Criticality safety evaluation for the Advanced Test Reactor enhanced low enriched uranium fuel elements

Montierth, Leland M.¹ 

[1]Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

关键词: MODERATELY ENRICHED URANIUM;    URANIUM BASE ALLOYS;    BINARY ALLOY SYSTEMS;    SAFETY ANALYSIS;    ATR REACTOR;    DESIGN;    CRITICALITY;    MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS;    TESTING;    COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS;    PERFORMANCE;    REACTIVITY;    THICKNESS;    FAB;   

DOI  :  10.2172/1289848
RP-ID  :  INL/EXT--16-39590
PID  :  OSTI ID: 1289848

美国|英语

来源: SciTech Connect

【 摘 要 】

The Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) convert program is developing a high uranium density fuel based on a low enriched uranium (LEU) uranium-molybdenum alloy. Testing of prototypic GTRI fuel elements is necessary to demonstrate integrated fuel performance behavior and scale-up of fabrication techniques. GTRI Enhanced LEU Fuel (ELF) elements based on the ATR-Standard Size elements (all plates fueled) are to be fabricated for testing in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). While a specific ELF element design will eventually be provided for detailed analyses and in-core testing, this criticality safety evaluation (CSE) is intended to evaluate a hypothetical ELF element design for criticality safety purposes. Existing criticality analyses have analyzed Standard (HEU) ATR elements from which controls have been derived. This CSE documents analysis that determines the reactivity of the hypothetical ELF fuel elements relative to HEU ATR elements and whether the existing HEU ATR element controls bound the ELF element. The initial calculations presented in this CSE analyzed the original ELF design, now referred to as Mod 0.1. In addition, as part of a fuel meat thickness optimization effort for reactor performance, other designs have been evaluated. As of early 2014 the most current conceptual designs are Mk1A and Mk1B, that were previously referred to as conceptual designs Mod 0.10 and Mod 0.11, respectively. Revision 1 evaluates the reactivity of the ATR HEU Mark IV elements for a comparison with the Mark VII elements.