Advanced Test Reactor LEU Fuel Conversion Feasibility Study -- 2006 Annual Report

The Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) is a high power density and high neutron flux research reactor operating in the U.S. Powered with highly enriched uranium (HEU), the ATR has a maximum thermal power rating of 250 MWth with a maximum unperturbed thermal neutron flux rating of 1.0 x 1015 n/cm2–s. Because of these operating parameters, and the large test volumes located in high flux areas, the ATR is an ideal candidate for assessing the feasibility of converting an HEU driven reactor to a low-enriched core. The present work investigates the necessary modifications and evaluates the subsequent operating effects of this conversion. A detailed plate-by-plate MCNP ATR 1/8th core model was developed and validated for a fuel cycle burnup comparison analysis. Using the current HEU U-235 enrichment of 93.0 % as a baseline, an analysis can be performed to determine the low-enriched uranium (LEU) density and U 235 enrichment required in the fuel meat to yield an equivalent Keff between the HEU core and a LEU core versus effective full power days (EFPD). The MCNP ATR 1/8th core model will be used to optimize the U 235 loading in the LEU core, such that the differences in Keff and heat profile between the HEU and LEU core can be minimized for operation at 125 EFPD with a total core power of 115 MW. The Monte-Carlo coupled with ORIGEN2 (MCWO) depletion methodology was used to calculate Keff versus EFPDs. The MCWO-calculated results for the LEU case demonstrated adequate excess reactivity such that the Keff versus EFPDs plot is similar in shape to the reference ATR HEU case. The LEU core conversion feasibility study can also be used to optimize the U-235 content of each fuel plate, so that the relative radial fission heat flux profile is bounded by the reference ATR HEU case. The detailed radial, axial, and azimuthal heat flux profiles of the HEU and optimized LEU cases have been investigated. However, to demonstrate that the LEU core fuel cycle performance can meet the UFSAR safety requirements, additional studies will be necessary to evaluate and compare safety parameters such as void reactivity and Doppler coefficients, control components worth (OSCC, safety rods and regulating rod), and shutdown margins between the HEU and LEU cores

Hardening Neutron Spectrum for Advanced Actinides Transmutation Experiments in the ATR

The most effective method for transmuting long-lived isotopes contained in spent nuclear fuel into shorter-lived fission products is in a fast neutron spectrum reactor. In the absence of a fast rest reactor in the United States, initial irradiation testing of candidate fuels can be performed in a thermal test reactor that has been modified to produce a test region with a hardened neutron spectrum. Such a test facility, with a spectrum similar but somewhat softer than that of the liquid-metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR), has been constructed in the INEEL's Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). The radial fission power distribution of the actinide fuel pin, which is an important parameter in fission gas released modelling, needs to be accurately predicted and the hardened neturon spectrum in the ATR and the LMFBR fast neutron spectrum is compared. The comparison analyses in this study are peformed using MCWO, a well-developed tool that couples the Monte Carlo transport code MCNP with the isotope depletion and build-up code ORIGEN-2. MCWO analysis yields time-dependent and neutron-spectrum-dependent minor actinide and Pu concentrations and detailed radial fission power profile calculations for a typical fast reactor (LMFBR) neutron spectrum and the hardened neturon spectrum test region in the ATR. The MCWO-calculated results indicate that the cadmium basket used in the advanced fuel test assembly in the ATR can effectively depress the linear heat generation rate in the experimental fuels and harden the neutron spectrum in the test region

Rod bundle critical heat flux at low pressure

A study of critical heat flux (CHF) in a close-packed bundle of electrically heated rods which simulated the closely spaced nuclear fuel rods of the Power Burst Facility (PBF) was performed. The study examined the effects that close rod spacing and rod bowing would have on CHF at low, near-atmospheric, pressure conditions similar to PBF conditions. The PBF nuclear reactor, which is used in the Nuclear Regulatory Thermal Fuels Behavior Program, has an open vessel and a driver core with forced upward flow through the close-packed rods. The core design power is 40 MW. An effort was undertaken to design a reload core with a steady state power level of 50 MW

Neutronics and Thermal Hydraulics Study for Using a Low-Enriched Uranium Core in the Advanced Test Reactor -- 2008 Final Report

The Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) is a high power density and high neutron flux research reactor operating in the United States. Powered with highly enriched uranium (HEU), the ATR has a maximum thermal power rating of 250 MWth. Because of the large test volumes located in high flux areas, the ATR is an ideal candidate for assessing the feasibility of converting an HEU driven reactor to a low-enriched core. The present work investigates the necessary modifications and evaluates the subsequent operating effects of this conversion. A detailed plate-by-plate MCNP ATR 1/8th core model was developed and validated for a fuel cycle burnup comparison analysis. Using the current HEU U 235 enrichment of 93.0 % as a baseline, an analysis was performed to determine the low-enriched uranium (LEU) density and U-235 enrichment required in the fuel meat to yield an equivalent K-eff versus effective full power days (EFPDs) between the HEU and the LEU cores. The MCNP ATR 1/8th core model was used to optimize the U 235 loading in the LEU core, such that the differences in K-eff and heat flux profiles between the HEU and LEU cores were minimized. The depletion methodology MCWO was used to calculate K-eff versus EFPDs in this paper. The MCWO-calculated results for the LEU demonstrated adequate excess reactivity such that the K-eff versus EFPDs plot is similar to the ATR reference HEU case study. Each HEU fuel element contains 19 fuel plates with a fuel meat thickness of 0.508 mm (20 mil). In this work, the proposed LEU (U-10Mo) core conversion case with nominal fuel meat thickness of 0.330 mm (13 mil) and U-235 enrichment of 19.7 wt% is used to optimize the radial heat flux profile by varying the fuel meat thickness from 0.191 mm (7.0 mil) to 0.330 mm (13.0 mil) at the inner 4 fuel plates (1-4) and outer 4 fuel plates (16-19). A 0.8g of Boron-10, a burnable absorber, was added in the inner and outer plates to reduce the initial excess reactivity, and the peak to average ratio of the inner/outer heat flux more effectively. Because the B-10 (n,a) reaction will produce Helium-4 (He-4), which might degrade the LEU foil type fuel performance, an alternative absorber option is proposed. The proposed LEU case study will have 6.918 g of Cadmium (Cd) mixed with the LEU at the inner 4 fuel plates (1-4) and outer 4 fuel plates (16-19) as a burnable absorber to achieve peak to average ratios similar to those for the ATR reference HEU case study

Drop-in capsule testing of plutonium-based fuels in the Advanced Test Reactor

The most attractive way to dispose of weapons-grade plutonium (WGPu) is to use it as fuel in existing light water reactors (LWRs) in the form of mixed oxide (MOX) fuel - i.e., plutonia (PuO[sub 2]) mixed with urania (UO[sub 2]). Before U.S. reactors could be used for this purpose, their operating licenses would have to be amended. Numerous technical issues must be resolved before LWR operating licenses can be amended to allow the use of MOX fuel. The proposed weapons-grade MOX fuel is unusual, even relative to ongoing foreign experience with reactor-grade MOX power reactor fuel. Some demonstration of the in- reactor thermal, mechanical, and fission gas release behavior of the prototype fuel will most likely be required in a limited number of test reactor irradiations. The application to license operation with MOX fuel must be amply supported by experimental data. The Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) is capable of playing a key role in the irradiation, development, and licensing of these new fuel types. The ATR is a 250- MW (thermal) LWR designed to study the effects of intense radiation on reactor fuels and materials. For 25 years, the primary role of the ATR has been to serve in experimental investigations for the development of advanced nuclear fuels. Both large- and small-volume test positions in the ATR could be used for MOX fuel irradiation. The ATR would be a nearly ideal test bed for developing data needed to support applications to license LWRs for operation with MOX fuel made from weapons-grade plutonium. Furthermore, these data can be obtained more quickly by using ATR instead of testing in a commercial LWR. Our previous work in this area has demonstrated that it is technically feasible to perform MOX fuel testing in the ATR. This report documents our analyses of sealed drop-in capsules containing plutonium-based test specimens placed in various ATR positions

