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U.S. Department of Energy
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Fort Saint Vrain HTGR (Th/U carbide) Fuel Characteristics for Disposal Criticality Analysis

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/911528· OSTI ID:911528
 [1]
  1. Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

DOE-owned spent nuclear fuels encompass many fuel types. In an effort to facilitate criticality analysis for these various fuel types, they were categorized into eight characteristic fuel groups with emphasis on fuel matrix composition. Out of each fuel group, a representative fuel type was chosen for analysis as a bounding case within that fuel group. Generally, burnup data, fissile enrichments and total fuel mass govern the selection of the representative or candidate fuel within that group. For the HTGR group, the Fort Saint Vrain (FSV) reactor fuel has been chosen for the evaluation of viability for waste co-disposal. The FSV reactor was operated by Public Service of Colorado as a licensed power reactor. The FSV fuel employs a U/Th carbide matrix in individually pyrolytic carbon-coated particles. These individual particles are in turn coated with silicon carbide (SiC) and contained within fuel compacts, that are in turn embedded in graphite blocks that comprised the structural core of the reactor.

Research Organization:
Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM); USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
DOE Contract Number:
AC07-99ID13727
OSTI ID:
911528
Report Number(s):
DOE/SNF/REP--060; INEEL/MIS-01-00077
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English