, and some other minor actinides; (7) Fission energy release evaluations; (8) Fission product yield advances for fission-spectrum neutrons and 14 MeV neutrons incident on {sup 239}Pu; and (9) A new decay data sublibrary. Integral validation testing of the ENDF/B-VII.1 library is provided for a variety of quantities: For nuclear criticality, the VII.1 library maintains the generally-good performance seen for VII.0

  3. Least squares analysis of fission neutron standard fields

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Griffin, P.J.; Williams, J.G.

    1997-01-01

    A least squares analysis of fission neutron standard fields has been performed using the latest dosimetry cross sections. Discrepant nuclear data are identified and adjusted spectra for 252 Cf spontaneous fission and 235 U thermal fission fields are presented

  4. A long term radiological risk model for plutonium-fueled and fission reactor space nuclear system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bartram, B.W.; Dougherty, D.K.

    1987-01-01

    This report describes the optimization of the RISK III mathematical model, which provides risk assessment for the use of a plutonium-fueled, fission reactor in space systems. The report discusses possible scenarios leading to radiation releases on the ground; distinctions are made for an intact reactor and a dispersed reactor. Also included are projected dose equivalents for various accident situations. 54 refs., 31 figs., 11 tabs

  5. High-power proton linac for transmuting the long-lived fission products in nuclear waste

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lawrence, G.P.

    1991-01-01

    High power proton linacs are being considered at Los Alamos as drivers for high-flux spallation neutron sources that can be used to transmute the troublesome long-lived fission products in defense nuclear waste. The transmutation scheme being studied provides a high flux (> 10{sup 16}/cm{sup 2}{minus}s) of thermal neutrons, which efficiently converts fission products to stable or short-lived isotopes. A medium-energy proton linac with an average beam power of about 110 MW can burn the accumulated Tc99 and I129 inventory at the DOE's Hanford Site within 30 years. Preliminary concepts for this machine are described. 3 refs., 5 figs., 2 tabs.

  6. Conceptual design of a fusion-fission hybrid reactor for transmutation of high level nuclear waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qiu, L.J.; Wu, Y.C.; Yang, Y.W.; Wu, Y.; Luan, G.S.; Xu, Q.; Guo, Z.J.; Xiao, B.J.

    1994-01-01

    To assess the feasibility of the transmutation of long-lived radioactive waste using fusion-fission hybrid reactors, we are studying all the possible types of blanket, including a comparison of the thermal and fast neutron spectrum blankets. Conceptual designs of a small tokamak hybrid blanket with small inventory of actinides and fission products are presented. The small inventory of wastes makes the system safer. The small hybrid reactor system based on a fusion core with experimental parameters to be realized in the near future can effectively transmute actinides and fission products at a neutron wall loading of 1MWm -2 . An innovative energy system is also presented, including a fusion driver, fuel breeder, high level waste transmuter, fission reactor and so on. An optimal combination of all types of reactor is proposed in the system. ((orig.))

  7. Safety of emerging nuclear energy systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Novikov, V.M.; Slesarev, I.S.

    1989-01-01

    The first stage of world nuclear power development based on light water fission reactors has demonstrated not only rather high rate but at the same time too optimistic attitude to safety problems. Large accidents at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl essentially affects the concept of NP development. As a result the safety and social acceptance of NP became of absolute priority among other problems. That's why emerging nuclear power systems should be first of all estimated from this point of view. In the paper some quantitative criteria of safety derived from estimations of social risk and economic-ecological damage from hypothetical accidents are formulated. On the base of these criteria we define two stages of possible way to meet safety demands: first--development of high safety fission reactors and second--that of asymptotic high safety ENEs. The limits of tolorated expenses for safety are regarded. The basis physical factors determining hazards of NES accidents are considered. This permits to classify the ways of safety demands fulfillment due to physical principals used

  8. Behavior of solid fission products in irradiated fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Ung Sup; Jung, Yang Hong; Kim, Hee Moon; Yoo, Byun Gok; Kim, Do Sik; Choo, Yong Sun; Hong, Kwon Pyo

    2004-01-01

    Many fission products are generated by fission events in UO 2 fuel under irradiation in nuclear reactor. Concentration of each fission product is changed by conditions of neutron energy spectrum, fissile material, critical thermal power, irradiation period and cooling time. Volatile materials such as Cs and I, the fission products, degrade nuclear fuel rod by the decrease of thermal conductivity in pellet and the stress corrosion cracking in cladding. Metal fission products (white inclusion) make pellet be swelled and decrease volume of pellet by densification. It seems that metal fission products are filled in the pore in pellet and placed between UO 2 lattices as interstitial. In addition, metal oxide state may change structural lattice volume. Considering behavior of fission products mentioned above, concentration of them is important. Fission products could be classified as bellows; solid solution in matrix : Sr, Zr, Nb, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm - metal precipitates : Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, In, Sb, Te - oxide precipitates : Ba, Zr, Nb, Mo, (Rb, Cs, Te) - volatile and gases : Kr, Xe, Br, I, (Rb, Cs, Te)

  9. Studies of the nuclear inertia in fission and heavy-ion reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moeller, P.; Nix, J.R.

    1978-01-01

    On the basis of the non-self-consistent cranking model the authors study some aspects of the nuclear inertia of interest in fission and heavy-ion reactions. First, the authors consider in the adiabatic limit the inertia for a doubly closed-shell nucleus in a deformed spheroidal harmonic-oscillator single-particle potential plus a small perturbation. When expressed in terms of a coordinate that describes the deformation of the nuclear matter distribution, the inertia for small oscillations about a spherical shape is exactly equal to the incompressible, irrotational value. For large distortions it deviates from the incompressible, irrotational value by up to about +-1% away from level crossings. Second, in order to study the dependence of the inertia upon a level crossing, two levels of the above system are considered. This is done both in the adiabatic limit and for large collective velocities. At level crossings the adiabatic inertia relative to the deformation of the matter distribution diverges as 1/modΔV, where modΔV is the magnitude of the perturbation. However, for large collective velocities the contribution to the inertia from a level crossing is less than 4modΔV(d(rsub(m))/dt) 2 where d(rsub(m))/dt is the collective velocity of the matter distribution. Although the effect of large velocities on the remaining levels of the many-body system or the effect of a statistical ensemble of states has not been considered, some of the results suggest that for high excitation energies and moderately large collective velocities the nuclear inertia approaches approximately the irrotational value. (Auth.)

  10. A chaotic system with a single unstable node

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sprott, J.C. [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706 (United States); Jafari, Sajad, E-mail: sajadjafari@aut.ac.ir [Biomedical Engineering Department, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran 15875-4413 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Pham, Viet-Thanh [School of Electronics and Telecommunications, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, 01 Dai Co Viet, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Hosseini, Zahra Sadat [Biomedical Engineering Department, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran 15875-4413 (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2015-09-25

    This paper describes an unusual example of a three-dimensional dissipative chaotic flow with quadratic nonlinearities in which the only equilibrium is an unstable node. The region of parameter space with bounded solutions is relatively small as is the basin of attraction, which accounts for the difficulty of its discovery. Furthermore, for some values of the parameters, the system has an attracting torus, which is uncommon in three-dimensional systems, and this torus can coexist with a strange attractor or with a limit cycle. The limit cycle and strange attractor exhibit symmetry breaking and attractor merging. All the attractors appear to be hidden in that they cannot be found by starting with initial conditions in the vicinity of the equilibrium, and thus they represent a new type of hidden attractor with important and potentially problematic engineering consequences. - Highlights: • An unusual example of a three-dimensional dissipative chaotic flow is introduced. • In this system the only equilibrium is an unstable node. • For some values of the parameters, the system has an attracting torus. • This torus can coexist with a strange attractor or with a limit cycle. • These properties are uncommon in three-dimensional systems.

  11. Prompt fission neutron spectra and average prompt neutron multiplicities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Madland, D.G.; Nix, J.R.

    1983-01-01

    We present a new method for calculating the prompt fission neutron spectrum N(E) and average prompt neutron multiplicity anti nu/sub p/ as functions of the fissioning nucleus and its excitation energy. The method is based on standard nuclear evaporation theory and takes into account (1) the motion of the fission fragments, (2) the distribution of fission-fragment residual nuclear temperature, (3) the energy dependence of the cross section sigma/sub c/ for the inverse process of compound-nucleus formation, and (4) the possibility of multiple-chance fission. We use a triangular distribution in residual nuclear temperature based on the Fermi-gas model. This leads to closed expressions for N(E) and anti nu/sub p/ when sigma/sub c/ is assumed constant and readily computed quadratures when the energy dependence of sigma/sub c/ is determined from an optical model. Neutron spectra and average multiplicities calculated with an energy-dependent cross section agree well with experimental data for the neutron-induced fission of 235 U and the spontaneous fission of 252 Cf. For the latter case, there are some significant inconsistencies between the experimental spectra that need to be resolved. 29 references

  12. Fission--fusion systems: classification and critique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lidsky, L.M.

    1974-01-01

    A useful classification scheme for hybrid systems is described and some common features that the scheme makes apparent are pointed out. The early history of fusion-fission systems is reviewed. Some designs are described along with advantages and disadvantages of each. The extension to low and moderate Q devices is noted. (U.S.)

  13. Determination of relative krypton fission product yields from 14 MeV neutron induced fission of 238U at the National Ignition Facility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, E R; Cassata, W S; Velsko, C A; Yeamans, C B; Shaughnessy, D A

    2016-11-01

    Precisely-known fission yield distributions are needed to determine a fissioning isotope and the incident neutron energy in nuclear security applications. 14 MeV neutrons from DT fusion at the National Ignition Facility induce fission in depleted uranium contained in the target assembly hohlraum. The fission yields of Kr isotopes (85m, 87, 88, and 89) are measured relative to the cumulative yield of 88 Kr and compared to previously tabulated values. The results from this experiment and England and Rider are in agreement, except for the 85m Kr/ 88 Kr ratio, which may be the result of incorrect nuclear data.

  14. Fission of nuclei far from stability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmidt, K.H.; Benlliure, J.; Junghans, A.R.

