International Conference on Research Reactors:
Safe Management and Effective Utilization

14-18 November 2011, Rabat, Morocco
Details
 
E03
Research and Test Reactor Conversion to Low Enriched Uranium Fue: Technical and Programmatic Progress
 Paper
Presentation

J. Roglans-Ribas1, C. Landers2
1) Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL, USA
2) Office of Global Threat Reduction, National Nuclear Security Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, D.C., USA

Abstract

The U.S Department of Energy (DOE) initiated a program — the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) — in 1978 to develop the technology necessary to reduce the use of High Enriched Uranium (HEU) fuel in research reactors by converting them to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel. In 2004, the reactor conversion program became the driving pilar of the Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI), a program established by the U.S. DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration. The overall GTRI objectives are the conversion, removal or protection of vunerable civilian radiological and nuclear material. As part of the GTRI, the Conversion Program has accelerated the schedules and plans for conversion of additional research reactors operating with HEU. This paper provides an update on the progress made since 2007 and describes current technical challenges that the program faces.

 
Paper   Presentation