Status of the RERTR (Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactor) Program

Conference · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6797012

Travelli, A

The progress of the Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactor (RERTR) Program is described. After a brief summary of the results which the RERTR Program, in collaboration with its many international partners, had achieved by the end of 1987, the major events, findings and activities of 1988 are reviewed. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a formal and generic approval of the use of U3Si2-Al dispersion fuel in research and test reactors, with densities up to 4.8 g U/cmT. New significant findings from postirradiation examinations, from ion-beam irradiations, and from analytical modeling, have raised serious doubts about the potential of LEU U3Si-Al dispersion fuel for applications requiring very high uranium densities and high burnups (>6 g U/cmT, >50% burnup). As a result of these findings, the fuel development efforts have been redirected towards three new initiatives: (1) a systematic application of ion-beam irradiations to screen new materials; (2) application of Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) procedures to produce U3Si2-Al plates with high uranium densities and thin uniform cladding; and (3) application of HIP procedures to produce plates with U3Si wires imbedded in an aluminum matrix, achieving stability, high uranium density, and thin uniform cladding. The new fuel concepts hold the promise of extraordinary performance potential and require approximately five years to develop.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 6797012
• Report Number(s): CONF-8809221-4; ON: DE89005851
• Resource Relation: Conference: International meeting on reduced enrichment for research and test reactors (RERTR), San Diego, CA, USA, 18 Sep 1988; Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
NUCLEAR FUELS
COORDINATED RESEARCH PROGRAMS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
ALUMINIUM
FUEL ELEMENTS
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
PLATES
POST-IRRADIATION EXAMINATION
SILICON
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
COOPERATION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FUELS
MATERIALS
METALS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SEMIMETALS
220600* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors
050700 - Nuclear Fuels- Fuels Production & Properties