Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) Briefing Book 1 Summary

Technical Report · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/901588· OSTI ID:901588

Apley, WJ

This report documents the results of evaluations preformed during 1997 to determine what, if an, future role the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) might have in support of the Department of Energy’s tritium productions strategy. An evaluation was also conducted to assess the potential for the FFTF to produce medical isotopes. No safety, environmental, or technical issues associated with producing 1.5 kilograms of tritium per year in the FFTF have been identified that would change the previous evaluations by the Department of Energy, the JASON panel, or Putnam, Hayes & Bartlett. The FFTF can be refitted and restated by July 2002 for a total expenditure of $371 million, with an additional $64 million of startup expense necessary to incorporate the production of medical isotopes. Therapeutic and diagnostic applications of reactor-generated medical isotopes will increase dramatically over the next decade. Essential medical isotopes can be produced in the FFTF simultaneously with tritium production, and while a stand-alone medical isotope mission for the facility cannot be economically justified given current marker conditions, conservative estimates based on a report by Frost &Sullivan indicate that 60% of the annual operational costs (reactor and fuel supply) could be offset by revenues from medical isotope production within 10 yeas of restart. The recommendation of the report is for the Department of Energy to continue to maintain the FFTF in standby and proceed with preparation of appropriate Nations Environmental Policy Act documentation in full consultation with the public to consider the FFTF as an interim tritium production option (1.5 kilograms/year) with a secondary mission of producing medical isotopes.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE - Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology (NE); USDOE - Office of the General Counsel (GC); US - Atomic Energy Commission
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 901588
• Report Number(s): PNNL-11778
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
AVAILABILITY
DOCUMENTATION
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
EVALUATION
EXPENDITURES
FFTF REACTOR
FROST
ISOTOPE PRODUCTION
PRODUCTION
RECOMMENDATIONS
SAFETY
TRITIUM