Critical Assemblies: Dragon Burst Assembly and Solution Assemblies

This work reviewed the historical literature associated with the Dragon experiment and Water Boiler reactors operated at Los Alamos during the Manhattan Project. Frisch’s invited talk given at the Fast Burst Reactor Conference held the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, NM in 1969 is quoted. From the literature review, basic models for the Dragon experiment and for a Water Boiler type assembly (aqueous homogeneous reactor) were created that can be used for conducting multi-physics simulations for criticality excursion studies. This methodology utilizes the coupled neutronic-hydrodynamic method to perform a time-dependent dynamic simulation of a criticality excursion. MCNP was utilized to calculate important nuclear kinetic parameters that were incorporated into the models. Simulation results compared reasonably well with historic data.

💡 Research Summary

This paper conducts a thorough review of historical literature related to the Dragon experiment and Water Boiler reactors operated during the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos. It draws upon an invited talk given by Frisch at the Fast Burst Reactor Conference held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1969. The study develops basic models for both the Dragon experiment and a Water Boiler type assembly (aqueous homogeneous reactor) to enable multi-physics simulations for criticality excursion studies. A coupled neutronic-hydrodynamic method is employed to perform time-dependent dynamic simulations of criticality excursions. MCNP, a Monte Carlo N-Particle code, was utilized to calculate important nuclear kinetic parameters that were incorporated into the models. The simulation results showed reasonable agreement with historical data. This methodology provides valuable insights for future reactor design and safety analysis by simulating complex physical phenomena associated with criticality excursions in aqueous homogeneous reactors.