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U.S. Department of Energy
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Conversion, core redesign and upgrade of the Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission Reactor

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5488531

The 2 MW Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission reactor is required to convert from the use of High Enriched Uranium (HEU) fuel to the use of Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) fuel using a standard LEU fuel plate which is thinner and contains more uranium-235 than the current HEU plate. These differences, coupled with the fact that the conversion should be accomplished without serious degradation of reactor characteristics and capability, has resulted in core design studies and thermal hydraulic studies not only at the current 2 MW but also at the maximum power level of the reactor, 5 MW. In addition, during the course of its 23 years of operation, it has become clear that the main uses of the reactor are neutron scattering and neutron activation analysis. The requirement to convert to LEU presents an opportunity during the conversion to optimize the core for the utilization and to restudy the thermal hydraulics using modern techniques. This paper will present the preliminary conclusions of both aspects.

Research Organization:
Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission, Narragansett (USA). Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center; Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-31109-ENG-38
OSTI ID:
5488531
Report Number(s):
CONF-8709189-8; ON: DE88005919
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English