Summary report on the HFED (High-Uranium-Loaded Fuel Element Development) miniplate irradiations for the RERTR (Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactor) Program

Technical Report · Sat Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6171465· OSTI ID:6171465

Senn, R L

An experiment to evaluate the irradiation characteristics of various candidate low-enriched, high-uranium content fuels for research and test reactors was performed for the US Department of Energy Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactor Program. The experiment included the irradiation of 244 miniature fuel plates (miniplates) in a core position in the Oak Ridge Research Reactor. The miniplates were aluminum-based, dispersion-type plates 114.3 mm long by 50.8 mm wide with overall plate thicknesses of 1.27 or 1.52 mm. Fuel core dimensions varied according to the overall plate thicknesses with a minimum clad thickness of 0.20 mm. Tested fuels included UAl/sub x/, UAl/sub 2/, U/sub 3/O/sub 8/, U/sub 3/SiAl, U/sub 3/Si, U/sub 3/Si/sub 1.5/, U/sub 3/Si/sub 2/, U/sub 3/SiCu, USi, U/sub 6/Fe, and U/sub 6/Mn/sub 1.3/ materials. Although most miniplates were made with low-enriched uranium (19.9%), some with medium-enriched uranium (40 to 45%), a few with high-enriched uranium (93%), and a few with depleted uranium (0.2 to 0.4%) were tested for comparison. These fuel materials were irradiated to burnups ranging from /approximately/27 to 98 at. % /sup 235/U depletion. Operation of the experiment, measurement of miniplate thickness as the irradiation progressed, ultimate shipment of the irradiated miniplates to various hot cells, and preliminary results are reported here. 18 refs., 12 figs., 7 tabs.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6171465
• Report Number(s): ORNL-6539; ON: DE89012904
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220300* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Fuel Elements
220600 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDES
ALUMINIUM
BURNUP
CHALCOGENIDES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENRICHED URANIUM
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL PLATES
FUELS
HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM
IRRADIATION
ISOTOPE ENRICHED MATERIALS
MATERIALS
METALS
MODERATELY ENRICHED URANIUM
NUCLEAR FUELS
ORR REACTOR
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIATION EFFECTS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SLIGHTLY ENRICHED URANIUM
SWELLING
TANK TYPE REACTORS
URANIUM
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM OXIDES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS