A small beryllium-reflected UO2 critical assembly

A small, compact, unmoderated critical assembly of enriched UO2 reflected by beryllium, constructed in the ORNL Critical Experiments Facility in 1963, provides data in support of calculations. This assembly was a mock-up of a small potassium-cooled space power reactor. The critical configuration with each of two fuel tube arrangements, the Uranium 235 fission rate distribution, cadmium ratios, and the reactivity of the fuel rods and a variety of materials such as B4C, carbon, tungsten, aluminium, and type 347 stainless steel in the core were measured. The experimental results are reported in this paper