The Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center conversion from HEU to LEU fuel

Technical Report · Wed Sep 27 00:00:00 EDT 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/808133· OSTI ID:808133

Tehan, Terry ^[1]

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1. Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center, Narragansett, RI (US)

The 2-MW Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center (RINSC) open pool reactor was converted from 93% UAL-High Enriched Uranium (HEU) fuel to 20% enrichment U3Si2-AL Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) fuel. The conversion included redesign of the core to a more compact size and the addition of beryllium reflectors and a beryllium flux trap. A significant increase in thermal flux level was achieved due to greater neutron leakage in the new compact core configuration. Following the conversion, a second cooling loop and an emergency core cooling system were installed to permit operation at 5 MW. After re-licensing at 2 MW, a power upgrade request will be submitted to the NRC.

• Research Organization: Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center, Narragansett, RI (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Research (ER) (US)
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-86ER75270
• OSTI ID: 808133
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
BERYLLIUM
CONFIGURATION
ECCS
ENRICHED URANIUM
HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM
MODERATELY ENRICHED URANIUM
MODIFICATIONS
NEUTRON FLUX
NEUTRON LEAKAGE
NEUTRON REFLECTORS
NUCLEAR FUELS
POWER RANGE 01-10 MW
PROGRESS REPORT
REACTOR CORES
RINSC REACTOR
THERMAL NEUTRONS