Enriched-Uranium Hydride Critical Assemblies

Critical assemblies reported here consist of approximate spheres of enriched-uranium hydride composition (approximating UH₃) in 8-in. thick normal uranium and nickel reflectors and in a uranium reflector with nickel liner. Data are of the following types: (1) critical sizes, (2) values of Rossi alpha in the neighborhood of delayed critical, (3) activation rates of various internal neutron detectors, and (4) reactivity coefficients of a variety of elements. From the reactivity coefficients at various radial positions, changes in critical mass corresponding to small changes in composition and density are computed.