Establishing a Cost Basis for Converting the High Flux Isotope Reactor from High Enriched to Low Enriched Uranium Fuel

Primm, Trent¹  Guida, Tracey² 

[1] ORNL;University of Pittsburgh

关键词: BUSINESS;    DESIGN;    DOLLARS;    ENRICHED URANIUM;    HFIR REACTOR;    ORNL;    RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS;    RESEARCH REACTORS;    SCHEDULES;    SECURITY;    SPENT FUEL STORAGE;    SPENT FUELS;    URANIUM;    WEAPONS HFIR LEU fuel conversion econo;   

DOI  :  10.2172/971594
RP-ID  :  ORNL/TM-2009/311
PID  :  OSTI ID: 971594
Others  :  Other: NN9002000
Others  :  MDGA518
Others  :  TRN: US1001448

学科分类：核能源与工程

美国|英语

来源: SciTech Connect

【 摘 要 】

Under the auspices of the Global Threat Reduction Initiative Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors Program, the National Nuclear Security Administration /Department of Energy (NNSA/DOE) has, as a goal, to convert research reactors worldwide from weapons grade to non-weapons grade uranium. The High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL) is one of the candidates for conversion of fuel from high enriched uranium (HEU) to low enriched uranium (LEU). A well documented business model, including tasks, costs, and schedules was developed to plan the conversion of HFIR. Using Microsoft Project, a detailed outline of the conversion program was established and consists of LEU fuel design activities, a fresh fuel shipping cask, improvements to the HFIR reactor building, and spent fuel operations. Current-value costs total $76 million dollars, include over 100 subtasks, and will take over 10 years to complete. The model and schedule follows the path of the fuel from receipt from fuel fabricator to delivery to spent fuel storage and illustrates the duration, start, and completion dates of each subtask to be completed. Assumptions that form the basis of the cost estimate have significant impact on cost and schedule.