Research Reactor Section
International Working Group - Conversion Planning Areas
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U-Metal/Foil Targets | U-silicide (U3Si2) Targets | Relevant Experience from Fuel Development | Front-End Adaptive Processing | Back-End Management | Working Group Consultancy - August 2010 | Technical Meeting on Conversion - December 2011
HIGH DENSITY, LEU TARGET DEVELOPMENT
Commercially available, high density (U ≥ 6 g/cm3 in the target meat) LEU targets would enable current producers to obtain Mo-99 at ‘per target’ levels equivalent to currently available HEU targets. Details on potential technologies may be found below.
U-metal / Foil
U-metal foil produced by Y-12/USA
Active development work is underway via collaboration between the USA (Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Missouri) and Romania (Institute of Nuclear Research). A Stakeholder Survey – was distributed in September to help finalize a U-foil test program.Responses to the survey were incorporated into a draft experiment plan.
- Turner, Kyler and Gary Solbrekken "Comparison of Uniform and Non-Uniform Heating in the Plate Type LEU Foil Based Molybdenum-99 Production Target," University of Missouri, USA (2011)
- Vandegrift, George F. and Lloyd Jollay "Developing a US Supply of Mo-99 Using Low-Enriched Uranium," Argonne National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA, (2011)
- Govindarajan, S.G.., "Meshing/elements in Abaqus," University of Missouri Research Reactor (2011).
- El-Gizawy, S., Graybill, B., Berlin, J., Ferner, E., and Hoyer, A., "Large Scale Production of Mo-99," University of Missouri Research Reactor (2011).
- Govindarajan, S.G.., "Annular Target Numerical Modeling Update," University of Missouri Research Reactor (2011).
- Makarewicz, P.F., "Molybdenum-99 Thermal/Mechanical/Hydraulic Experimental Tools Update," University of Missouri, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (2011).
- Turner, K., "Molybdenum-99 Benchmarking Progress." University of Missouri, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (2011).
- Turner, K. K., Solbrekken, G. L., Allen, C. W., "Thermal-Mechanical Analysis of Annular Target Design for High Volume Production of Molybdenum-99 using Low-Enriched Uranium," Proceedings of the ASME 2009 International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition IMECE2009, November 13-19, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA (2009).
- McDonell, William R., George R. Caskey, and Carl L. Angerman, "High-Performance Uranium-Metal Fuels for Savannah River Reactors," Symposium on 50 Years of Excellence in Science and Engineering at the Savannah River Site (2000).
- Chen, L., Dong, B., Buchholz, B. A., Vandegrift, G. F., and Wu D., "Progress in Alkaline Peroxide Dissolution of Low-Enriched Uranium Metal and Silicide Targets," Proceedings of the 1996 International Meeting on Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors, Seoul, Korea, 7-10 October (1996).
- Dong, D. and Vandegrift, G., "Processing of LEU Targets for Mo-99 Production -- Dissolution of Metal Foil Targets by Alkaline Hydrogen Peroxide," Proceedings of the 1995 International Meeting on Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors, Paris, France, 18-21 September (1995).
- Angerman, C. L., and McDonell, W. R., "Irradiation Behavior of Uranium Fuel Tubes in a Pressurized Heavy-Water Reactor," Nuclear Science and Engineering: 28, 42-50 (1967).
U-silicide (U3Si2)
- Snelgrove, J.L., "Qualification Status of 6-gU/cm3 U3Si2 Dispersion Targets for 99Mo Production," Argonne National Laboratory, 20 April (2011).
- Sameh, A.A., "Production of Fission Mo-99 from LEU Uranium Silicide target materials," 2000 Symposium on Isotope and Radiation Applications, Taiwan, China, 18-20 May (2000).
- Sameh, A.A., "Complete Patent List."
- Chen, L., Dong, B., Buchholz, B. A., Vandegrift, G. F., and Wu D., "Progress in Alkaline Peroxide Dissolution of Low-Enriched Uranium Metal and Silicide Targets,"< Proceedings of the 1996 International Meeting on Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors, Seoul, Korea, 7-10 October (1996).
- Buchholz, B.A., and Vandegrift, G.F., "Processing of LEU targets for Mo-99 Production – Dissolution of U3Si2 targets by alkaline hydrogen peroxide," Proceedings of the 1995 International Meeting on Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors, Paris, France, 18-21 September (1995).
- Sameh, A.A., "United States Patent: Process for Treating Dissolution Residues." US Patent Office (1995).
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE FROM RR FUEL DEVELOPMENT
- Argonne National Laboratory, "The Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors Program," Argonne National Laboratory/US Department of Energy.
- IAEA, "Good practices for qualifications of high density low-enriched uranium research reactor fuels," IAEA Nuclear Energy Series NF-T-5.2, Vienna, (2009).
