Interesting fuel for the HTGR
The acceptance of the HTGR as an energy source involves an available economical fuel recycle facility. Development of fuel recycle technology continues at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Gulf General Atomic, and Idaho Chemical Processing Plant. The RTGR core assembly consists of fueled graphite elements. ThO/sub 2/ is coated with Biso coating. The fissile UC/sub 2/ is coated with the Triso coating. The coated microspheres are mixed with matrix material containing pitch and graphite filler to form fuel rods about 5/8 in. in diam and 3 in. long. These rods stack in the graphite moderator block that stands about 31 in. high with 14-in. flats. The recycle element is similar to the initial fuel except the fissile particles consist of Biso-coated kernels of (Th, /sup 233/U)O/sub 2/, having a Th/U ratio of about 4. Fuel recycle operations involving crushing irradiated fuel elements and burning the graphite and the particle coatings in a fluidized-bed burner are being developed at GGA where a cold pilot plant is under construction. The hot pilot plant for fuel reprocessing will be constructed at ICPP and the method to be employed for separating fuels and fission products is to be the Acid-Thorex process. Research programs in all stages of the processes are described. The optimum time to initiate fuel recycle considering the time required to develop recycle technology, to design, build, and check out a fuel recycle hot pilot plant, and to operate the pilot plant successfully, is 19801981. Then 1985 is the projected date for the operation of a commercial recycle plant. (MCW)
- Research Organization:
- Originating Research Org. not identified
- NSA Number:
- NSA-29-028647
- OSTI ID:
- 4338536
- Journal Information:
- Oak Ridge Nat. Lab. Rev., v. 6, no. 3, pp. 1-6, Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 30-JUN-74
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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