Irradiation Tests Supporting LEU Conversion of Very High Power Research Reactors in the US
The US fuel development team is developing a high density uranium-molybdenum alloy monolithic fuel to enable conversion of five high-power research reactors. Previous irradiation tests have demonstrated promising behavior for this fuel design. A series of future irradiation tests will enable selection of final fuel fabrication process and provide data to qualify the fuel at moderately-high power conditions for use in three of these five reactors. The remaining two reactors, namely the Advanced Test Reactor and High Flux Isotope Reactor, require additional irradiation tests to develop and demonstrate the fuel’s performance with even higher power conditions, complex design features, and other unique conditions. This paper reviews the program’s current irradiation testing plans for these moderately-high irradiation conditions and presents conceptual testing strategies to illustrate how subsequent irradiation tests will build upon this initial data package to enable conversion of these two very-high power research reactors.
- Research Organization:
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC07-05ID14517
- OSTI ID:
- 1358396
- Report Number(s):
- INL/CON-16-39776
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 37th INTERNATIONAL MEETING ON REDUCED ENRICHMENT FOR RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS (RERTR 2016), ANTWERP, BELGIUM, OCTOBER 23–27, 2016
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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