A Review of Candidates for a Validation Data Set for High-Assay Low-Enrichment Uranium Fuels
Many advanced reactor concept designs rely on high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel, enriched up to approximately 19.75% <sup>235</sup>U by weight. Efforts are underway by the US government to increase HALEU production in the United States to meet anticipated needs. However, very...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Nuclear Engineering |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4362/4/3/38 |
| _version_ | 1797579288768151552 |
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| author | Mark D. DeHart John Darrell Bess Germina Ilas |
| author_facet | Mark D. DeHart John Darrell Bess Germina Ilas |
| author_sort | Mark D. DeHart |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Many advanced reactor concept designs rely on high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel, enriched up to approximately 19.75% <sup>235</sup>U by weight. Efforts are underway by the US government to increase HALEU production in the United States to meet anticipated needs. However, very few data exist for validation of computational models that include HALEU, beyond a few fresh fuel benchmark specifications in the International Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation Project. Nevertheless, there are other data with potential value available for developing into quality benchmarks for use in data- and software-validation efforts. This paper reviews the available evaluated HALEU fuel benchmarks and some of the potentially relevant benchmarks for fresh highly enriched uranium. It then introduces experimental data for HALEU fuel irradiated at Idaho National Laboratory, from relatively recent irradiation programs at the Advanced Test Reactor. Such data should be evaluated and, if valuable, collected into detailed benchmark specifications to meet the needs of HALEU-based reactor designers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:35:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-412c6b6efc82447b9f8f0d07f6e7f501 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-4362 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:35:00Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Nuclear Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-412c6b6efc82447b9f8f0d07f6e7f5012023-11-19T11:28:12ZengMDPI AGJournal of Nuclear Engineering2673-43622023-08-014360262410.3390/jne4030038A Review of Candidates for a Validation Data Set for High-Assay Low-Enrichment Uranium FuelsMark D. DeHart0John Darrell Bess1Germina Ilas2Idaho National Laboratory, 2525 N. Fremont Ave., Idaho Falls, ID 83415, USAJFoster and Associates, 425 N Capital Ave., Idaho Falls, ID 83402, USAOak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USAMany advanced reactor concept designs rely on high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel, enriched up to approximately 19.75% <sup>235</sup>U by weight. Efforts are underway by the US government to increase HALEU production in the United States to meet anticipated needs. However, very few data exist for validation of computational models that include HALEU, beyond a few fresh fuel benchmark specifications in the International Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation Project. Nevertheless, there are other data with potential value available for developing into quality benchmarks for use in data- and software-validation efforts. This paper reviews the available evaluated HALEU fuel benchmarks and some of the potentially relevant benchmarks for fresh highly enriched uranium. It then introduces experimental data for HALEU fuel irradiated at Idaho National Laboratory, from relatively recent irradiation programs at the Advanced Test Reactor. Such data should be evaluated and, if valuable, collected into detailed benchmark specifications to meet the needs of HALEU-based reactor designers.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4362/4/3/38HALEUhigh-assay LEUadvanced reactorsvalidationDOENRC |
| spellingShingle | Mark D. DeHart John Darrell Bess Germina Ilas A Review of Candidates for a Validation Data Set for High-Assay Low-Enrichment Uranium Fuels Journal of Nuclear Engineering HALEU high-assay LEU advanced reactors validation DOE NRC |
| title | A Review of Candidates for a Validation Data Set for High-Assay Low-Enrichment Uranium Fuels |
| title_full | A Review of Candidates for a Validation Data Set for High-Assay Low-Enrichment Uranium Fuels |
| title_fullStr | A Review of Candidates for a Validation Data Set for High-Assay Low-Enrichment Uranium Fuels |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Review of Candidates for a Validation Data Set for High-Assay Low-Enrichment Uranium Fuels |
| title_short | A Review of Candidates for a Validation Data Set for High-Assay Low-Enrichment Uranium Fuels |
| title_sort | review of candidates for a validation data set for high assay low enrichment uranium fuels |
| topic | HALEU high-assay LEU advanced reactors validation DOE NRC |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4362/4/3/38 |
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