Neutronic Analyses for HEU to LEU fuel conversion of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Technical Report · Wed Mar 02 04:00:00 EST 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1008288· OSTI ID:1008288

Wilson, E. H.; Newton, T. H.; Bergeron, A.; Horelik, N.; Stevens, J. G ^[1]

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1. Nuclear Engineering Division

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) reactor (MITR-II), based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a research reactor designed primarily for experiments using neutron beam and in-core irradiation facilities. It delivers a neutron flux comparable to current LWR power reactors in a compact 6 MW core using Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) fuel. In the framework of its non-proliferation policies, the international community presently aims to minimize the amount of nuclear material available that could be used for nuclear weapons. In this geopolitical context, most research and test reactors both domestic and international have started a program of conversion to the use of Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) fuel. A new type of LEU fuel based on a mixture of uranium and molybdenum (UMo) is expected to allow the conversion of compact high performance reactors like the MITR-II. This report presents the results of steady state neutronic safety analyses for conversion of MITR-II from the use of HEU fuel to the use of U-Mo LEU fuel. The objective of this work was to demonstrate that the safety analyses meet current requirements for an LEU core replacement of MITR-II.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)
• Sponsoring Organization: NNSA
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-06CH11357
• OSTI ID: 1008288
• Report Number(s): ANL/RERTR/TM-10-40
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: ENGLISH

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
ENRICHED URANIUM
HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM
IRRADIATION
MIXTURES
MOLYBDENUM
NEUTRON BEAMS
NEUTRON FLUX
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
PERFORMANCE
POWER REACTORS
PROLIFERATION
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
RESEARCH REACTORS
SAFETY
URANIUM