Reducing the Use of Highly Enriched Uranium in Civilian Research Reactors
Reducing the Use of Highly Enriched Uranium in Civilian Research Reactors

Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2016-02-12

Total Pages: 205

ISBN-13: 0309379210

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The continued presence of highly enriched uranium (HEU) in civilian installations such as research reactors poses a threat to national and international security. Minimization, and ultimately elimination, of HEU in civilian research reactors worldwide has been a goal of U.S. policy and programs since 1978. Today, 74 civilian research reactors around the world, including 8 in the United States, use or are planning to use HEU fuel. Since the last National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report on this topic in 2009, 28 reactors have been either shut down or converted from HEU to low enriched uranium fuel. Despite this progress, the large number of remaining HEU-fueled reactors demonstrates that an HEU minimization program continues to be needed on a worldwide scale. Reducing the Use of Highly Enriched Uranium in Civilian Research Reactors assesses the status of and progress toward eliminating the worldwide use of HEU fuel in civilian research and test reactors.

Medical Isotope Production Without Highly Enriched Uranium
Medical Isotope Production Without Highly Enriched Uranium

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2009-06-27

Total Pages: 220

ISBN-13: 0309130395

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This book is the product of a congressionally mandated study to examine the feasibility of eliminating the use of highly enriched uranium (HEU2) in reactor fuel, reactor targets, and medical isotope production facilities. The book focuses primarily on the use of HEU for the production of the medical isotope molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), whose decay product, technetium-99m3 (Tc-99m), is used in the majority of medical diagnostic imaging procedures in the United States, and secondarily on the use of HEU for research and test reactor fuel. The supply of Mo-99 in the U.S. is likely to be unreliable until newer production sources come online. The reliability of the current supply system is an important medical isotope concern; this book concludes that achieving a cost difference of less than 10 percent in facilities that will need to convert from HEU- to LEU-based Mo-99 production is much less important than is reliability of supply.

Impact of Fuel Density on Performance and Economy of Research Reactors
Impact of Fuel Density on Performance and Economy of Research Reactors

Author: International Atomic Energy Agency

Publisher:

Published: 2021

Total Pages: 84

ISBN-13: 9789201203205

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Research reactor fuel technology continues to evolve, driven in part by international efforts to develop high density fuels to enable the conversion of more reactors from highly enriched uranium (HEU) to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuels. These high density fuels may offer economic benefits for research reactors, despite being more expensive initially, because they offer the prospect of higher per-assembly burnup, thus reducing the number of assemblies that must be procured, and more flexibility in terms of spent fuel management compared to the currently qualified and commercially available LEU silicide fuels. Additionally, these new fuels may offer better performance characteristics. This publication provides a preliminary evaluation of the impacts on research reactor performance and fuel costs from using high density fuel. Several case studies are presented and compared to illustrate these impacts.

Impact of Fuel Density on Performance and Economy of Research Reactors
Impact of Fuel Density on Performance and Economy of Research Reactors

Author: IAEA

Publisher: International Atomic Energy Agency

Published: 2021-04-22

Total Pages: 118

ISBN-13: 9201205201

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Research reactor fuel technology continues to evolve, driven in part by international efforts to develop high density fuels to enable the conversion of more reactors from highly enriched uranium (HEU) to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuels. These high density fuels may offer economic benefits for research reactors, despite being more expensive initially, because they offer the prospect of higher per-assembly burnup, thus reducing the number of assemblies that must be procured, and more flexibility in terms of spent fuel management compared to the currently qualified and commercially available LEU silicide fuels. Additionally, these new fuels may offer better performance characteristics. This publication provides a preliminary evaluation of the impacts on research reactor performance and fuel costs from using high density fuel. Several case studies are presented and compared to illustrate these impacts.

High-Energy-Density Fuels for Advanced Propulsion
High-Energy-Density Fuels for Advanced Propulsion

Author: Ji-Jun Zou

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2020-11-09

Total Pages: 514

ISBN-13: 3527346694

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This book comprehensively and systematically demonstrates the theory and practice of designing, synthesizing and improving the performance of fuels. The contents range from polycyoalkane fuels, strained fuels, alky-diamondoid fuels, hypergolic and nanofluid fuels derived from fossil and biomass. All the chapters together clearly describe the important aspects of high-energy-density fuels including molecular design, synthesis route, physiochemical properties, and their application in improving the aerocraft performance. Vivid schematics and illustrations throughout the book enhance the accessibility to the relevant theory and technologies. This book provides the readers with fundamentals on high-energy-density fuels and their potential in advanced aerospace propulsion, and also provides the readers with inspiration for new development of advanced aerospace fuels.

Advances in Nuclear Fuel Chemistry
Advances in Nuclear Fuel Chemistry

Author: Markus H.A. Piro

Publisher: Woodhead Publishing

Published: 2020-03-20

Total Pages: 672

ISBN-13: 008102651X

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Advances in Nuclear Fuel Chemistry presents a high-level description of nuclear fuel chemistry based on the most recent research and advances. Dr. Markus H.A. Piro and his team of global, expert contributors cover all aspects of both the conventional uranium-based nuclear fuel cycle and non-conventional fuel cycles, including mining, refining, fabrication, and long-term storage, as well as emerging nuclear technologies, such as accident tolerant fuels and molten salt materials. Aimed at graduate students, researchers, academics and practicing engineers and regulators, this book will provide the reader with a single reference from which to learn the fundamentals of classical thermodynamics and radiochemistry. - Consolidates the latest research on nuclear fuel chemistry into one comprehensive reference, covering all aspects of traditional and non-traditional nuclear fuel cycles - Includes contributions from world-renowned experts from many countries representing government, industry and academia - Covers a variety of fuel designs, including conventional uranium dioxide, mixed oxides, research reactor fuels, and molten salt fuels - Written by experts with hands-on experience in the development of such designs

Advances in Nuclear Fuel
Advances in Nuclear Fuel

Author: Shripad T. Revankar

Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand

Published: 2012-02-22

Total Pages: 188

ISBN-13: 9535100424

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Worldwide there are more than 430 nuclear power plants operating and more plants are being constructed or planned for construction. For nuclear power to be sustainable the nuclear fuel must be sustainable and there should be adequate nuclear fuel waste management program. Continuous technological advances will lead towards sustainable nuclear fuel through closed fuel cycles and advance fuel development. This focuses on challenges and issues that need to be addressed for better performance and safety of nuclear fuel in nuclear plants. These focused areas are on development of high conductivity new fuels, radiation induced corrosion, fuel behavior during abnormal events in reactor, and decontamination of radioactive material.