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Title: Preliminary Accident Analyses for Conversion of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Reactor (MITR) from Highly Enriched to Low Enriched Uranium

Abstract

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Reactor (MITR-II) is a research reactor in Cambridge, Massachusetts designed primarily for experiments using neutron beam and in-core irradiation facilities. It delivers a neutron flux comparable to current LWR power reactors in a compact 6 MW core using Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) fuel. In the framework of its non-proliferation policies, the international community presently aims to minimize the amount of nuclear material available that could be used for nuclear weapons. In this geopolitical context most research and test reactors, both domestic and international, have started a program of conversion to the use of LEU fuel. A new type of LEU fuel based on an alloy of uranium and molybdenum (U-Mo) is expected to allow the conversion of U.S. domestic high performance reactors like MITR. This report presents the preliminary accident analyses for MITR cores fueled with LEU monolithic U-Mo alloy fuel with 10 wt% Mo. Preliminary results demonstrate adequate performance, including thermal margin to expected safety limits, for the LEU accident scenarios analyzed.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [2];  [2]
  1. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
  2. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
OSTI Identifier:
1114108
Report Number(s):
ANL/GTRI/TM-13/5
DOE Contract Number:  
AC02-06CH11357
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
ENGLISH
Subject:
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS

Citation Formats

Dunn, Floyd E., Olson, Arne P., Wilson, Erik H., Sun, Kaichao S., Newton, Jr., Thomas H., and Hu, Lin-wen. Preliminary Accident Analyses for Conversion of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Reactor (MITR) from Highly Enriched to Low Enriched Uranium. United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.2172/1114108.
Dunn, Floyd E., Olson, Arne P., Wilson, Erik H., Sun, Kaichao S., Newton, Jr., Thomas H., & Hu, Lin-wen. Preliminary Accident Analyses for Conversion of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Reactor (MITR) from Highly Enriched to Low Enriched Uranium. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1114108
Dunn, Floyd E., Olson, Arne P., Wilson, Erik H., Sun, Kaichao S., Newton, Jr., Thomas H., and Hu, Lin-wen. 2013. "Preliminary Accident Analyses for Conversion of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Reactor (MITR) from Highly Enriched to Low Enriched Uranium". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1114108. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1114108.
@article{osti_1114108,
title = {Preliminary Accident Analyses for Conversion of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Reactor (MITR) from Highly Enriched to Low Enriched Uranium},
author = {Dunn, Floyd E. and Olson, Arne P. and Wilson, Erik H. and Sun, Kaichao S. and Newton, Jr., Thomas H. and Hu, Lin-wen},
abstractNote = {The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Reactor (MITR-II) is a research reactor in Cambridge, Massachusetts designed primarily for experiments using neutron beam and in-core irradiation facilities. It delivers a neutron flux comparable to current LWR power reactors in a compact 6 MW core using Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) fuel. In the framework of its non-proliferation policies, the international community presently aims to minimize the amount of nuclear material available that could be used for nuclear weapons. In this geopolitical context most research and test reactors, both domestic and international, have started a program of conversion to the use of LEU fuel. A new type of LEU fuel based on an alloy of uranium and molybdenum (U-Mo) is expected to allow the conversion of U.S. domestic high performance reactors like MITR. This report presents the preliminary accident analyses for MITR cores fueled with LEU monolithic U-Mo alloy fuel with 10 wt% Mo. Preliminary results demonstrate adequate performance, including thermal margin to expected safety limits, for the LEU accident scenarios analyzed.},
doi = {10.2172/1114108},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1114108}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Sep 30 00:00:00 EDT 2013},
month = {Mon Sep 30 00:00:00 EDT 2013}
}