    2000-11-01

    The secondary-beam facility of GSI provided the technical equipment for a new kind of fission experiment. Fission properties of short-lived neutron-deficient nuclei have been investigated in inverse kinematics. The measured element distributions reveal new kinds of systematics on shell structure and even-odd effects and lead to an improved understanding of structure effects in nuclear fission. Prospects for further experimental studies are discussed. (orig.)

  15. Compound Nucleus Reactions in LENR, Analogy to Uranium Fission

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hora, Heinrich; Miley, George; Philberth, Karl

    2008-03-01

    The discovery of nuclear fission by Hahn and Strassmann was based on a very rare microanalytical result that could not initially indicate the very complicated details of this most important process. A similarity is discussed for the low energy nuclear reactions (LENRs) with analogies to the yield structure found in measurements of uranium fission. The LENR product distribution measured earlier in a reproducible way in experiments with thin film electrodes and a high density deuteron concentration in palladium has several striking similarities with the uranium fission fragment yield curve.ootnotetextG.H. Miley and J.A. Patterson, J. New Energy 1, 11 (1996); G.H. Miley et al, Proc ICCF6, p. 629 (1997).This comparison is specifically focussed to the Maruhn-Greiner local maximum of the distribution within the large-scale minimum when the fission nuclei are excited. Implications for uranium fission are discussed in comparison with LENR relative to the identification of fission a hypothetical compound nuclear reaction via a element ^306X126 with double magic numbers.

  16. A new option for exploitage of future nuclear energy. Accelerator driven radioactive clean nuclear power system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ding Dazhao

    2000-01-01

    Nuclear energy is an effective, clean and safe energy resource. But some shortages of the nuclear energy system presently commercial available obstruct further development of the nuclear energy by heavy nuclear fission. Those are final disposal of the high level radioactive waste, inefficient use of the uranium resource and safety issue of the system. Innovative technical option is seeking for by the nuclear scientific community in recent ten years in aiming to overcome these obstacles, namely, accelerator driven sub-critical system (ADS). This hybrid system may bridge over the gap between presently commercial available nuclear power system and the full exploitation of the fusion energy. The basic principle of ADS is described and its capability in waste transmutation, conversion of the nuclear fuel are demonstrated by two examples--AD-fast reactor and AD-heavy water thermal reactor. The feasibility of ADS and some projects in US, Japan, etc are briefly discussed. The rationale in promoting the R and D of ADS in China is emphasized as China is at the beginning stage of its ambitious project in construction of the nuclear power

  17. Innovative High Temperature Heat Pipes for Spacecraft Nuclear Fission Systems, Phase II

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — NASA Glenn is examining small fission reactors for future space transportation and surface power applications. The reactors would have an 8 to 15 year design life...

  18. Neutron interrogation system using high gamma ray signature to detect contraband special nuclear materials in cargo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slaughter, Dennis R [Oakland, CA; Pohl, Bertram A [Berkeley, CA; Dougan, Arden D [San Ramon, CA; Bernstein, Adam [Palo Alto, CA; Prussin, Stanley G [Kensington, CA; Norman, Eric B [Oakland, CA

    2008-04-15

    A system for inspecting cargo for the presence of special nuclear material. The cargo is irradiated with neutrons. The neutrons produce fission products in the special nuclear material which generate gamma rays. The gamma rays are detecting indicating the presence of the special nuclear material.

  19. Nuclear structure and shapes from prompt gamma ray spectroscopy of fission products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmad, I.; Morss, L.R.; Durell, J.L.

    1996-01-01

    Many nuclear shape phenomena are predicted to occur in neutron-rich nuclei. The best source for the production of these nuclides is the spontaneous fission which produces practically hundreds of nuclides with yields of greater than 0.1 % per decay. Measurements of coincident gamma rays with large Ge arrays have recently been made to obtain information on nuclear structures and shapes of these neutron- rich nuclei. Among the important results that have been obtained from such measurements are octupole correlations in Ba isotopes, triaxial shapes in Ru nuclei, two-phonon vibrations in 106 Mo and level lifetimes and quadrupole moments in Nd isotopes and A=100 nuclei. These data have been used to test theoretical models

  20. Inverse kinematics technique for the study of fission-fragment isotopic yields at GANIL energies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Delaune, O.

    2012-01-01

    The characteristics of the fission-products distributions result of dynamical and quantum properties of the deformation process of the fissioning nucleus. These distributions have also an interest for the conception of new nuclear power plants or for the transmutation of the nuclear wastes. Up to now, our understanding of the nuclear fission remains restricted because of experimental limitations. In particular, yields of the heavy fission products are difficult to get with precision. In this work, an innovative experimental technique is presented. It is based on the use of inverse kinematics coupled to the use of a spectrometer, in which a 238 U beam at 6 or 24 A MeV impinges on light targets. Several actinides, from 238 U to 250 Cf, are produced by transfer or fusion reactions, with an excitation energy ranges from ten to few hundreds MeV depending on the reaction and the beam energy. The fission fragments of these actinides are detected by the VAMOS spectrometer or the LISE separator. The isotopic yields of fission products are completely measured for different fissioning systems. The neutron excess of the fragments is used to characterise the isotopic distributions. Its evolution with excitation energy gives important insights on the mechanisms of the compound-nucleus formation and its deexcitation. Neutron excess is also used to determine the multiplicity of neutrons evaporated by the fragments. The role of the proton and neutron shell effects into the formation of fission fragments is also discussed. (author) [fr

  1. Fission Fragment Mass Distributions and Total Kinetic Energy Release of 235-Uranium and 238-Uranium in Neutron-Induced Fission at Intermediate and Fast Neutron Energies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Duke, Dana Lynn [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

    2015-11-12

    This Ph.D. dissertation describes a measurement of the change in mass distributions and average total kinetic energy (TKE) release with increasing incident neutron energy for fission of 235U and 238U. Although fission was discovered over seventy-five years ago, open questions remain about the physics of the fission process. The energy of the incident neutron, En, changes the division of energy release in the resulting fission fragments, however, the details of energy partitioning remain ambiguous because the nucleus is a many-body quantum system. Creating a full theoretical model is difficult and experimental data to validate existing models are lacking. Additional fission measurements will lead to higher-quality models of the fission process, therefore improving applications such as the development of next-generation nuclear reactors and defense. This work also paves the way for precision experiments such as the Time Projection Chamber (TPC) for fission cross section measurements and the Spectrometer for Ion Determination in Fission (SPIDER) for precision mass yields.

  2. ENDF/B-VII.1 Nuclear Data for Science and Technology: Cross Sections, Covariances, Fission Product Yields and Decay Data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Palmiotti, G.

    2011-01-01

    The ENDF/B-VII.1 library is our latest recommended evaluated nuclear data file for use in nuclear science and technology applications, and incorporates advances made in the five years since the release of ENDF/B-VII.0. These advances focus on neutron cross sections, covariances, fission product yields and decay data, and represent work by the US Cross Section Evaluation Working Group (CSEWG) in nuclear data evaluation that utilizes developments in nuclear theory, modeling, simulation, and experiment. The principal advances in the new library are: (1) An increase in the breadth of neutron reaction cross section coverage, extending from 393 nuclides to 418 nuclides; (2) Covariance uncertainty data for 185 of the most important nuclides, as documented in companion papers in this edition; (3) R-matrix analyses of neutron reactions on light nuclei, including isotopes of He, Li, and Be; (4) Resonance parameter analyses at lower energies and statistical high energy reactions at higher energies for isotopes of F, Cl, K, Ti, V, Mn, Cr, Ni, Zr and W; (5) Modifications to thermal neutron reactions on fission products (isotopes of Mo, Tc, Rh, Ag, Cs, Nd, Sm, Eu) and neutron absorber materials (Cd, Gd); (6) Improved minor actinide evaluations for isotopes of U, Np, Pu, and Am (we are not making changes to the major actinides 235,238U and 239Pu at this point, except for delayed neutron data, and instead we intend to update them after a further period of research in experiment and theory), and our adoption of JENDL-4.0 evaluations for isotopes of Cm, Bk, Cf, Es, Fm, and some other minor actinides; (7) Fission energy release evaluations; (8) Fission product yield advances for fission-spectrum neutrons and 14 MeV neutrons incident on 239Pu; and (9) A new Decay Data sublibrary. Integral validation testing of the ENDF/B-VII.1 library is provided for a variety of quantities: For nuclear criticality, the VII.1 library maintains the generally-good performance seen for VII.0 for a wide

  3. Status of pseudo fission product cross sections for fast reactors. Results of the SWG 17, International working party on evaluation coordination of the nuclear science committee, NEA- OECD

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gruppelaar, H.; Kloosterman, J.L.; Pijlgroms, B.J.; Rimpault, G.; Smith, P.; Ignatyuk, A.; Koshcheev, V.; Nikolaev, M.; Thsiboulia, A.; Kawai, M.; Nakagawa, T.; Watanabe, T.; Zukeran, A.; Nakajima, Y.; Matsunobu, H.

