The Plutonium Fuel Development Laboratory of the Atomic Fuel Corporation

Journal Article · Sat Jan 08 04:00:00 EST 1966 · Nippon Genshiryoku Gakkaishi

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3327/jaesj.8.41· OSTI ID:4542942

Nakamura, Yasuji ^[1]

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1. Atomic Fuel Corp., Tokyo (Japan)

It is incontestable that plutonium fuel development is essential in determining nuclear fuel policy, especially in this country which has very few uranium resources and no diffusion plant, and consequently has to import enriched uranium. Japan's plutonium development program must be pursed with the view to the use of this fuel in fast breeder reactors as well as in thermal reactors in order to economize the enriched uranium to be imported. The Plutonium Fuel Development Laboratory of the Atomic Fuel Corporation has now been completed and is embarking on work concerning plutonium handling. Some of the safety aspects of this facility are discussed in its relation to the fuel development program. Since mixed oxide fuel element fabrication based on vibratory compaction and sol-gel preparation of coarse and high density UO₂-PuO₂ particles have been chosen as the main processes to be utilized, the problem of plutonium containment presents less difficulties than in the case of metal or other pyrophoric compounds. Various kinds of safety equipment are installed, including a criticality warning system and fire protection. In conclusion, the safety system also includes a series of operating procedure manuals and criteria, and discipline demanded of laboratory personnel is discussed in brief.

• Research Organization: Atomic Fuel Corp., Tokyo (Japan)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP); US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
• NSA Number: NSA-20-023628
• OSTI ID: 4542942
• Journal Information: Nippon Genshiryoku Gakkaishi, Journal Name: Nippon Genshiryoku Gakkaishi Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 8; ISSN 0004-7120
• Publisher: Atomic Energy Society of Japan
• Country of Publication: Japan
• Language: Japanese

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
BREEDING
COMBUSTION
COMPACTING
CRITICALITY
FABRICATION
FAST NEUTRONS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUELS
JAPAN
LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
MONITORING
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
PERSONNEL
PLUTONIUM
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
REACTORS
REMOTE HANDLING
SAFETY
URANIUM DIOXIDE