DESIGN OPTIMIZATION STUDIES FOR NPO2 TARGETS IRRADIATED IN THE HIGH FLUX ISOTOPE REACTOR
Efforts to re-establish a domestic 238Pu production capability in support of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) mission objectives are ongoing throughout the US Department of Energy (DOE) complex. Design and optimization studies of 237Np-bearing targets are underway at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). It is anticipated that targets will be irradiated in ORNLs High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and in the Advanced Test Reactor at Idaho National Laboratory. A variety of target materials, containments, arrangements, and irradiation histories have been analyzed, and the results indicate that a sufficient quantity of 238Pu can be produced in HFIR to fulfill NASAs current mission objectives. This paper focuses on the design and optimization of new target configurations containing pellets that are (1) 92% 2% of the theoretical density (TD) of NpO2, (2) loaded into pins of cladding materials that can be handled as solid waste following post-irradiation 238Pu recovery operations, (3)irradiated in various vertical experiment facility (VXF) locations in the HFIR permanent beryllium reflector, and (4) rotated within and/or moved to another VXF location following each HFIR operational cycle to maximize 238Pu production and minimize peak heat generation rates.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 1826050
- Resource Relation:
- Journal Volume: 206; Journal Issue: 8; Conference: Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space (NETS) 2019 - Richland, Washington, United States of America - 2/25/2019 10:00:00 AM-2/28/2019 5:00:00 AM
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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