    1998-08-01

    Within the framework of the SWG17 benchmark organized by a Working Party of the Nuclear Science Committee of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), a comparison of lumped or pseudo fission product cross sections for fast reactors has been made. Four institutions participated with data libraries based on the JEF2.2, EAF-4.2, BROND-2, FONDL-2.1, ADL-3 and JENDL-3.2 evaluated nuclear data files. Several parameters have been compared with each other: the one-group cross sections and reactivity worths of the lumped nuclide for several partial absorption and scattering cross sections, and the one-group cross sections of the individual fission products. Also graphs of the multi-group cross sections of the lumped nuclide have been compared, as well as graphs of capture cross sections for 27 nuclides. From two contributions based on JEF2.2, it can be concluded that the data processing influences the capture cross section by about 1% and the inelastic scattering cross section by 2%. The differences between the lumped cross sections of the different data libraries are surprisingly small: maximum 6% for capture and 9% for the inelastic scattering. Similar results are obtained for the reactivity effects. Since the reactivity worth of the lumped nuclide is dominated by the capture reaction, the maximum spread in the total reactivity worth is still only 5.3%. There is a systematic difference between total, elastic and capture cross sections of JENDL-3.2 and JEF2.2 of the same order of magnitude. Possible reasons for this discrepancy have been indicated. The one-group capture and inelastic scattering cross sections of most of the important individual fission products differ by less than 10% (root mean square values). Larger differences are observed for unstable nuclides where there is a lack of experimental data. For the (n,2n) group cross sections, which are rather sensitive to the weighting spectrum in the fast energy range, these differences are several tens of percents. The final

  4. Mechanisms of fission neutron emission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maerten, H.

    1991-01-01

    The time evolution in fission is the starting point for discussing not only the main mechanism of fission neutron emission, the evaporation from fully accelerated fragments, but also possible secondary ones connected with dynamical features of nuclear fission. ''Asymptotic'' conditions as relevant for describing the particle release from highly excited, rapidly moving fragments are defined. Corresponding statistical model approaches to fission neutron emission, based on the adequate consideration of the intricate fragment occurrence probability, reproduce most of the experimental data. The remarkable influence of fission modes on neutron observables is analyzed in the framework of a macroscopic-microscopic scission point model consistent with energy conservation. Finally, chances and deficiencies for solving the mechanism puzzle are summarized. (author). 87 refs, 21 figs

  5. Fission in a Plasma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Younes, W. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

    2016-10-26

    A three-year theory project was undertaken to study the fission process in extreme astrophysical environments, such as the crust of neutron stars. In the first part of the project, the effect of electron screening on the fission process was explored using a microscopic approach. For the first time, these calculations were carried out to the breaking point of the nucleus. In the second part of the project, the population of the fissioning nucleus was calculated within the same microscopic framework. These types of calculations are extremely computer-intensive and have seldom been applied to heavy deformed nuclei, such as fissioning actinides. The results, tools and methodologies produced in this work will be of interest to both the basic-science and nuclear-data communities.

  6. ENDF/B-5 Fission Products Library. Rev. 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schwerer, O.; Pronyaev, V.G.; Lemmel, H.D.

    1984-07-01

    This document summarizes contents and documentation of the 1984 version of the Fission Products Nuclear Data File of the ENDF/B-5 Library (Rev. 2) maintained by the National Nuclear Data Center (NNDC) at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA. This file contains numerical neutron reaction data and decay data for 877 fission product nuclides. The entire file or selective retrievals from it can be obtained on magnetic tape from the IAEA Nuclear Data Section. (author)

  7. Nuclear structure via isomer tagging of fission fragments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, C. Y.; Cline, D.; Simon, M. W.; Stoyer, M. A.

    1997-10-01

    The high efficiency for detecting high-fold γ rays by large Ge arrays makes it possible to study the detailed spectroscopy of many neutron-rich nuclei produced by fission. Major progress has been made using sealed spontaneous fission sources. Considerable improvement in selectivity is provided, with an open source, both by gating on isomers and by detection of both fission fragments in coincidence with the deexcitation γ rays (see the preceding contribution). The reconstructed kinematics allows a measure of fragment mass and the Doppler shift correction of γ rays. In a recent experiment, fission fragments were detected using half of the CHICO array and an annular PPAC in coincidence with deexcitation γ rays detected by the Rochester array of eight Compton-suppressed Ge detectors. The annular PPAC was located only 1.0" from a 3.7 μCi ^252Cf source for efficient isomer tagging. The correlation was studied between delayed, within a time window between 150 ns and 10 μs after a fission occurring, and prompt γ rays. Several prominent feeding patterns to isomers in the mass region around 100 and 130 are identified by such correlation study. Experimental details and results will be presented.

  8. Transmutations of nuclear waste. Progress report RAS programme 1995: Recycling and transmutation of actinides and fission products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gruppelaar, H.; Cordfunke, E.H.P.; Konings, R.J.M.; Bultman, J.H.; Dodd, D.H.; Franken, W.M.P.; Kloosterman, J.L.; Koning, A.J.; Wichers, V.A.

    1996-04-01

    This report describes the progress of the Dutch RAS programme on 'Recycling and Transmutation of Actinides and Fission Products' over the year 1995, which is the second year of the 4-year programme 1994-1997. An extensive listing of reports and publications from 1991 to 1995 is given. Highlights in 1995 were: -The completion of the European Strategy Study on Nuclear Waste Transmutation as a result of which the understanding of transmutation of plutonium, minor actinides and long-lived fission products in thermal and fast reactors has been increased significantly. Important ECN contributions were given on Am, 99 Tc and 129 I transmutation options. Follow-up contracts have been obtained for the study of 100% MOX cores and accelerator-based transmutation. - Important progress in the evaluation of CANDU reactors for burning very large amounts of transuranium mixtures in inert matrices. - The first RAS irradiation experiment in the HFR, in which the transmutation of technetium and iodine was examined, has been completed and post-irradiation examination has been started. - A joint proposal of the EFTTRA cooperation for the 4 th Framework Programme of the EU, to demonstrate the feasibility of the transmutation of americium in an inert matrix by an irradiation in the HFR, has been granted. - A bilateral contract with CEA has been signed to participate in the CAPRA programme, and the work in this field has been started. - The thesis work on Actinide Transmutation in Nuclear Reactor Systems was succesfully defended. New PhD studies on Pu burning in HTGR, on nuclear data for accelerator-based systems, and on the SLM-technique for separation of actinides were started. - A review study of the use of the thorium cycle as a means for nuclear waste reduction, has been completed. A follow-up of this work is embedded in an international project for the 4th Framework Programme of the EU. (orig./DG)

  9. Attachment behavior of fission products to solution aerosol

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Takamiya, Koichi; Tanaka, Toru; Nitta, Shinnosuke; Itosu, Satoshi; Sekimoto, Shun; Oki, Yuichi; Ohtsuki, Tsutomu [Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University, Osaka (Japan)

    2016-12-15

    Various characteristics such as size distribution, chemical component and radioactivity have been analyzed for radioactive aerosols released from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Measured results for radioactive aerosols suggest that the potential transport medium for radioactive cesium was non-sea-salt sulfate. This result indicates that cesium isotopes would preferentially attach with sulfate compounds. In the present work the attachment behavior of fission products to aqueous solution aerosols of sodium salts has been studied using a generation system of solution aerosols and spontaneous fission source of {sup 248}Cm. Attachment ratios of fission products to the solution aerosols were compared among the aerosols generated by different solutions of sodium salt. A significant difference according as a solute of solution aerosols was found in the attachment behavior. The present results suggest the existence of chemical effects in the attachment behavior of fission products to solution aerosols.

  10. 50 years with nuclear fission, April 25-28, 1989. A prelude to fission: France

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Savic, P.

    1989-01-01

    A personal account of the events leading to the 1938 discovery, by Irene Joliot-Curie and the author, of the unidentified element R 3.5h will be presented, as well as the experimental methods proving the R 3.5h had chemical properties similar to lanthanum which in turn led Hahn and Strassmann to the discovery of fission in 1939. The author points out that Irene Curie's intuition indicated the path towards the solution of the problem of uranium irradiated by neutrons, which made possible the discovery of fission by Hahn and Strassmann. Further applications of fission became possible by tremendous efforts and excellent contributions of scientists in the USA

  11. Determination of the fission barrier height in fission of heavy radioactive beams induced by the (d,p)-transfer

    CERN Multimedia

    A theoretical framework is described, allowing to determine the fission barrier height using the observed cross sections of fission induced by the (d,p)-transfer with accuracy, which is not achievable in another type of low-energy fission of neutron-deficient nuclei, the $\\beta$-delayed fission. The primary goal is to directly determine the fission barrier height of proton-rich fissile nuclei, preferably using the radio-active beams of isotopes of odd elements, and thus confirm or exclude the low values of fission barrier heights, typically extracted using statistical calculations in the compound nucleus reactions at higher excitation energies. Calculated fission cross sections in transfer reactions of the radioactive beams show sufficient sensitivity to fission barrier height. In the probable case that fission rates will be high enough, mass asymmetry of fission fragments can be determined. Results will be relevant for nuclear astrophysics and for production of super-heavy nuclei. Transfer induced fission of...

  12. α and p emission before, during, and after fission of the fusion nucleus 169Ta: Nuclear deformation, field emission, and nuclear shadow

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brucker, A.

    1986-01-01

    In the asymmetric system 318 MeV 28 Si + 141 Pr the angular and energy distributions of α particles and protons were measured in coincidence with fission fragments. Identification and separation of the sources of sequential emission before (CN) and after (F) fission of the compound-nucleus 169 Ta yields following multiplicities: M CN α =0.38±0.04, M CN p =0.6±0.15; M F α =0.16±0.03, M F p =0.54±0.15. Measurement of the cross sections δ ER =(608±81) mb and δ F =(679±159) mb for residual nucleus formation respectively fission fixes the mean angular momentum for fission l F =(94±7)ℎ and the maximal angular momentum l F,max =(110±10)ℎ (sharp cut-off model). From the angular correlation relative to the spin direction of the compound-nucleus an anisotropy parameter of A α =6.7±0.8 and A p =1.3±0.2 for α respectively proton emission from the compound-nucleus is measured, and by means of the semiclassical model of Dossing a quadrupole deformation parameter of the compound-nucleus of vertical strokeδvertical stroke=0.43±0.05 consistent within the uncertainties of the analysis determined. Apart from pre-equilibrium emission under small angles to the beam significant deviations from sequential emission are observed only in the α emission and detailedly studied by means of angular correlation and energy spectra: (I) an strong nuclear shadowing of the fragment emission of 1/7 of its sequential value in a narrow angular range (≅40 0 (FWHM)) in the direction of the detected fission fragment. From this a mean lifetime of the compound nucleus τ CN =(140-240).10 -22 s is obtained. (II) A perpendicularly to the scission axis strongly pronounced surplus M SC α =(1.7±0.4).10 -2 and an observed deficit of equal magnitude in direction of the scission axis. (orig./HSI) [de

  13. HOT CELL SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING FISSION GAS RETENTION IN METALLIC FUELS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sell, D. A.; Baily, C. E.; Malewitz, T. J.; Medvedev, P. G.; Porter, D. L.; Hilton, B. A.

