Assessment of Startup Fuel Options for the GNEP Advanced Burner Reactor (ABR)

Carmack, Jon ; Pasamehmetoglu, Kemal O. ; Alberstein, David

Idaho National Laboratory

关键词: Alloys;    Burners;    Sodium;    Oxides;    Actinides;   

DOI  :  10.2172/928090
RP-ID  :  INL/EXT-08-13773
RP-ID  :  DE-AC07-99ID-13727
RP-ID  :  928090

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

The Global Nuclear Energy Program (GNEP) includes a program element for the development and construction of an advanced sodium cooled fast reactor to demonstrate the burning (transmutation) of significant quantities of minor actinides obtained from a separations process and fabricated into a transuranic bearing fuel assembly. To demonstrate and qualify transuranic (TRU) fuel in a fast reactor, an Advanced Burner Reactor (ABR) prototype is needed. The ABR would necessarily be started up using conventional metal alloy or oxide (U or U, Pu) fuel. Startup fuel is needed for the ABR for the first 2 to 4 core loads of fuel in the ABR. Following start up, a series of advanced TRU bearing fuel assemblies will be irradiated in qualification lead test assemblies in the ABR. There are multiple options for this startup fuel. This report provides a description of the possible startup fuel options as well as possible fabrication alternatives available to the program in the current domestic and international facilities and infrastructure.