TY - JOUR
T1 - From High-Enriched to Low-Enriched Uranium Fuel in Research Reactors
AU - Van den Berghe, Sven
AU - Leenaers, Ann
AU - Koonen, Edgar
AU - Moons, Frans
AU - Sannen, Leo
N1 - Score = 2
PY - 2010/12
Y1 - 2010/12
N2 - Since the 1970's, global efforts have been going on to replace the high-enriched (over 90 percent 235U), low-density UAlx research reactor fuel with high-density, low enriched (below 20 percent 235U) replacements. This search is driven by the attempt to reduce the civil use of high-enriched material because of proliferation risks and terrorist threats. American initiatives, such as the Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) and the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) program have triggered the development of reliable low-enriched fuel types for these reactors, which can replace the high enriched ones without loss of performance. Most success has presently been obtained with U3Si2 dispersion fuel, which is currently used in many research reactors in the world. However, efforts to search for a replacement with even higher density, which will also allow the conversion of some high flux research reactors that currently cannot change to U3Si2 (eg. BR2 in Belgium), have continued and are for the moment mainly directed towards the U(Mo) alloy fuel (7-10 w Mo). This paper provides an overview of the past efforts and presents the current status of the U(Mo) development.
AB - Since the 1970's, global efforts have been going on to replace the high-enriched (over 90 percent 235U), low-density UAlx research reactor fuel with high-density, low enriched (below 20 percent 235U) replacements. This search is driven by the attempt to reduce the civil use of high-enriched material because of proliferation risks and terrorist threats. American initiatives, such as the Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) and the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) program have triggered the development of reliable low-enriched fuel types for these reactors, which can replace the high enriched ones without loss of performance. Most success has presently been obtained with U3Si2 dispersion fuel, which is currently used in many research reactors in the world. However, efforts to search for a replacement with even higher density, which will also allow the conversion of some high flux research reactors that currently cannot change to U3Si2 (eg. BR2 in Belgium), have continued and are for the moment mainly directed towards the U(Mo) alloy fuel (7-10 w Mo). This paper provides an overview of the past efforts and presents the current status of the U(Mo) development.
KW - uranium molybdenum
KW - research reactor fuel
KW - enrichment
UR - http://ecm.sckcen.be/OTCS/llisapi.dll/open/ezp_110769
UR - http://ecm.sckcen.be/OTCS/llisapi.dll/open/ezp_110769_2
UR - http://knowledgecentre.sckcen.be/so2/bibref/7633
M3 - Article
SN - 0335-5004
SP - 82
EP - 89
JO - RGN - Revue Générale Nucléaire
JF - RGN - Revue Générale Nucléaire
IS - 6
T2 - European Nuclear Conference ENC2010
Y2 - 30 May 2010 through 2 June 2010
ER -