    2016-09-01

    A system has been developed to perform measurements on irradiated, sodium bonded-metallic fuel elements to determine the amount of fission gas retained in the fuel material after release of the gas to the element plenum. During irradiation of metallic fuel elements, most of the fission gas developed is released from the fuel and captured in the gas plenums of the fuel elements. A significant amount of fission gas, however, remains captured in closed porosities which develop in the fuel during irradiation. Additionally, some gas is trapped in open porosity but sealed off from the plenum by frozen bond sodium after the element has cooled in the hot cell. The Retained fission Gas (RFG) system has been designed, tested and implemented to capture and measure the quantity of retained fission gas in characterized cut pieces of sodium bonded metallic fuel. Fuel pieces are loaded into the apparatus along with a prescribed amount of iron powder, which is used to create a relatively low melting, eutectic composition as the iron diffuses into the fuel. The apparatus is sealed, evacuated, and then heated to temperatures in excess of the eutectic melting point. Retained fission gas release is monitored by pressure transducers during the heating phase, thus monitoring for release of fission gas as first the bond sodium melts and then the fuel. A separate hot cell system is used to sample the gas in the apparatus and also characterize the volume of the apparatus thus permitting the calculation of the total fission gas release from the fuel element samples along with analysis of the gas composition.

  14. Development of a fission product transport module predicting the behavior of radiological materials during sever accidents in a nuclear power plant

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kang, Hyung Seok; Rhee, Bo Wook; Kim, Dong Ha [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-09-15

    Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute is developing a fission product transport module for predicting the behavior of radioactive materials in the primary cooling system of a nuclear power plant as a separate module, which will be connected to a severe accident analysis code, Core Meltdown Progression Accident Simulation Software (COMPASS). This fission product transport (COMPASS-FP) module consists of a fission product release model, an aerosol generation model, and an aerosol transport model. In the fission product release model there are three submodels based on empirical correlations, and they are used to simulate the fission product gases release from the reactor core. In the aerosol generation model, the mass conservation law and Raoult's law are applied to the mixture of vapors and droplets of the fission products in a specified control volume to find the generation of the aerosol droplet. In the aerosol transport model, empirical correlations available from the open literature are used to simulate the aerosol removal processes owing to the gravitational settling, inertia impaction, diffusiophoresis, and thermophoresis. The COMPASS-FP module was validated against Aerosol Behavior Code Validation and Evaluation (ABCOVE-5) test performed by Hanford Engineering Development Laboratory for comparing the prediction and test data. The comparison results assuming a non-spherical aerosol shape for the suspended aerosol mass concentration showed a good agreement with an error range of about ±6%. It was found that the COMPASS-FP module produced the reasonable results of the fission product gases release, the aerosol generation, and the gravitational settling in the aerosol removal processes for ABCOVE-5. However, more validation for other aerosol removal models needs to be performed.

  15. A Covariance Generation Methodology for Fission Product Yields

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Terranova N.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Recent safety and economical concerns for modern nuclear reactor applications have fed an outstanding interest in basic nuclear data evaluation improvement and completion. It has been immediately clear that the accuracy of our predictive simulation models was strongly affected by our knowledge on input data. Therefore strong efforts have been made to improve nuclear data and to generate complete and reliable uncertainty information able to yield proper uncertainty propagation on integral reactor parameters. Since in modern nuclear data banks (such as JEFF-3.1.1 and ENDF/BVII.1 no correlations for fission yields are given, in the present work we propose a covariance generation methodology for fission product yields. The main goal is to reproduce the existing European library and to add covariance information to allow proper uncertainty propagation in depletion and decay heat calculations. To do so, we adopted the Generalized Least Square Method (GLSM implemented in CONRAD (COde for Nuclear Reaction Analysis and Data assimilation, developed at CEA-Cadarache. Theoretical values employed in the Bayesian parameter adjustment are delivered thanks to a convolution of different models, representing several quantities in fission yield calculations: the Brosa fission modes for pre-neutron mass distribution, a simplified Gaussian model for prompt neutron emission probability, theWahl systematics for charge distribution and the Madland-England model for the isomeric ratio. Some results will be presented for the thermal fission of U-235, Pu-239 and Pu-241.

  16. Fuel Performance Experiments and Modeling: Fission Gas Bubble Nucleation and Growth in Alloy Nuclear Fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McDeavitt, Sean; Shao, Lin; Tsvetkov, Pavel; Wirth, Brian; Kennedy, Rory

    2014-01-01

    Advanced fast reactor systems being developed under the DOE's Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative are designed to destroy TRU isotopes generated in existing and future nuclear energy systems. Over the past 40 years, multiple experiments and demonstrations have been completed using U-Zr, U-Pu-Zr, U-Mo and other metal alloys. As a result, multiple empirical and semi-empirical relationships have been established to develop empirical performance modeling codes. Many mechanistic questions about fission as mobility, bubble coalescience, and gas release have been answered through industrial experience, research, and empirical understanding. The advent of modern computational materials science, however, opens new doors of development such that physics-based multi-scale models may be developed to enable a new generation of predictive fuel performance codes that are not limited by empiricism.

  17. Fuel Performance Experiments and Modeling: Fission Gas Bubble Nucleation and Growth in Alloy Nuclear Fuels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McDeavitt, Sean [Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States); Shao, Lin [Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States); Tsvetkov, Pavel [Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States); Wirth, Brian [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Kennedy, Rory [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

    2014-04-07

    Advanced fast reactor systems being developed under the DOE's Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative are designed to destroy TRU isotopes generated in existing and future nuclear energy systems. Over the past 40 years, multiple experiments and demonstrations have been completed using U-Zr, U-Pu-Zr, U-Mo and other metal alloys. As a result, multiple empirical and semi-empirical relationships have been established to develop empirical performance modeling codes. Many mechanistic questions about fission as mobility, bubble coalescience, and gas release have been answered through industrial experience, research, and empirical understanding. The advent of modern computational materials science, however, opens new doors of development such that physics-based multi-scale models may be developed to enable a new generation of predictive fuel performance codes that are not limited by empiricism.

  18. Burn-up physics in a coupled Hammer-Technion/Cinder-2 system and ENDF/B-V aggregate fission product thermal cross section validation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santos, A. dos.

    1990-01-01

    The new methodology developed in this work has the following purposes: a) to implement a burnup capability into the HAMMER-TECHNION/9/computer code by using the CINDER-2/10/computer code to perform the transmutation analysis for the actinides and fission products; b) to implement a reduced version of the CINDER-2 fission product chain structure to treat explicity nearly 99% of all original CINDER-2 fission product absorption in a typical PWR unit cell; c) to treat the effect of the fission product neutron absorption in an unit cell in a multigroup basis; d) to develop a tentative validation procedure for the ENOF/C-V stable and long-lived fission product nuclear data based on the available experimental data/11-14/. The analysis will be performed by using the reduce chain in the coupled system CINDER-2 to generate the time dependent effective four group cross sections for actinides and fission products and CINDER-2 to perform the complete transmutation analysis with its built-in chain structure. (author)

  19. ENDF/B-5 Fission Products Library 1979

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schwerer, O.; Lemmel, H.D.

    1981-10-01

    This document summarizes contents and documentation of the 1979 version of the Fission Products File of the ENDF/B Library maintained by the National Nuclear Data Center (NNDC) at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA. This file contains numerical neutron reaction data and decay data for 877 fission product nuclides. The entire file or selective retrievals from it can be obtained on magnetic tape from the IAEA Nuclear Data Section. (author)

  20. Proceedings of the specialist research meeting on scientific and engineering researches of unstable nuclei and on their nuclear methodology (3)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawade, K.; Taniguchi, A.; Yamada, S.

    1998-01-01

    New research fields with the use of radioactive ion beams are now rapidly developing by virtue of recent progress in radioactive beam accelerators. The scientific and engineering researches on unstable nuclei far from stability are getting particular interests aiming at the full use of their radiation. In the circumstance many laboratories report utilizations and researches of the RI beam, the Tohoku University's renewal plan of the cyclotron and the short-lived nuclear beam facility at KEK have started. To discuss these new subjects on the scientific and engineering researches of unstable nuclei and on their nuclear methodology, the third specialist meeting was held at the KUR on February 16 and 17, 1998. Several noticeable and wide scope works on the method of RI-beam generation and on the new development of nuclear methodology have been reported, such as fundamental researches with laser, new isotope searchings and researches of nuclear structures with ISOL, in-beam nuclear spectroscopies through the deep-inelastic collision. In this meeting, especially, fundamental support-researches are reported, which are precise measurements of absolute disintegration rates, a gamma peak analysis method, evaluations of fundamental nuclear data, measurements of beta detector response functions for reducing Q values and precise measurement of high energy gamma intensities up to 11 MeV. The 14 papers are indexed individually. (J.P.N.)

  1. Isotopic Determination of Nuclear Materials Using Nuclear Fission Track Registration Technique and Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometric Technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeon, Young Sin; Pyo, Hyeong Yeol; Park, Yong Joon; Song, Kyu Seok; Kim, Won Ho; Jee, Kwang Yong

    2007-05-01

    It is very important to develope the technology for the determination of isotopic ratios of hot particles( 234 U, 235 U, 236 U etc.) detected from swipe samples of various nuclear facilities. This technology is highly competitive internationally and has to be established independently as long as our government maintains atomic energy and treats nuclear materials. In this text, sample pretreatment procedure, gamma-ray counting, alpha or fission track techniques, isotopic analysis of U and Pu, background problems and detection limits for mass determination, and their application to the real swipe sample were described with detailed procedure. This technology would contribute to the Korean economy's high growth rate as well as to superiority of government's leading research and development programs if successfully established

  2. Self-consistent nuclear energy systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shimizu, A.; Fujiie, Y.

    1995-01-01

    A concept of self-consistent energy systems (SCNES) has been proposed as an ultimate goal of the nuclear energy system in the coming centuries. SCNES should realize a stable and unlimited energy supply without endangering the human race and the global environment. It is defined as a system that realizes at least the following four objectives simultaneously: (a) energy generation -attain high efficiency in the utilization of fission energy; (b) fuel production - secure inexhaustible energy source: breeding of fissile material with the breeding ratio greater than one and complete burning of transuranium through recycling; (c) burning of radionuclides - zero release of radionuclides from the system: complete burning of transuranium and elimination of radioactive fission products by neutron capture reactions through recycling; (d) system safety - achieve system safety both for the public and experts: eliminate criticality-related safety issues by using natural laws and simple logic. This paper describes the concept of SCNES and discusses the feasibility of the system. Both ''neutron balance'' and ''energbalance'' of the system are introduced as the necessary conditions to be satisfied at least by SCNES. Evaluations made so far indicate that both the neutron balance and the energy balance can be realized by fast reactors but not by thermal reactors. Concerning the system safety, two safety concepts: ''self controllability'' and ''self-terminability'' are introduced to eliminate the criticality-related safety issues in fast reactors. (author)

  3. Correlated Production and Analog Transport of Fission Neutrons and Photons using Fission Models FREYA, FIFRELIN and the Monte Carlo Code TRIPOLI-4® .

