Nuclear Fuels Technologies Fiscal Year 1998 Research and Development Summary of Test Results

Technical Report · Mon Nov 30 04:00:00 EST 1998

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1083168· OSTI ID:1083168

Butt, D. P. ^[1]; Chodak, Paul ^[1]; Demuth, Scott F. ^[1]; Eaton, Stacey L. ^[1]; Hanrahan, Robert J. ^[1]; Havrilla, George J. ^[1]; Haertling, Carol L. ^[1]; James, Chris A. ^[1]; Kolman, David G. ^[1]; Neuman, Angelique D. ^[1]; MASON, R. E. ^[2]; Park, Youngsoo ^[1]; Smith, Coleman A. ^[1]; Stan, Marius ^[1]; Talachy, Stacey A. ^[1]; Teague, Jonathan ^[1]; Trellue, Holly R. ^[1]; Worley, Christopher J. ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
2. Los Alamos National Laboratory

In FY98, many research and development activities occurred at Los Alamos National Laboratory in support of the Department of Energy Office of Fissile Materials Disposition (DOE-MD) program for the irradiation of excess weapons-grade plutonium as MOX fuel (i.e., reactor-based disposition). The primary purpose of these activities was to conduct studies involving feed qualification, as well as supporting fuel fabrication and analytical methods development. The research focused on four main areas of research: feed qualification/supply, fuel fabrication development, analytical methods development, and the gallium removal system. The purpose of feed qualification/supply was to define and develop the processes, equipment, and specifications for producing the UO₂ and PuO₂ feeds needed to qualify MOX fuel. The fuel fabrication and development activities included identifying and possibly resolving technical issues associated with applying the large experience base obtained by making MOX fuel with recycle reactor-grade plutonium to the fabrication of MOX with surplus weapons plutonium. The analytical methods tasks were designed to continue the development of analytical techniques in conjunction with the fabrication of MOX fuel. Finally, the purpose of the gallium removal system activities was to study ways to remove and the effects of gallium in preparing weapons-grade plutonium for use in MOX fuel. This report summarizes the progress made in FY98 in each of these areas of research.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC52-06NA25396
• OSTI ID: 1083168
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--98-5355
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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