Fuel for the advanced neutron source-performance testing and fabrication development

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5832253

Snelgrove, J L; Hofman, G L; Copeland, G L

The small, high-leakage core being designed for the advanced neutron source (ANS) requires a high /sup 235/U concentration to provide sufficient excess reactivity for an operationally and economically feasible fuel cycle. However the /sup 235/U density must be limited in regions of high thermal flux (i.e., near the core periphery) to maintain adequate thermal-hydraulic safety margins. Therefore, one needs a high-density fuel in which the /sup 235/U concentration can be adjusted spatially and that can accommodate a high fission rate and fission density. The candidate fuel, its performance requirements, and the development and testing needed to qualify it are discussed in this paper. Results of extensive irradiation test of U/sub 3/Si/sub 2/ fuel suggest that it is a viable fuel for the ANS. However, tests under the high-fission-rate and temperature conditions of the ANS core are needed to confirm its expected good performance. An extensive fabrication development program is necessary to determine how best and to what extent the /sup 235/U distribution in the fuel plates can be varied. To achieve an optimum core design, the core physics and fuel development activities must be closely coordinated.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5832253
• Report Number(s): CONF-881011-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States) Journal Volume: 57
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
220600* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
AMORPHOUS STATE
BARYONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY SOURCES
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FABRICATION
FERMIONS
FISSION
FISSION PRODUCTS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL PLATES
FUELS
HADRONS
HEAVY NUCLEI
INFORMATION NEEDS
IRRADIATION
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
KINETICS
MATERIALS
MATERIALS TESTING
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NEUTRON FLUX
NEUTRON LEAKAGE
NEUTRON SOURCE FACILITIES
NEUTRONS
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEI
NUCLEONS
OPTIMIZATION
PERFORMANCE
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
PLANNING
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION FLUX
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CORES
REACTOR KINETICS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
RESEARCH REACTORS
SILICIDES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SWELLING
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TESTING
THERMAL NEUTRONS
URANIUM 235
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM ISOTOPES
URANIUM SILICIDES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES