Using low-enriched uranium in research reactors: The RERTR program

Conference · Sun May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994

OSTI ID:10151209

Travelli, A

The goal of the RERTR program is to minimize and eventually eliminate use of highway enriched uranium (HEU) in research and test reactors. The program has been very successful, and has developed low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel materials and designs which can be used effectively in approximately 90 percent of the research and test reactors which used HEU when the program began. This progress would not have been possible without active international cooperation among fuel developers, commercial vendors, and reactor operators. The new tasks which the RERTR program is undertaking at this time include development of new and better fuels that will allow use of LEU fuels in all research and test reactors; cooperation with Russian laboratories, which will make it possible to minimize and eventually eliminate use of HEU in research reactors throughout the world, irrespective of its origin; and development of an LEU-based process for the production of {sup 99}Mo. Continuation and intensification of international cooperation are essential to the achievement of the ultimate goals of the RERTR program.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 10151209
• Report Number(s): ANL/TD/CP--82760; CONF-9404154--1; ON: DE94011507
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220300
220600
350200
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
FUEL ELEMENTS
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
MODIFICATIONS
MOLYBDENUM 99
NUCLEAR FUELS
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
PROLIFERATION
RESEARCH REACTORS
RESEARCH
TEST
TRAINING
PRODUCTION
IRRADIATION
MATERIALS TESTING REACTORS
SLIGHTLY ENRICHED URANIUM
TARGETS
USSR