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Title: Irradiation testing of miniature fuel plates for the RERTR program. [Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactors]

Abstract

An irradiation test facility, which provides a test bed for irradiating a variety of miniature fuel plates (miniplates) for the Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) program, has been placed into operation. These tests screen various candidate fuel materials on their suitability for replacing the highly enriched uranium fuel materials currently used by the world's test and research reactors with a lower enrichment fuel material, without significantly degrading reactor operating characteristics and power levels. The use of low uranium enrichment of about 20% /sup 235/U in place of highly enriched fuel for these reactors would reduce the potential for /sup 235/U diversion. The irradiation test facility, designated as HFED, is operating in core position E-7 in the Oak Ridge Research Reactor (ORR), a 30-MW water-moderated reactor. The miniplates will achieve burnups of up to approx. 2.2 x 10/sup 27/ fissions/m/sup 3/ of fuel.

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
OSTI Identifier:
6214116
Report Number(s):
ORNL/TM-7761
ON: DE81025855; TRN: 81-012121
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-26
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; FUEL PLATES; IRRADIATION; RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS; ENRICHED URANIUM; ORR REACTOR; TEST FACILITIES; ACTINIDES; ELEMENTS; ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS; FUEL ELEMENTS; ISOTOPE ENRICHED MATERIALS; MATERIALS; METALS; REACTOR COMPONENTS; REACTORS; TANK TYPE REACTORS; URANIUM; WATER COOLED REACTORS; WATER MODERATED REACTORS; 220600* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Research, Test & Experimental Reactors

Citation Formats

Senn, R.L., and Martin, M.M. Irradiation testing of miniature fuel plates for the RERTR program. [Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactors]. United States: N. p., 1981. Web. doi:10.2172/6214116.
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Senn, R.L., & Martin, M.M. Irradiation testing of miniature fuel plates for the RERTR program. [Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactors]. United States. doi:10.2172/6214116.
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Senn, R.L., and Martin, M.M. Wed . "Irradiation testing of miniature fuel plates for the RERTR program. [Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactors]". United States. doi:10.2172/6214116. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/6214116.
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@article{osti_6214116,
title = {Irradiation testing of miniature fuel plates for the RERTR program. [Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactors]},
author = {Senn, R.L. and Martin, M.M.},
abstractNote = {An irradiation test facility, which provides a test bed for irradiating a variety of miniature fuel plates (miniplates) for the Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) program, has been placed into operation. These tests screen various candidate fuel materials on their suitability for replacing the highly enriched uranium fuel materials currently used by the world's test and research reactors with a lower enrichment fuel material, without significantly degrading reactor operating characteristics and power levels. The use of low uranium enrichment of about 20% /sup 235/U in place of highly enriched fuel for these reactors would reduce the potential for /sup 235/U diversion. The irradiation test facility, designated as HFED, is operating in core position E-7 in the Oak Ridge Research Reactor (ORR), a 30-MW water-moderated reactor. The miniplates will achieve burnups of up to approx. 2.2 x 10/sup 27/ fissions/m/sup 3/ of fuel.},
doi = {10.2172/6214116},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1981},
month = {Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1981}
}
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Technical Report:
View Technical Report (3.20 MB)
DOI:  10.2172/6214116
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  • 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/,more » 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.« less

  • The Meeting papers discuss research and test reactor fuel performance, manufacturing and testing. Some of the main topics are: conversion from HEU to LEU in different reactors and corresponding problems and activities; flux performance and core lifetime analysis with HEU and LEU fuels; physics and safety characteristics; measurement of gamma field parameters in core with LEU fuel; nondestructive analysis of RERTR fuel; thermal hydraulic analysis; fuel interactions; transient analyses and thermal hydraulics for HEU and LEU cores; microstructure research reactor fuels; post irradiation analysis and performance; computer codes and other related problems.

  • The status of the US Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactor (RERTR) Program is reviewed. After a brief outline of RERTR Program objectives and goals, program accomplishments are discussed with emphasis on the development, demonstration and application of new LEU fuels. Most program activities have proceeded as planned, and a combination of two silicide fuels (U/sub 3/Si/sub 2/-Al and U/sub 3/Si-Al) holds excellent promise for achieving the long-term program goals. Current plans and schedules project the uranium density of qualified RERTR fuels for plate-type reactors to grow by approximately 1 g U/cm/sup 3/ each year, from the nearly null valuemore » of 1982 to the 7.0 g U/cm/sup 3/ which will be reached in early 1989. The technical needs of research reactors for HEU exports are also estimated to undergo a gradual but dramatic decline in the coming years.« less

  • Testing and demonstration of reduced-enrichment fuels under the US RERTR Program progressed steadily during the past year. The irradiation and examination of highly loaded miniature fuel plates continued in order to establish performance limits and to search for a more fundamental understanding of the swelling mechanism in aluminum-matrix dispersion fuels. Postirradiation examinations of the full-sized elements irradiated in the ORR have been completed, and the whole-core demonstration of U/sub 3/Si/sub 2/ fuel elements in the ORR is well underway. The current status of the fuel development and testing effort, the significant results obtained during the past year, and the plansmore » for next year are summarized.« less

  • ; ; ; ...
    Progress in the development and irradiation testing of high-density fuels for use with low-enriched uranium in research and test reactors is reported. Swelling and blister-threshold temperature data obtained from the examination of miniature fuel plates containing UAl/sub x/, U/sub 3/O/sub 8/, U/sub 3/Si/sub 2/, or U/sub 3/Si dispersed in an aluminum matrix are presented. Combined with the results of metallurgical examinations, these data show that these four fuel types will perform adequately to full burnup of the /sup 235/U contained in the low-enriched fuel. The exothermic reaction of the uranium-silicide fuels with aluminum has been found to occur at aboutmore » the same temperature as the melting of the aluminum matrix and cladding and to be essentially quenched by the melting endotherm. A new series of miniature fuel plate irradiations is also discussed.« less