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verbeke, Jérôme M.; Petit, Odile; Chebboubi, Abdelhazize; Litaize, Olivier

    2018-01-01

    Fission modeling in general-purpose Monte Carlo transport codes often relies on average nuclear data provided by international evaluation libraries. As such, only average fission multiplicities are available and correlations between fission neutrons and photons are missing. Whereas uncorrelated fission physics is usually sufficient for standard reactor core and radiation shielding calculations, correlated fission secondaries are required for specialized nuclear instrumentation and detector modeling. For coincidence counting detector optimization for instance, precise simulation of fission neutrons and photons that remain correlated in time from birth to detection is essential. New developments were recently integrated into the Monte Carlo transport code TRIPOLI-4 to model fission physics more precisely, the purpose being to access event-by-event fission events from two different fission models: FREYA and FIFRELIN. TRIPOLI-4 simulations can now be performed, either by connecting via an API to the LLNL fission library including FREYA, or by reading external fission event data files produced by FIFRELIN beforehand. These new capabilities enable us to easily compare results from Monte Carlo transport calculations using the two fission models in a nuclear instrumentation application. In the first part of this paper, broad underlying principles of the two fission models are recalled. We then present experimental measurements of neutron angular correlations for 252Cf(sf) and 240Pu(sf). The correlations were measured for several neutron kinetic energy thresholds. In the latter part of the paper, simulation results are compared to experimental data. Spontaneous fissions in 252Cf and 240Pu are modeled by FREYA or FIFRELIN. Emitted neutrons and photons are subsequently transported to an array of scintillators by TRIPOLI-4 in analog mode to preserve their correlations. Angular correlations between fission neutrons obtained independently from these TRIPOLI-4 simulations, using

  4. Fusion-fission dynamics and perspectives of future experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zagrebaev, V.I.; Itkis, M.G.; Oganessian, Yu.Ts.

    2003-01-01

    The paper is focused on reaction dynamics of superheavy-nucleus formation and decay at beam energies near the Coulomb barrier. The aim is to review the things we have learned from recent experiments on fusion-fission reactions leading to the formation of compound nuclei with Z ≥ 102 and from their extensive theoretical analysis. Major attention is paid to the dynamics of formation of very heavy compound nuclei taking place in strong competition with the process of fast fission (quasifission). The choice of collective degrees of freedom playing a fundamental role and finding the multidimensional driving potential and the corresponding dynamic equation regulating the whole process are discussed. A possibility of deriving the fission barriers of superheavy nuclei directly from performed experiments is of particular interest here. In conclusion, the results of a detailed theoretical analysis of available experimental data on the 'cold' and 'hot' fusion-fission reactions are presented. Perspectives of future experiments are discussed along with additional theoretical studies in this field needed for deeper understanding of the fusion-fission processes of very heavy nuclear systems

  5. Yields of products from thermal-neutron induced fission of 235U

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aagaard, P.; Rudstam, G.; Zwicky, H.U.

    1982-01-01

    Methods for fission yield determinations at an ISOL-system connected nuclear reactor have been developed. The present report contains detailed descriptions both of the experimental techniques and of the method used to correct the experimental yields for the decay of short-lived nuclear species in the delay between production and measurement. (Authors)

  6. Trajectory calculations for the ternary cold fission of 252Cf

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Misicu, S.

    1998-01-01

    We compute the final kinetic energies of the fragments emitted in the light charged particle accompanied by cold fission of 252 Cf taking into account the deformation and the finite-size effects of the fragments and integrating the equations of motion for a three-body system subjected only to Coulomb forces. The initial conditions for the trajectory calculations were derived in the framework of a deformed cluster model which includes also the effect due to the absorbative nuclear part. Although the distributions of initial kinetic energies are rather broad we show that in cold fission the initial conditions can be better determined than in the usual spontaneous fission

  7. Process and system to encapsulate spent nuclear fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gunasekaran, Muthian; Fleischer, L.R.

    1980-01-01

    System for encapsulating spent nuclear fuel containing active fission matter and comprised in a metal casing, where concrete covers this casing in a contiguous, uniform and complete manner. It is characterized in that this concrete contains metal fibres to raise the thermal conductivity and polymers for increasing impermeability and that convection facilities are provided for cooling the outer surface of the concrete [fr

  8. Unified description of neutron-, proton- and photon-induced fission cross sections in intermediate energy region

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fukahori, Tokio; Iwamoto, Osamu; Chiba, Satoshi

    2003-01-01

    For an accelerator-driven nuclear waste transmutation system, it is very important to estimate sub-criticality of core system for feasibility and design study of the system. The fission cross section in the intermediate energy range has an important role. A program FISCAL has been developed to calculate neutron-, proton- and photon-induced fission cross sections in the energy region from several tens of MeV to 3 GeV. FISCAL adopts the systematics considering experimental data for Ag- 243 Am. It is found that unified description of neutron-, proton- and photon-induced fission cross sections is available. (author)

  9. Nuclear instrumentation for the industrial measuring systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Normand, S.

    2010-01-01

    This work deals with nuclear instrumentation and its application to industry, power plant fuel reprocessing plant and finally with homeland security. The first part concerns the reactor instrumentation, in-core and ex-core measurement system. Ionization Uranium fission chamber will be introduced with their acquisition system especially Campbell mode system. Some progress have been done on regarding sensors failure foresee. The second part of this work deals with reprocessing plant and associated instrumentation for nuclear waste management. Proportional counters techniques will be discussed, especially Helium-3 counter, and new development on electronic concept for reprocessing nuclear waste plant (one electronic for multipurpose acquisition system). For nuclear safety and security for human and homeland will be introduce. First we will explain a new particular approach on operational dosimetric measurement and secondly, we will show new kind of organic scintillator material and associated electronics. Signal treatment with real time treatment is embedded, in order to make neutron gamma discrimination possible even in solid organic scintillator. Finally, the conclusion will point out future, with most trends in research and development on nuclear instrumentation for next years. (author) [fr

  10. Research problems of fission product behaviour in fuels of nuclear power plants and ways of their solution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sulaberidze, V.Sh.

    1988-01-01

    The most important problems of studying behaviour of fission products in fuel elements of maneouvrable nuclear power plants units are formulated. In-pile and out-of-pile investigation methods solving these problems are characterized in brief. 12 refs.; 2 figs

  11. Multi-channel probes to understand fission dynamics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mosby, Shea Morgan [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

    2016-04-15

    Explaining the origin of the elements is a major outstanding question in nuclear astrophysics. Observed elemental abundance distribution shows strong nuclear physics effects. In conclusion, neutron-induced reactions are important for nuclear astrophysics and applied fields in nuclear energy and security. LANSCE has a program to address many of these questions directly with neutron beams on (near-)stable nuclei. Increasing demand for correlated data to test details of fission models poses additional challenges. Possibilities exist to extend existing experimental efforts to radioactive beam facilities. Kinematic focusing from using inverse kinematics has potential to circumvent some challenges associated with measuring correlations between fission output channels.

  12. Handling effluent from nuclear thermal propulsion system ground tests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shipers, L.R.; Allen, G.C.

    1992-01-01

    A variety of approaches for handling effluent from nuclear thermal propulsion system ground tests in an environmentally acceptable manner are discussed. The functional requirements of effluent treatment are defined and concept options are presented within the framework of these requirements. System concepts differ primarily in the choice of fission-product retention and waste handling concepts. The concept options considered range from closed cycle (venting the exhaust to a closed volume or recirculating the hydrogen in a closed loop) to open cycle (real time processing and venting of the effluent). This paper reviews the different methods to handle effluent from nuclear thermal propulsion system ground tests

  13. Adequate Measuring Technology and System of Fission Gas release Behavior from Voloxidation Process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Geun Il; Park, J. J.; Jung, I. H.; Shin, J. M.; Yang, M. S.; Song, K. C.