AFCI Fuel Irradiation Test Plan, Test Specimens AFC-1Æ and AFC-1F

The U. S. Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) seeks to develop and demonstrate the technologies needed to transmute the long-lived transuranic actinide isotopes contained in spent nuclear fuel into shorter-lived fission products, thereby dramatically decreasing the volume of material requiring disposition and the long-term radiotoxicity and heat load of high-level waste sent to a geologic repository (DOE, 2003). One important component of the technology development is actinide-bearing transmutation fuel forms containing plutonium, neptunium, americium (and possibly curium) isotopes. There are little irradiation performance data available on non-fertile fuel forms, which would maximize the destruction rate of plutonium, and low-fertile (i.e., uranium-bearing) fuel forms, which would support a sustainable nuclear energy option. Initial scoping level irradiation tests on a variety of candidate fuel forms are needed to establish a transmutation fuel form design and evaluate deployment of transmutation fuels

Preliminary Advanced Test Reactor LEU Fuel Conversion Feasibility Study

The Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) is a high power density, high neutron flux research reactor operating in the United States. The ATR has large irradiation test volumes located in high flux areas. Powered with highly enriched uranium (HEU), the ATR has a maximum thermal power rating of 250 MWth with a maximum unperturbed thermal neutron flux rating of 1.0 x 1015 n/cm2–s. As a result, the ATR is a representative candidate for assessing the necessary modifications and evaluating the subsequent operating effects associated with low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel conversion. A detailed plate-by-plate MCNP ATR 1/8th core model was developed for the fuel cycle burnup comparison analysis. Using the current HEU 235U enrichment of 93.0 % as a baseline, an analysis can be performed to determine the LEU uranium density and 235U enrichment required in the fuel meat to yield an equivalent Keff between the HEU core and a LEU core versus effective full power days (EFPD). The MCNP ATR 1/8th core model will be used to optimize the 235U loading in the LEU core, such that the differences in Keff between the HEU and LEU core can be minimized for operation at 150 EFPD with a total core power of 115 MW. The Monte-Carlo with ORIGEN-2 (MCWO) method was used to calculate Keff versus EFPDs. The MCWO-calculated results for the LEU case demonstrated adequate excess reactivity such that the LEU core conversion designer should be able to optimize the 235U content of each fuel plate, so that the Keff and relative radial fission heat flux profile are similar to the reference ATR HEU case. However, to demonstrate that the LEU core fuel cycle performance can meet the Upgraded Final Safety Analysis Report (UFSAR) safety requirements, a further study will be required in order to investigate the detailed radial, axial, and azimuthal heat flux profile variations versus EFPDs

Improved methodology for temperature predictions in advanced reactors

Advanced nuclear reactors maximize power and/or flux levels for increased performance levels. One of the challenges is accurate prediction of temperatures in the structural components and experiments. An improved methodology utilizing the computer codes MCNP and ABAQUS has been demonstrated in instrumented experiments at the Advanced Test Reactor. The analytical predictions have shown excellent agreement with the measured results

Special application of RELAP4 to the Power Burst Facility

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate RELAP4/MOD5 applications and adaptability to a proposed Power Burst Facility (PBF) loop modification. RELAP4 is used to predict loop pressures resulting from thermal swell generated by fuel pin disassembly during a reactivity initiated event. Also, RELAP4 is applied to a blowdown problem requiring several code modifications for modeling specific hydraulic and fuel rod conditions. Thermal hydraulic responses resulting from (1) a design basis fuel pin energy transient and (2) an accidental rapid loop depressurization are presented

The OSU Hydro-Mechanical Fuel Test Facility: Standard Fuel Element Testing

Oregon State University (OSU) and the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) are currently collaborating on a test program which entails hydro-mechanical testing of a generic plate type fuel element, or standard fuel element (SFE), for the purpose of qualitatively demonstrating mechanical integrity of uranium-molybdenum monolithic plates as compared to that of uranium aluminum dispersion, and aluminum fuel plates due to hydraulic forces. This test program supports ongoing work conducted for/by the fuel development program and will take place at OSU in the Hydro-Mechanical Fuel Test Facility (HMFTF). Discussion of a preliminary test matrix, SFE design, measurement and instrumentation techniques, and facility description are detailed in this paper