Thermomechanical Safety Analyses for a 238Pu Production Target at the HFIR-Reference-Cited by-同舟云学术

Thermomechanical Safety Analyses for a 238Pu Production Target at the HFIR

Published:2019-03-15 Issue:2 Volume:5 Page:
ISSN:2332-8983
Container-title:Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science
language:en
Short-container-title:

Author:

Hurt Christopher J.¹,Freels James D.²,Jain Prashant K.³,Ivan Maldonado G.⁴

Affiliation:

1. Research Reactors Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P. O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6399 e-mail:

2. Research Reactors Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P. O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6399

3. Reactor and Nuclear Systems Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831

4. Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-2300

Abstract

Safety analyses at the high flux isotope reactor (HFIR) are required to qualify irradiation of production targets containing neptunium dioxide/aluminum cermet (NpO2/Al) pellets for the production of plutonium-238 (238Pu). High heat generation rates (HGRs) due to a fertile starting material (237Np), low melting temperatures, and previously unstudied material irradiation behavior (i.e., swelling/densification, fission gas release) require a sophisticated set of steady-state thermal simulations in order to ensure sufficient safety margins. Experience gained from previous models for preliminary target designs is incorporated into a more comprehensive production target model designed to qualify a target for three cycles of irradiation and illuminate potential in-reactor behavior of the target.

Publisher

ASME International

Subject

Nuclear Energy and Engineering,Radiation

Link

http://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/nuclearengineering/article-pdf/doi/10.1115/1.4041295/6387076/ners_005_02_021004.pdf

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