    2006-09-01

    Based on the published literature and an understanding of available hot cell technologies, more accurate measuring methods for each volatile fission product released from voloxidation process were reviewed and selected. The conceptual design of an apparatus for measuring volatile and/or semi-volatile fission products released from spent fuel was prepared. It was identified that on-line measurement techniques can be applied for gamma-emitting fission products, and off-line measurement such as chemical/or neutron activation analysis can applied for analyzing beta-emitting fission gases. Collection methods using appropriate material or solutions were selected to measure the release fraction of beta-emitting gaseous fission products at IMEF M6 hot cell. Especially, the on-line gamma-ray counting system for monitoring of 85Kr and the off-line measuring system of 14C was established. On-line measuring system for obtaining removal ratios of the semi-volatile fission products, mainly gamma-emitting fission products such as Cs, Ru etc., was also developed at IMEF M6 hot cell which was based on by measuring fuel inventory before and after the voloxidation test through gamma measuring technique. The development of this measurement system may enable basic information to be obtained to support design of the off-gas treatment system for the voloxidation process at INL, USA

  14. Measurement of Plutonium-240 Angular Momentum Dependent Fission Probabilities Using the Alpha-Alpha' Reaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koglin, Johnathon

    Accurate nuclear reaction data from a few keV to tens of MeV and across the table of nuclides is essential to a number of applications of nuclear physics, including national security, nuclear forensics, nuclear astrophysics, and nuclear energy. Precise determination of (n, f) and neutron capture cross sections for reactions in high- ux environments are particularly important for a proper understanding of nuclear reactor performance and stellar nucleosynthesis. In these extreme environments reactions on short-lived and otherwise difficult-to-produce isotopes play a significant role in system evolution and provide insights into the types of nuclear processes taking place; a detailed understanding of these processes is necessary to properly determine cross sections far from stability. Indirect methods are often attempted to measure cross sections on isotopes that are difficult to separate in a laboratory setting. Using the surrogate approach, the same compound nucleus from the reaction of interest is created through a "surrogate" reaction on a different isotope and the resulting decay is measured. This result is combined with appropriate reaction theory for compound nucleus population, from which the desired cross sections can be inferred. This method has shown promise, but the theoretical framework often lacks necessary experimental data to constrain models. In this work, dual arrays of silicon telescope particle identification detectors and photovoltaic (solar) cell fission fragment detectors have been used to measure the fission probability of the 240Pu(alpha, alpha'f) reaction - a surrogate for the 239Pu(n, f) - and fission of 35.9(2)MeV at eleven scattering angles from 40° to 140° in 10° intervals and at nuclear excitation energies up to 16MeV. Within experimental uncertainty, the maximum fission probability was observed at the neutron separation energy for each alpha scattering angle. Fission probabilities were separated into five 500 keV bins from 5:5MeV to

  15. Thorium Molten Salt Nuclear Energy Synergetic System (THORIMS-NES)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshioka, Ritsuo; Mitachi, Koshi

    2013-01-01

    The authors have been promoting nuclear energy technology based on thorium molten salt as Thorium Molten Salt Nuclear Energy Synergetic System (THORIMS-NES). This system is a combination of fission power reactor of Molten Salt Reactor (MSR), and Accelerator Molten Salt Breeder (AMSB) for production of fissile 233 U with connecting chemical processing facility. In this paper, concept of THORIMS-NES, advantages of thorium and molten salt recent MSR design results such as FUJI-U3 using 233 U fuel, FUJI-Pu, large sized super-FUJI, pilot plant miniFUJI, AMSB, and chemical processing facility are described. (author)

  16. From nuclear fission to nuclear energy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pocock, R.F.

    1988-01-01

    Otto Hahn, a German chemist, demonstrated the fission of the uranium nucleus in December 1938. Ten months later, basic physical theory had been modified to account for this phenomenon. It is suggested here that this great advance in radio-chemistry and physics was influenced considerably by political considerations. By the outbreak of the European War in September 1939, all the major scientific principles involved in the production of atomic weapons were well-known and were available in all industrial countries. (author)

  17. The spark counting of etched fission-fragment tracks in polycarbonate for a personal neutron dosimetry system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harrison, K.G.; Hancock, I.B.; Holt, P.D.; Wylie, J.W.

    1977-10-01

    A new type of personal neutron dosimeter, in which neutron-induced fissions in a thin 237 Np foil are detected by a polycarbonate track-detector, is under development at Harwell for use in a nuclear-fuel reprocessing plant. As part of the development programme, an experimental dosimeter, etching facility and spark counter have been used to study the spark-counting method for counting fission-fragment tracks in polycarbonate. Emphasis has been placed on developing operating procedures for the counter consistent with good overall reproducibility. Existing methods for the optimizing and testing of spark counters is briefly reviewed and a practical operational testing procedure is devised. The optimized system is found to be relatively foolproof in operation and gives good results in unskilled use as well as under carefully-controlled laboratory conditions. (author)

  18. Opimization of fusion-driven fissioning systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chapin, D.L.; Mills, R.G.

    1976-01-01

    Potential advantages of hybrid or fusion/fission systems can be exploited in different ways. With selection of the 238 U-- 239 Pu fuel cycle, we show that the system has greatest value as a power producer. Numerical examples of relative revenue from power production vs. 239 Pu production are discussed, and possible plant characteristics described. The analysis tends to show that the hybrid may be more economically attractive than pure fusion systems

  19. Radioactive Emissions from Fission-Based Medical Isotope Production and Their Effect on Global Nuclear Explosion Detection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bowyer, T.; Saey, P.

    2015-01-01

    The use of medical isotopes, such as Tc-99m, is widespread with over 30 million procedures being performed every year, but the fission-based production of isotopes used for medical procedures causes emissions into the environment. This paper will show that gaseous radioactive isotopes of xenon, such as Xe-133, are released in high quantities, because they have a high fission cross section and they are difficult to scrub from the processes used to produce the medical isotopes due to their largely unreactive nature. Unfortunately, the reasons that large amounts of radioactive xenon isotopes are emitted from isotope production are the same as those that make these isotopes the most useful isotopes for the detection of underground nuclear explosions. Relatively recently, the nuclear explosion monitoring community has established a provisional monitoring network for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) that includes radioactive xenon monitoring as a major component. This community has discovered that emissions from medical isotope production present a more serious problem to nuclear explosion monitoring than thought when the network was first conceived. To address the growing problem, a group of scientists in both the monitoring and the isotope production communities have come together to attempt to find scientific and pragmatic ways to address the emissions problems, recognizing that medical isotope production should not be adversely affected, while monitoring for nuclear explosions should remain effective as isotope production grows, changes, and spreads globally. (author)

  20. New prompt fission gamma-ray spectral data from 239Pu(nth, f in response to a high priority request from OECD Nuclear Energy Agency

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gatera Angélique

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Benchmark reactor calculations have revealed an underestimation of γ-heat following fission of up to 28%. To improve the modelling of new nuclear reactors, the OECD/NEA initiated a nuclear data High Priority Request List (HPRL entry for the major isotopes (235U, 239Pu. In response to that HPRL entry, we executed a dedicated measurement program on prompt fission γ-rays employing state-of-the-art lanthanum bromide (LaBr3 detectors with superior timing and good energy resolution. Our new results from 252Cf(sf, 235U(nth,f and 241Pu(nth,f provide prompt fission γ-ray spectra characteristics : average number of photons per fission, average total energy per fission and mean photon energy; all within 2% of uncertainty. We present preliminary results on 239Pu(nth,f, recently measured at the Budapest Neutron Centre and supported by the CHANDA Trans-national Access Activity, as well as discussing our different published results in comparison to the historical data and what it says about the discrepancy observed in the benchmark calculations.

  1. Study of 235U very asymmetric thermal fission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sida, J.L.

    1989-12-01

    The fission fragment separator Lohengrin of the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble was used to determine the yields of the very asymmetric light fission products (A=84-69) as a function of A, Z, and the kinetic energy E. The proton pairing effect causes fine structures in the mass distribution, in the mean nuclear charge anti Z and its variance σ z , and in the mean kinetic energies of the elements. The neutron pairing effect in the production yields is found for the first time of the same order of magnitude than the proton pairing effect. In the mass region investigated both are the largest observed in fission of 235 U. A decrease in the mean kinetic energy for the isotopes of Ni and Cu was observed. It points to a large deformation at scission. Our results support the view that very asymmetric low-energy fission is a weakly dissipative process. The highly deformed transient system breaks by a slow necking-in process [fr

  2. Saturation properties of asymmetric nuclear matter to be obtained from unstable nuclei

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oyamatsu, Kazuhiro [Aichi Shukutoku Univ., Dept. of Media Production and Theories, Nagakute, Aichi (Japan); Iida, Kei [Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, Wako, Saitama (Japan)

    2002-09-01

    We examine relations among the parameters characterizing the phenomenological equation of state (EOS) of nearly symmetric, uniform nuclear matter near the saturation density from experimental data on radii and masses of stable nuclei. The EOS parameters of interest are the symmetry energy S{sub 0}, the symmetry energy density-derivative coefficient L and the incompressibility K{sub 0} at the normal nuclear density. The calculations of the nuclear properties were performed with a simplified Thomas-Fermi model. We find a constraint on (K{sub 0}, L) values from the slope of the saturation line (the line joining the saturation points of asymmetric matter EOS with fixed proton abundance). A strong correlation between S{sub 0} and L, which was discussed in the Skyrme Hartree-Fock theory for relatively small L values, is found to hold for such larger values as a relativistic mean field theory predicts. In the light of the uncertainties in the (K{sub 0}, L) values, we calculate radii of unstable nuclei as expected to be produced in future facilities. We find that the matter radii depend strongly on L almost independently of K{sub 0}, and that systematic detection of the radii of such nuclei will help to determine the L value. (author)

  3. Fission gas release in LWR fuel measured during nuclear operation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Appelhans, A.D.; Skattum, E.; Osetek, D.J.

