A New Era of Nuclear Criticality Experiments: The First 10 Years of Planet Operations at NCERC. (5th November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sanchez, Rene; Cutler, Theresa; Goda, Joetta; Grove, Travis; Hayes, David; Hutchinson, Jesson; McKenzie, George; McSpaden, Alexander; Myers, William; Rico, Roberto; Walker, Jessie; Weldon, Robert
• Is Part Of: Nuclear science and engineering. Volume 195(2021)Supplement 1
• Page Start: S1
• Page End: S16
• Publication Date: 2021-11-05
• Subjects: Planet -- criticality experiments -- critical assembly machine -- National Criticality Experiments Research Center -- benchmark experiments; Nuclear energy -- Periodicals; Nuclear engineering -- Periodicals; Nuclear energy; Nuclear engineering; Periodicals; 539.705
• DOI: 10.1080/00295639.2021.1951077
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0029-5639

Abstract

Abstract: Planet is a vertical-lift assembly machine currently located at the National Criticality Experiments Research Center (NCERC) at the Nevada National Security Site. In the past, Planet resided at Technical Area-18 in Los Alamos, New Mexico, as part of the Los Alamos Critical Experiments Facility (LACEF). Following the de-inventorying of LACEF, the Planet assembly was relocated to NCERC in 2008 and became fully operational in June of 2011. The Class Foils experiment, which involves stacking highly enriched uranium foils to obtain a critical configuration, was the first critical experiment performed on Planet. As a major component of the Nuclear Criticality Safety Class taught for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Criticality Safety Program, the Class Foils experiment allows personnel from all over the DOE complex to handle nuclear material and to complete the approach to critical safely and successfully. This paper describes the Planet vertical assembly and recent engineering upgrade and a selection of the experiments that have been performed on Planet since its transition to NCERC 10 years ago.