- Durand, J.P., Duban, B., and Lavastre, Y., "25 years experience in U3Si2 fuel manufacturing," Proceedings of the 2003 International Meeting on Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors, Chicago, Illinois, USA, 5-10 October (2003).
- McDonell, William R., George R. Caskey, and Carl L. Angerman, "High-Performance Uranium-Metal Fuels for Savannah River Reactors," Symposium on 50 Years of Excellence in Science and Engineering at the Savannah River Site (2000).
- Chaussy, J.M. and Beylot, J.P., "Qualification of high-density, low-enriched U3Si2 for material testing reactor," Proceedings of the Third International Meeting on Research Reactor Fuel Management, Bruges, Belgium, 28-30 March (1999)
- Durand, J.P., Ottone, J.C., Mahe, M., and Ferraz, G., "LEU fuel development at CERCA: Status as of October 1998," Proceedings of the 1998 International Meeting on Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 18-23 October (1998).
- IAEA, IAEA TECDOC Series No. 643, "Research Reactor Core Conversion Guidebook, Volume 4: Fuels (Appendices I-K)," Vienna (1992).
- Durand, J.P., Fanjas, Y., and Tissier, A., "Development of Higher Density Fuel at CERCA: Status as of October 1992," Proceedings of the 1992 International Meeting on Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors, Roskilde, Denmark, 27 September - 1 October (1992).
- US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, "Safety Evaluation Report related to the evaluation of low-enriched uranium silicide-aluminum dispersion fuel for use in non-power reactors," Washington DC (1988).
FRONT-END ADAPTIVE PROCESSING
- Jerden Jr., J.L, Stepinski, D.C., Gelis, A., and Vandegrift, G.F., "Front-End Processes for Conversion of Current HEU-Based Alkaline Processes to LEU Foil Targets: Volumes and Compositions of All Waste, Product, and Off-Gas Streams from Both Front-End Options." Argonne National Laboratory (2011).
BACK-END MANAGEMENT
- IAEA, "Management of Radioactive Waste from Mo-99 Production," TECDOC-1051, Vienna, (1998).
IWG CONSULTANCY MEETING (AUGUST 2010)
- Staples, P. "Global Threat Reduction Initiative." (Department of Energy, USA)
- Sameh, A.A. "HEU and LEU Mo-99 production experiences including the use of high density and/or metallic uranium targets, Karlsruhe to Petten."
- Beyer, G. "The Rossendorf Experiences in Fission-based Mo-99 Production." (Gamma-Service Group International)
- Vandegrift, G. "Argonne-design annular LEU foil target and possible use in alkaline-based processes." (Argonne National Laboratory, USA)
- Jollay, A. "LEU-foil target development, qualification and manufacturing." (USA)
- Ball, G. "Experiences on HEU to LEU Mo-99 production conversion at NTP." (NTP, South Africa)
- Briyatmoko, B. "Experience of HEU to LEU Mo-99 Production Conversion." (BATAN, Indonesia)
- Cameron, R. "The costs of LEU conversion." (OECD Nuclear Energy Agency)
- Stewart, M. "SYNROC – Demonstrated capabilities, project status and related Mo-99 production applicability." (ANSTO, Australia)
- Kuznetsov, R. "Establishing Mo-99 production facility at Research Institute of Atomic Reactors, Dimitrovgrad, Russia." (Russia)
- Kim, C.K. "KAERI Recent Activities on Research Reactor Fuel." (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, ROK)
- Toma, C. "Technical Feasibility of producing Mo-99 in Triga 14 MW reactor and hot cells." (Institute for Nuclear Research, Romania)
- Preliminary Questions for Working Groups
- Front-End Adaptive Processing Group
- Jerden, J., J. Bailey and L. Hafenrichter. "Progress Report in Developing Ambient Pressure Nitric-Acid Dissolution LEU Foils," Argonne National Laboratory, 2011
- Stepinski, D., E. Krahn, P. Chung and G. Vandegrift. "Design of Column Separation Processes for Recovery of Molybdenum from Dissolved High Density LEU Target," Argonne National Laboratory, 2011
- Gelis, A. "Progress Report in Developing Electrochemical Dissolution of LEU Foils," Argonne National Laboratory, 2011
- ANL Presentation at RERTR 2011: "GTRI Progress in Technology DEvelopment for COnversion of Mo-99 Production to LEU," 2011
- ANL Paper at RERTR 2011: "GTRI Progress in Technology DEvelopment for COnversion of Mo-99 Production to LEU," 2011
TECHNICAL MEETING ON CONVERSION PLANNING - (DECEMBER 2011)
Working Groups
Agenda
Argonne National Laboratory Site and Meeting Information
Material for Working Groups:
For further information please contact:
- Alisa Carrigan, a.carrigan@iaea.org (phone) +43-1-2600-25126
- Ed Bradley, e.bradley@iaea.org (phone) +43-1-2600-22759
- research.reactors@iaea.org
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