    1980-01-01

    A series of fuel behavior experiments are being conducted in the Heavy Boiling Water Reactor in Halden, Norway, to measure the release of Xe, Kr, and I fission products from typical light water reactor design fuel pellets. Helium gas is used to sweep the Xe and Kr fission gases out of two of the Instrumented Fuel Assembly 430 fuel rods and to a gamma spectrometer. The measurements of Xe and Kr are made during nuclear operation at steady state power, and for 135 I following reactor scram. The first experiments were conducted at a burnup of 3000 MWd/t UO 2 , at bulk average fuel temperatures of approx. 850 K and approx. 23 kW/m rod power. The measured release-to-birth ratios (R/B) of Xe and Kr are of the same magnitude as those observed in small UO 2 specimen experiments, when normalized to the estimated fuel surface-to-volume ratio. Preliminary analysis indicates that the release-to-birth ratios can be calculated, using diffusion coefficients determined from small specimen data, to within a factor of approx. 2 for the IFA-430 fuel. The release rate of 135 I is shown to be approximately equal to that of 135 Xe

  4. ENDF/B-VII.1 Nuclear Data for Science and Technology: Cross Sections, Covariances, Fission Product Yields and Decay Data

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chadwick, M. B. [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Herman, Micheal W [Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL); Oblozinsky, Pavel [Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL); Dunn, Michael E [ORNL; Danon, Y. [Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI); Kahler, A. [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Smith, Donald L. [Argonne National Laboratory (ANL); Pritychenko, B [Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL); Arbanas, Goran [ORNL; Arcilla, r [Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL); Brewer, R [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Brown, D A [Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL); Capote, R. [International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Carlson, A. D. [National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); Cho, Y S [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute; Derrien, Herve [ORNL; Guber, Klaus H [ORNL; Hale, G. M. [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Hoblit, S [Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL); Holloway, Shannon T. [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Johnson, T D [Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL); Kawano, T. [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Kiedrowski, B C [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Kim, H [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute; Kunieda, S [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Larson, Nancy M [ORNL; Leal, Luiz C [ORNL; Lestone, J P [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Little, R C [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Mccutchan, E A [Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL); Macfarlane, R E [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); MacInnes, M [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Matton, C M [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL); Mcknight, R D [Argonne National Laboratory (ANL); Mughabghab, S F [Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL); Nobre, G P [Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL); Palmiotti, G [Idaho National Laboratory (INL); Palumbo, A [Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL); Pigni, Marco T [ORNL; Pronyaev, V. G. [Institute of Physics and Power Engineering (IPPE), Obninsk, Russia; Sayer, Royce O [ORNL; Sonzogni, A A [Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL); Summers, N C [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL); Talou, P [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Thompson, I J [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL); Trkov, A. [Jozef Stefan Institute, Slovenia; Vogt, R L [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL); Van der Marck, S S [Nucl Res & Consultancy Grp, Petten, Netherlands; Wallner, A [University of Vienna, Austria; White, M C [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); Wiarda, Dorothea [ORNL; Young, P C [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)

    2011-01-01

    The ENDF/B-VII.1 library is our latest recommended evaluated nuclear data file for use in nuclear science and technology applications, and incorporates advances made in the five years since the release of ENDF/B-VII.0. These advances focus on neutron cross sections, covariances, fission product yields and decay data, and represent work by the US Cross Section Evaluation Working Group (CSEWG) in nuclear data evaluation that utilizes developments in nuclear theory, modeling, simulation, and experiment. The principal advances in the new library are: (1) An increase in the breadth of neutron reaction cross section coverage, extending from 393 nuclides to 423 nuclides; (2) Covariance uncertainty data for 190 of the most important nuclides, as documented in companion papers in this edition; (3) R-matrix analyses of neutron reactions on light nuclei, including isotopes of He; Li, and Be; (4) Resonance parameter analyses at lower energies and statistical high energy reactions for isotopes of Cl; K; Ti, V, Mn, Cr, Ni, Zr and W; (5) Modifications to thermal neutron reactions on fission products (isotopes of Mo, Tc, Rh, Ag, Cs, Nd, Sm, Eu) and neutron absorber materials (Cd, Gd); (6) Improved minor actinide evaluations for isotopes of U, Np, Pu, and Am (we are not making changes to the major actinides (235,238)U and (239)Pu at this point, except for delayed neutron data and covariances, and instead we intend to update them after a further period of research in experiment and theory), and our adoption of JENDL-4.0 evaluations for isotopes of Cm, Bk, Cf, Es; Fm; and some other minor actinides; (7) Fission energy release evaluations; (8) Fission product yield advances for fission-spectrum neutrons and 14 MeV neutrons incident on (239)Pu; and (9) A new decay data sublibrary. Integral validation testing of the ENDF/B-VII.1 library is provided for a variety of quantities: For nuclear criticality, the VII.1 library maintains the generally-good performance seen for VII.0 for a wide

  5. Beta-delayed fission and neutron emission calculations for the actinide cosmochronometers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meyer, B.S.; Howard, W.M.; Mathews, G.J.; Takahashi, K.; Moeller, P.; Leander, G.A.

    1989-01-01

    The Gamow-Teller beta-strength distributions for 19 neutron-rich nuclei, including ten of interest for the production of the actinide cosmochronometers, are computed microscopically with a code that treats nuclear deformation explicitly. The strength distributions are then used to calculate the beta-delayed fission, neutron emission, and gamma deexcitation probabilities for these nuclei. Fission is treated both in the complete damping and WKB approximations for penetrabilities through the nuclear potential-energy surface. The resulting fission probabilities differ by factors of 2 to 3 or more from the results of previous calculations using microscopically computed beta-strength distributions around the region of greatest interest for production of the cosmochronometers. The indications are that a consistent treatment of nuclear deformation, fission barriers, and beta-strength functions is important in the calculation of delayed fission probabilities and the production of the actinide cosmochronometers. Since we show that the results are very sensitive to relatively small changes in model assumptions, large chronometric ages for the Galaxy based upon high beta-delayed fission probabilities derived from an inconsistent set of nuclear data calculations must be considered quite uncertain

  6. A Monte Carlo method for nuclear evaporation and fission at intermediate energies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deppman, A.; Likhachev, V.P.; Mesa, J.; Pina, S.R. de; Arruda-Neto, J.D.T.; Goncalves, M.; Rodriguez, O.

    2003-04-01

    We describe a Monte Carlo method to calculate the characteristics of the competition between particle evaporation and nuclear fission processes taking place in the compound nucleus formed after the intranuclear cascade following the absorption of intermediate energy photons by the nucleus. In this version we include not only neutrons, but also protons and alphas as possible evaporating particles. However, this method allows an ease inclusion of other evaporating particles, as deuteron or heavier clusters. Some results for 237 Np, 238 U, and 232 Th are shown. (author)

  7. 'Masurium' and the 'early transuranium elements' or how discovery of nuclear fission was not clearly seen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keller, C.

    1988-01-01

    Fifty years after the discovery of fission, the scientific community is aware that this type of nuclear reaction could have been discovered more than a decade earlier. Noddack, Tacke and Berg announced in 1925 the discovery of elements Z = 43 (masurium) and rhenium (Z = 75), the first one could be detected only in U-bearing minerals. A recent re-examination by P.H.M. von Assche of the published data clearly showed that the original claim for element Z = 43 of the authors in 1925 was correct and, therefore, they detected not only element Z = 43 but also the first fission product. Because this discovery of element Z = 43 could not be repeated by other authors as that time, the scientific credibility of Noddack-Tacke was very low in order to give credit to her proposal that the 'early' transuranium elements by Enrico Fermi might also be fragments of known (lighter) elements. Enrico Fermi in 1934 obtained these 'early' (and as we today know: wrong) transuranium isotopes by irradiation of uranium with neutrons. A 'wrong' periodic system in the thirties which placed Th, Pa and U as 6d-elements and not as 5f-actinides chemically helped to consider these fission products as transuranium elements Z = 93/94. In 1937/38 I. Curie and P. Savitch discovered an 'actinium-nuclide' with 3,5 h half-life which, however, had properties similar to lanthanium and not to actinium, as they stated. (orig.) [de

  8. Utilization of fission reactors for fusion engineering testing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deis, G.A.; Miller, L.G.

    1985-01-01

    Fission reactors can be used to conduct some of the fusion nuclear engineering tests identified in the FINESSE study. To further define the advantages and disadvantages of fission testing, the technical and programmatic constraints on this type of testing are discussed here. This paper presents and discusses eight key issues affecting fission utilization. Quantitative comparisons with projected fusion operation are made to determine the technical assets and limitations of fission testing. Capabilities of existing fission reactors are summarized and compared with technical needs. Conclusions are then presented on the areas where fission testing can be most useful

  9. Thermal safety analysis for pebble bed blanket fusion-fission hybrid reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wei Renjie

    1998-01-01

    Pebble bed blanket hybrid reactor may have more advantages than slab element blanket hybrid reactor in nuclear fuel production and nuclear safety. The thermo-hydraulic calculations of the blanket in the Tokamak helium cooling pebble bed blanket fusion-fission hybrid reactor developed in China are carried out using the Code THERMIX and auxiliary code. In the calculations different fuel pebble material and steady state, depressurization and total loss of flow accident conditions are included. The results demonstrate that the conceptual design of the Tokamak helium cooling pebble bed blanket fusion-fission hybrid reactor with dump tank is feasible and safe enough only if the suitable fuel pebble material is selected and the suitable control system and protection system are established. Some recommendations for due conceptual design are also presented

  10. Fission product behaviour in severe accidents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jokiniemi, J.; Auvinen, A.; Maekynen, J.; Valmari, T.

    1998-01-01

    The understanding of fission product (FP) behaviour in severe accidents is important for source term assessment and accident mitigation measures. For example in accident management the operator needs to know the effect of different actions on the behaviour and release of fission products. At VTT fission product behaviour have been studied in different national and international projects. In this presentation the results of projects in EU funded 4th framework programme Nuclear Fission Safety 1994-1998 are reported. The projects are: fission product vapour/aerosol chemistry in the primary circuit (FI4SCT960020), aerosol physics in containment (FI4SCT950016), revaporisation of test samples from Phebus fission products (FI4SCT960019) and assessment of models for fission product revaporisation (FI4SCT960044). Also results from the national project 'aerosol experiments in the Victoria facility' funded by IVO PE and VTT Energy are reported

  11. Compilation and evaluation of fission yield nuclear data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lammer, M.

