Re: german atomic bomb research


"Eunometic" <eunometic@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1151672120.696671.198180@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Keith W wrote:
"Juergen Nieveler" <juergen.nieveler.nospam@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:Xns97F185E446B91juergennieveler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"roostertail" <robertdaleroostertail@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

rob : did the germans have enough nuclear material for a dirty
nuclear
bomb. If so how would they have put it together?

I'm not Rob, but Germany had enough Uranium to build a small reactor
(using cubes suspended by wires into heavy water).


Which didnt work and thus never produced any radioisotopes.

Keith


It did work and it did produce fission and radioisoptopes.


It failed to reach criticallity. The rate of fission was little higher than
occurs in nature.

It was a criticality experiment in a subcritical reactor. A lattice of
uranium cubes was created by suspension of the cubes from chains. The
lattice was lowered into heavy water moderator while a neutron source
was applied. The the neutron source initiated fission in the uranium
cubes and neutrons from the fission were slowed by the moderator and
then went on to produce further neutrons. The neutron multiplication
effect was about 7.

Far short of that required for an operating reactor

It wasn't a self sustaining reaction; the neutron
source was necessary.

i.e. It didnt work


If the dimensions had of been increased by 50%
the reduced surface area to volume ratio would have ensured that the
reaction was self sustaining.

And the lack of control rods and shielding would have guaranteed
the world's first reactor accident.

A self sustaining reaction was not
expected; the experiment protocol called for immediate withdrawl of the
uranium cubes should it start.


The reality would have been nasty, fast neutrons and gamma radiation
are not known for their health giving properties.

Keith


.

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