Irradiation Experiment Conceptual Design Parameters for NBSR Fuel Conversion

Technical Report · Wed Apr 30 04:00:00 EDT 2014

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1149073· OSTI ID:1149073

Brown, N. R. ^[1]; Brown, N. R. ^[1]; Baek, J. S ^[1]; Hanson, A. L. ^[1]; Cuadra, A. ^[1]; Cheng, L. Y. ^[1]; Diamond, D. J. ^[1]

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1. Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Nuclear Science and Technology Dept.

It has been proposed to convert the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) research reactor, known as the NBSR, from high-enriched uranium (HEU) fuel to low-Enriched uranium (LEU) fuel. The motivation to convert the NBSR to LEU fuel is to reduce the risk of proliferation of special nuclear material. This report is a compilation of relevant information from recent studies related to the proposed conversion using a metal alloy of LEU with 10 w/o molybdenum. The objective is to inform the design of the mini-plate and full-size-Plate irradiation experiments that are being planned. This report provides relevant dimensions of the fuel elements, and the following parameters at steady state: average and maximum fission rate density and fission density, fuel temperature distribution for the plate with maximum local temperature, and two-dimensional heat flux profiles of fuel plates with high power densities. The latter profiles are given for plates in both the inner and outer core zones and for cores with both fresh and depleted shim arms (reactivity control devices). A summary of the methodology to obtain these results is presented. Fuel element tolerance assumptions and hot channel factors used in the safety analysis are also given.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); National Inst. of Standards and Technology
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-98CH10886
• OSTI ID: 1149073
• Report Number(s): BNL--99897-2013-IR-R1; NN9002000
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
CONVERSION
DESIGN
DIMENSIONS
FISSION
FUEL PLATES
HEAT FLUX
HEU
HOT CHANNEL FACTOR
IRRADIATION
LEU
MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS
NBSR REACTOR
NIST
REACTIVITY
REACTOR KINETICS
SAFETY ANALYSIS
SHIM RODS
SLIGHTLY ENRICHED URANIUM
STEADY-STATE CONDITIONS
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
TOLERANCE
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
URANIUM BASE ALLOYS
irradiation