Transfer of Puerto Rico Nuclear Center TRIGA fuel to Argonne National Laboratory-West
- Argonne National Laboratory, West Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
This paper describes how the main in-tank components of the Puerto Rico 2-MW Reactor were, after several years of operation, successfully relocated at Argonne National Laboratory-West, Idaho. Because of the demand for high-quality neutron radiography at the Argonne National Laboratory-West (ANL-W) Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF), it was decided to install a small reactor in the HFEF/North building. A plan was approved for using many of the PRNC components in the new radiography facility. The PRNC reactor was administratively controlled by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and owned by ERDA, now DOE. Therefore, arrangements were made with ORNL to ship 96 irradiated TRIGA-FLIP fuel elements, four fuel-follower control rods, three instrumented fuel elements, eight unirradiated TRIGA-FLIP fuel elements, 40 irradiated top and bottom fuel cluster pieces, four control rods and control rod drives, plus the transit rod and drive, control console and various fuel handling tools. Various casks and containers were used to accomplish the relocation of these items. Special fuel baskets to carry the TRIGA fuel were designed by ANL-W. The fuel transfer and coordination went very well with only minor problems encountered. The schedule was maintained and all fuel clusters were assembled and inspected well before the reactor loading was due to begin. (author)
- Research Organization:
- General Atomic Co., San Diego, CA (United States); Oregon State University Radiation Center, Corvallis, OR (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 21149405
- Report Number(s):
- INIS-US--09N0149; TOC--10
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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