Uranium-plutonium carbide fuel for fast breeder reactors
Uranium-plutonium carbide offers an improved fuel system for advanced breeder reactors. The highthermal conductivity and density of carbide fuels permit superior breeding performance and high specific power operation. These advantages combine to increase plutonium production, reduce fuel cycle and power costs, and lower plant capital costs. The carbide advantages are obtained at conservative fuel system design and operating conditions. Carbide fabrication technology has been demonstrated by the production of quality-assured fuel elements for irradiation testing. The carbide irradiation test program has demonstrated that high burnup can be achieved with several designs and that the consequences of postulated off-normal operating events are benign. Design bases to support helium- and sodium-bonded carbide fuel pin test irradiations in the Fast Flux Test Facility have been developed in the Experimental Breeder Reactor and the Transient Reactor irradiation tests.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
- OSTI ID:
- 7144109
- Journal Information:
- Nucl. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 63:1; ISSN NUTYB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
BREEDER REACTORS
CARBIDES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CONTROL
DENSITY
ENERGY SOURCES
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
EVALUATION
FAST REACTORS
FBR TYPE REACTORS
FUELS
IRRADIATION
MATERIALS
NUCLEAR FUELS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLUTONIUM CARBIDES
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
QUALITY CONTROL
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM CARBIDES
URANIUM COMPOUNDS