    1991-09-01

    The task of this meeting was to review the progress made since the previous meeting on fission yield evaluation and to define the tasks for an IAEA Co-ordinated Research Programme in detail. Improvements have been noted in measured data, model calculations and the situation of fission yield evaluation. Tabs

  12. Advanced Thermophotovoltaic Devices for Space Nuclear Power Systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wernsman, Bernard; Mahorter, Robert G.; Siergiej, Richard; Link, Samuel D.; Wehrer, Rebecca J.; Belanger, Sean J.; Fourspring, Patrick; Murray, Susan; Newman, Fred; Taylor, Dan; Rahmlow, Tom

    2005-01-01

    Advanced thermophotovoltaic (TPV) modules capable of producing > 0.3 W/cm2 at an efficiency > 22% while operating at a converter radiator and module temperature of 1228 K and 325 K, respectively, have been made. These advanced TPV modules are projected to produce > 0.9 W/cm2 at an efficiency > 24% while operating at a converter radiator and module temperature of 1373 K and 325 K, respectively. Radioisotope and nuclear (fission) powered space systems utilizing these advanced TPV modules have been evaluated. For a 100 We radioisotope TPV system, systems utilizing as low as 2 general purpose heat source (GPHS) units are feasible, where the specific power for the 2 and 3 GPHS unit systems operating in a 200 K environment is as large as ∼ 16 We/kg and ∼ 14 We/kg, respectively. For a 100 kWe nuclear powered (as was entertained for the thermoelectric SP-100 program) TPV system, the minimum system radiator area and mass is ∼ 640 m2 and ∼ 1150 kg, respectively, for a converter radiator, system radiator and environment temperature of 1373 K, 435 K and 200 K, respectively. Also, for a converter radiator temperature of 1373 K, the converter volume and mass remains less than 0.36 m3 and 640 kg, respectively. Thus, the minimum system radiator + converter (reactor and shield not included) specific mass is ∼ 16 kg/kWe for a converter radiator, system radiator and environment temperature of 1373 K, 425 K and 200 K, respectively. Under this operating condition, the reactor thermal rating is ∼ 1110 kWt. Due to the large radiator area, the added complexity and mission risk needs to be weighed against reducing the reactor thermal rating to determine the feasibility of using TPV for space nuclear (fission) power systems

  13. Fast accelerator driven subcritical system for energy production: nuclear fuel evolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barros, Graiciany de P.; Pereira, Claubia; Veloso, Maria A.F.; Costa, Antonella L.

    2011-01-01

    Accelerators Driven Systems (ADS) are an innovative type of nuclear system, which is useful for long-lived fission product transmutation and fuel regeneration. The ADS consist of a coupling of a sub-critical nuclear core reactor and a proton beam produced by a particle accelerator. These particles are injected into a target for the neutrons production by spallation reactions. The neutrons are then used to maintain the fission chain in the sub-critical core. The aim of this study is to investigate the nuclear fuel evolution of a lead cooled accelerator driven system used for energy production. The fuel studied is a mixture based upon "2"3"2Th and "2"3"3U. Since thorium is an abundant fertile material, there is hope for the thorium-cycle fuels for an accelerator driven sub-critical system. The target is a lead spallation target and the core is filled with a hexagonal lattice. High energy neutrons are used to reduce the negative reactivity caused by the presence of protoactinium, since this effect is most pronounced in the thermal range of the neutron spectrum. For that reason, such material is not added moderator to the system. In this work is used the Monte Carlo code MCNPX 2.6.0, that presents the the depletion/ burnup capability. The k_e_f_f evolution, the neutron energy spectrum in the core and the nuclear fuel evolution using ADS source (SDEF) and kcode-mode are evaluated during the burnup. (author)

  14. Nuclear data for fission reactor core design and safety analysis: Requirements and status of accuracy of nuclear data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rowlands, J.L.

    1984-01-01

    The types of nuclear data required for fission reactor design and safety analysis, and the ways in which the data are represented and approximated for use in reactor calculations, are summarised first. The relative importance of different items of nuclear data in the prediction of reactor parameters is described and ways of investigating the accuracy of these data by evaluating related integral measurements are discussed. The use of sensitivity analysis, together with estimates of the uncertainties in nuclear data and relevant integral measurements, in assessing the accuracy of prediction of reactor parameters is described. The inverse procedure for deciding nuclear data requirements from the target accuracies for prediction of reactor parameters follows on from this. The need for assessments of the uncertainties in nuclear data evaluations and the form of the uncertainty information is discussed. The status of the accuracies of predictions and nuclear data requirements are then summarised. The reactor parameters considered include: (a) Criticality conditions, conversion and burn-up effects. (b) Energy production and deposition, decay heating, irradiation damage, dosimetry and induced radioactivity. (c) Kinetics characteristics and control, including temperature, power and coolant density coefficients, delayed neutrons and control absorbers. (author)

  15. Heavy neutron-deficient radioactive beams: fission studies and fragment distributions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schmidt, K.H.; Benlliure, J.; Heinz, A.; Voss, B. [Gesellschaft fuer Schwerionenforschung mbH, Darmstadt (Germany); Boeckstiegel, C.; Grewe, A.; Steinhaeuser, S.; Clerc, H.G.; Jong, M. de; Junghans, A.R.; Mueller, J. [Technische Hochschule Darmstadt (Germany). Inst. fuer Kernphysik; Pfuetzner, M. [Warsaw Univ. (Poland). Inst. of Experimental Physics

    1998-02-01

    The secondary-beam facility of GSI Darmstadt was used to study the fission process of short-lived radioactive nuclei. Relativistic secondary projectiles were produced by fragmentation of a 1 A GeV {sup 238}U primary beam and identified in nuclear charge and mass number. Their production cross sections were determined, and the fission competition in the statistical deexcitation was deduced for long isotopical chains. New results on the enhancement of the nuclear level density in spherical and deformed nuclei due to collective rotational and vibrational excitations were obtained. Using these reaction products as secondary beams, the dipole giant resonance was excited by electromagnetic interactions in a secondary lead target, and fission from excitation energies around 11 MeV was induced. The fission fragments were identified in nuclear charge, and their velocity vectors were determined. Elemental yields and total kinetic energies have been determined for a number of neutron-deficient actinides and preactinides which were not accessible with conventional techniques. The characteristics of multimodal fission of nuclei around {sup 226}Th were systematically investigated and related to the influence of shell effects on the potential energy and on the level density between fission barrier and scission. A systematic view on the large number of elemental yields measured gave rise to a new interpretation of the enhanced production of even elements in nuclear fission and allowed for a new understanding of pair breaking in large-scale collective motion. (orig.)

  16. Systematics of Fission-Product Yields

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wahl, A.C.

    2002-01-01

    Empirical equations representing systematics of fission-product yields have been derived from experimental data. The systematics give some insight into nuclear-structure effects on yields, and the equations allow estimation of yields from fission of any nuclide with atomic number Z F = 90 thru 98, mass number A F = 230 thru 252, and precursor excitation energy (projectile kinetic plus binding energies) PE = 0 thru ∼200 MeV--the ranges of these quantities for the fissioning nuclei investigated. Calculations can be made with the computer program CYFP. Estimates of uncertainties in the yield estimates are given by equations, also in CYFP, and range from ∼ 15% for the highest yield values to several orders of magnitude for very small yield values. A summation method is used to calculate weighted average parameter values for fast-neutron (∼ fission spectrum) induced fission reactions

  17. Systematics of Fission-Product Yields

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    A.C. Wahl

    2002-05-01

    Empirical equations representing systematics of fission-product yields have been derived from experimental data. The systematics give some insight into nuclear-structure effects on yields, and the equations allow estimation of yields from fission of any nuclide with atomic number Z{sub F} = 90 thru 98, mass number A{sub F} = 230 thru 252, and precursor excitation energy (projectile kinetic plus binding energies) PE = 0 thru {approx}200 MeV--the ranges of these quantities for the fissioning nuclei investigated. Calculations can be made with the computer program CYFP. Estimates of uncertainties in the yield estimates are given by equations, also in CYFP, and range from {approx} 15% for the highest yield values to several orders of magnitude for very small yield values. A summation method is used to calculate weighted average parameter values for fast-neutron ({approx} fission spectrum) induced fission reactions.

  18. A novel method for fission product noble gas sampling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jain, S.K.; Prakash, Vivek; Singh, G.K.; Vinay, Kr.; Awsthi, A.; Bihari, K.; Joyson, R.; Manu, K.; Gupta, Ashok

    2008-01-01

    Noble gases occur to some extent in the Earth's atmosphere, but the concentrations of all but argon are exceedingly low. Argon is plentiful, constituting almost 1 % of the air. Fission Product Noble Gases (FPNG) are produced by nuclear fission and large parts of FPNG is produced in Nuclear reactions. FPNG are b-j emitters and contributing significantly in public dose. During normal operation of reactor release of FPNG is negligible but its release increases in case of fuel failure. Xenon, a member of FPNG family helps in identification of fuel failure and its extent in PHWRs. Due to above reasons it becomes necessary to assess the FPNG release during operation of NPPs. Presently used methodology of assessment of FPNG, at almost all power stations is Computer based gamma ray spectrometry. This provides fission product Noble gases nuclide identification through peak search of spectra. The air sample for the same is collected by grab sampling method, which has inherent disadvantages. An alternate method was developed at Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS) - 3 and 4 for assessment of FPNG, which uses adsorption phenomena for collection of air samples. This report presents details of sampling method for FPNG and noble gases in different systems of Nuclear Power Plant. (author)

  19. Polarographic determination of Iodide and Iodate, in Solutions Coming from Aerosols in Fission Products Containment Studies in Nuclear Power Stations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanchez, M.; Ballesteros, O.; Fernandez, M.; Clavero, M.A.; Gonzalez, A.M.

    2000-01-01

    A polarographic method is described for the iodine species determination, iodide and iodate in water solutions. the iodate can be determined by differential pulse polarography. Calibration curves and the detection and determination limits have been obtained. Iodides is oxidized to iodate with sodium hypochlorite and the excess of oxidizing agent is destroyed with sodium sulphide. The concentration of iodide is calculated as the difference between the concentration of iodate in the sample before and after the oxidation. As an application, species of iodine in samples coming from the experimental plants GIRS (Gaseous Iodine Removal by Sprays) of Nuclear Fission Department of the CIEMAT, dedicated to fission products containment studies in nuclear power station, were determined. (Author) 10 refs

  20. Decay and fission of the oriented nuclei

    CERN Document Server

    Kadmenskij, S G

    2002-01-01

    The fragment angular distributions for binary decay of oriented spherical and deformed nuclei with taking into account the correct transformational properties of wave functions under time inversion have been investigated. It has been shown that for description of fragment angular distributions the adiabatic approximation for collective rotational nuclear degrees of freedom is not correct. It has been demonstrated that this approximation is valid for description of spontaneous and induced low-energy nuclear fission. The dependence of partial fission widths on the orientation of the internal axes spins, projections of spins, and relative angular moments of fission fragments has been analyzed. It has been shown that the adiabatic approximation results in coherent interference of wave functions of fragments relative movement. This interference forms fragments the universal angular distributions of fission fragments for oriented nuclei. For these distributions the deviations from A. Bohr's formula have been invest...