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ORNL-1816 - the Molten Salt Energy Technologies Web Site

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incident on crew shield sides and rear. In ad-<br />

dition, more detailed calculations of <strong>the</strong> TSF data<br />

were made to estimate <strong>the</strong> fraction of scattered<br />

radiation at <strong>the</strong> maximum altitude which is attribut-<br />

able to ground scattering. There is evidence that<br />

for many measurements it will be about 1%, and for<br />

highly anisotropic shields such as <strong>the</strong> GE-ANP<br />

R-1 it will be no more than about 5%. The con-<br />

clusion is reached that <strong>the</strong> TSF towers are high<br />

enough for experiments applicable to high-flying<br />

ai rpl ones.<br />

13. Lid Tank Shielding Facility<br />

At <strong>the</strong> Lid Tank Shielding Facility (LTSF) <strong>the</strong><br />

effective neutron removal cross section for lithium<br />

was determined as 1.01 5 0.04 barns. The meas-<br />

made in a medium of oil behind a<br />

solid slab of lithium, The experimentation with<br />

helical air ducts was continued, and<br />

measurements have now been made beyond an array<br />

of thirty-five 3-in.-dia ducts both in a medium of<br />

water and in a gamma shield medium of steel<br />

Raschig rings and borated water. The presence of<br />

<strong>the</strong> ducts in plain water increased <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>rmal-<br />

neutron flux by a factor of 300; in <strong>the</strong> gamma shield<br />

medium <strong>the</strong> ducts increased <strong>the</strong> flux by a factor of<br />

3000. Preparations for <strong>the</strong> ref1 ector-moderated<br />

reactor and shield mockup tests are being com-<br />

pleted. It is now planned to use solid UO, as <strong>the</strong><br />

simulated fuel in <strong>the</strong> mockups. The UO, will be<br />

mounted on a movable belt.<br />

14. Bulk Shielding Facility<br />

The Bulk Shielding Facility (BSF) was shut<br />

down during much of <strong>the</strong> quarter for modifications<br />

to <strong>the</strong> reactor pool. These modifications will permit<br />

<strong>the</strong> use of demineralized water in <strong>the</strong> pool,<br />

and thus <strong>the</strong>y will eliminate corrosion of <strong>the</strong><br />

reactor fuel elements. Several BSF staff members<br />

participated in a program to discover any shortperiod<br />

isomeric gamma-ray transitions which might<br />

bepresent in K39, Rb85, Rb87, and Zr90. Measurements<br />

were made at <strong>the</strong> <strong>ORNL</strong> Graphite Reactor,<br />

and no previously unknown short-period isomers<br />

were found in K39, Rba5, or Rba7. Zirconium-90<br />

yielded a 2.30 rt 0.03-Mev gamma ray with a halflife<br />

of about 0.83 * 0.03 sec. This may be of<br />

importance in design considerations for a circulating-fuel<br />

reactor.<br />

15. Tower Shielding Facility<br />

Measurements made around <strong>the</strong> GE-ANP R-1<br />

reactor shield in <strong>the</strong> TSF pool were compared with<br />

similar measurements made earlier at <strong>the</strong> BSF.<br />

The variation of <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>rmal-neutron intensity as<br />

<strong>the</strong> altitudes of <strong>the</strong> mockup and TSF detector tank<br />

were varied simultaneously was also measured.<br />

The data indicated that ground-scattered neutrons<br />

are still observable at <strong>the</strong> maximum altitude for<br />

this particular reactor-shield combination. For<br />

tests at <strong>the</strong> 195-ft altitude, lead was placed in <strong>the</strong><br />

rear of <strong>the</strong> detector tank to simulate <strong>the</strong> shielding<br />

in <strong>the</strong> crew compartment, and <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>rmal-neutron<br />

flux and gamma-ray dose rate distributions within<br />

<strong>the</strong> tank were determined. This experiment was<br />

interrupted for ci period of 2% weeks so that <strong>the</strong><br />

TSF could participate in an Air Force Project in<br />

which a group of monkeys were exposed to massive<br />

neutron radiation doses.<br />

*<br />

4

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