skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Investigation of the low enrichment conversion of the Texas A and M Nuclear Science Center Reactor

Abstract

The use of highly enriched uranium as a fuel research reactors is of concern due to the possibility of diversion for nuclear weapons applications. The Texas A M TRIGA reactor currently uses 70% enriched uranium in a FLIP (Fuel Life Improvement Program) fuel element manufactured by General Atomics. Thus fuel also contains 1.5 weight percent of erbium as a burnable poison to prolong useful core life. US university reactors that use highly enriched uranium will be required to covert to 20% or less enrichment to satisfy Nuclear Regulatory Commission requirements for the next core loading if the fuel is available. This investigation examined the feasibility of a material alternate to uranium-zirconium hydride for LEU conversion of a TRIGA reactor. This material is a beryllium oxide uranium dioxide based fuel. The theoretical aspects of core physics analyses were examined to assess the potential advantages of the alternative fuel. A basic model was developed for the existing core configuration since it is desired to use the present fuel element grid for the replacement core. The computing approach was calibrated to the present core and then applied to a core of BeO-UO{sub 2} fuel elements. Further calculations were performed for the General Atomicsmore » TRIGA low-enriched uranium zirconium hydride fuel.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Texas A and M Univ., College Station, TX (USA). Nuclear Science Center
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
OSTI Identifier:
5741582
Report Number(s):
DOE/ER/75346-T1
ON: DE91005588
DOE Contract Number:  
FG07-87ER75346
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; ENRICHED URANIUM; CONVERSION; TRIGA-TEXAS REACTOR; BERYLLIUM OXIDES; CROSS SECTIONS; DIFFUSION; NUCLEAR DATA COLLECTIONS; PROGRESS REPORT; URANIUM OXIDES; ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS; ACTINIDES; ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS; BERYLLIUM COMPOUNDS; CHALCOGENIDES; DOCUMENT TYPES; ELEMENTS; ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS; HOMOGENEOUS REACTORS; HYDRIDE MODERATED REACTORS; IRRADIATION REACTORS; ISOTOPE ENRICHED MATERIALS; ISOTOPE PRODUCTION REACTORS; MATERIALS; METALS; OXIDES; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; PULSED REACTORS; REACTORS; RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS; SOLID HOMOGENEOUS REACTORS; THERMAL REACTORS; TRIGA TYPE REACTORS; URANIUM; URANIUM COMPOUNDS; WATER COOLED REAC; 220600* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Research, Test & Experimental Reactors

Citation Formats

Reuscher, J A. Investigation of the low enrichment conversion of the Texas A and M Nuclear Science Center Reactor. United States: N. p., 1988. Web. doi:10.2172/5741582.
Reuscher, J A. Investigation of the low enrichment conversion of the Texas A and M Nuclear Science Center Reactor. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/5741582
Reuscher, J A. 1988. "Investigation of the low enrichment conversion of the Texas A and M Nuclear Science Center Reactor". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/5741582. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5741582.
@article{osti_5741582,
title = {Investigation of the low enrichment conversion of the Texas A and M Nuclear Science Center Reactor},
author = {Reuscher, J A},
abstractNote = {The use of highly enriched uranium as a fuel research reactors is of concern due to the possibility of diversion for nuclear weapons applications. The Texas A M TRIGA reactor currently uses 70% enriched uranium in a FLIP (Fuel Life Improvement Program) fuel element manufactured by General Atomics. Thus fuel also contains 1.5 weight percent of erbium as a burnable poison to prolong useful core life. US university reactors that use highly enriched uranium will be required to covert to 20% or less enrichment to satisfy Nuclear Regulatory Commission requirements for the next core loading if the fuel is available. This investigation examined the feasibility of a material alternate to uranium-zirconium hydride for LEU conversion of a TRIGA reactor. This material is a beryllium oxide uranium dioxide based fuel. The theoretical aspects of core physics analyses were examined to assess the potential advantages of the alternative fuel. A basic model was developed for the existing core configuration since it is desired to use the present fuel element grid for the replacement core. The computing approach was calibrated to the present core and then applied to a core of BeO-UO{sub 2} fuel elements. Further calculations were performed for the General Atomics TRIGA low-enriched uranium zirconium hydride fuel.},
doi = {10.2172/5741582},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5741582}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988}
}