Curtis R. Clark

Fabrication of Monolithic RERTR Fuels by Hot Isostatic Pressing

Abstract The Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) program develops advanced nuclear fuels for high-power test reactors. Monolithic fuel design provides higher uranium loading than that of the traditional dispersion fuel design. Hot isostatic pressing is a promising process for low-cost batch fabrication of monolithic RERTR fuel plates for these high-power reactors. Bonding U-Mo fuel foil and 6061-Al cladding by hot isostatic press bonding was successfully developed at Idaho National Laboratory. Because of the relatively high processing temperature, the interaction between fuel meat and aluminum cladding is a concern. Two different methods were employed to mitigate this effect: a diffusion barrier and a doping addition to the interface. Both types of fuel plates have been fabricated by hot isostatic press bonding. Preliminary results show that the direct fuel/cladding interaction during the bonding process was eliminated by introducing a thin zirconium diffusion barrier layer between the fuel and the cladding. Fuel plates were also produced and characterized with a silicon-rich interlayer between fuel and cladding. This paper reports the recent progress of this developmental effort and identifies the areas that need further attention.

CONCEPTUAL PROCESS DESCRIPTION FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF LOW-ENRICHED URANIUM-MOLYBDENUM FUEL

The National Nuclear Security Agency Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) is tasked with minimizing the use of high-enriched uranium (HEU) worldwide. A key component of that effort is the conversion of research reactors from HEU to low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuels. The GTRI Convert Fuel Development program, previously known as the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors program was initiated in 1978 by the United States Department of Energy to develop the nuclear fuels necessary to enable these conversions. The program cooperates with the research reactors’ operators to achieve this goal of HEU to LEU conversion without reduction in reactor performance. The programmatic mandate is to complete the conversion of all civilian domestic research reactors by 2014. These reactors include the five domestic high-performance research reactors (HPRR), namely: the High Flux Isotope Reactor at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Advanced Test Reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory, the National Bureau of Standards Reactor at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Missouri University Research Reactor at the University of Missouri–Columbia, and the MIT Reactor-II at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Characteristics for each of the HPRRs are given in Appendix A. The GTRI Convert Fuel Development program ismorexa0» currently engaged in the development of a novel nuclear fuel that will enable these conversions. The fuel design is based on a monolithic fuel meat (made from a uranium-molybdenum alloy) clad in Al-6061 that has shown excellent performance in irradiation testing. The unique aspects of the fuel design, however, necessitate the development and implementation of new fabrication techniques and, thus, establishment of the infrastructure to ensure adequate fuel fabrication capability. A conceptual fabrication process description and rough estimates of the total facility throughput are described in this document as a basis for establishing preconceptual fabrication facility designs.«xa0less

Results of the Irradiation of R6R018 in the Advanced Test Reactor

For over 30 years the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) program has worked to provide the fuel technology and analytical support required to convert research and test reactors from nuclear fuels that utilize highly enriched uranium (HEU) to fuels based on low-enriched uranium (LEU) (defined as <20% U-235). This effort is driven by a desire to minimize international civilian commerce in weapons usable materials. The RERTR fuel development program has executed a wide array of fuel tests over the last decade that clearly established the viability of research reactor fuels based on uranium-molybdenum (U-Mo) alloys. Fuel testing has included a large number of dispersion type fuels capable of providing uranium densities up to approximately 8.5 g U/cc (~1.7 g U-235/cc at 20% enrichment). The dispersion fuel designs tested are very similar to existing research test reactor fuels in that the U-Mo particles simply replace the current fuel phase within the matrix. In 2003 it became evident that the first generation U-Mo-based dispersion fuel within an aluminum matrix exhibited significant fuel performance problems at high power and burn-up. These issues have been successfully addressed with a modest modification to the matrix material composition. Testing has shown that smallmorexa0» additions of silicon (2–5 wt%) to the aluminum (Al) matrix stabilizes the fuel performance. The fuel plate R6R018 which was irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) as part of the RERTR-9B experiment was part of an investigation into the role of the silicon content in the matrix. This plate consisted of a U-7Mo fuel phase dispersed in an Al-3.5Si matrix clad in Al-6061. This report outlines the fabrication history, the as fabricated analysis performed prior to irradiation, the irradiation conditions, the post irradiation examination results, and an analysis of the plates behavior.«xa0less