Nuclear fuels technologies: Thermally induced gallium removal system (TIGRS), fiscal year 1998 research and development test plan

摘要

This document details the research and development (R and D) activities that will be conducted in Fiscal Year 1998 (FY98) by the Thermally Induced Gallium Removal System (TIGRS) team for the Department of Energy Office of Fissile Materials Disposition. This work is a continuation and extension of experimental activities that have been conducted in support of using weapons- derived plutonium in the fabrication of mixed-oxide (MOX) nuclear fuel for reactor-based plutonium disposition. The ultimate purpose of this work is to demonstrate adequate Thermally Induced Gallium Removal with a prototypic system. This Test Plan presents more than the FY98 R and D efforts in order to frame the Task in its entirety. To achieve the TIGRS Program objectives, R and D activities during the next two years focuses on (1) process development leading to a prototypic TIGRS design, and (2) prototypic TIGRS design and testing leading to and including a prototypic demonstration of TIGRS operation. Both the process development and system testing efforts consist of a series of surrogate-based cold tests and plutonium-based hot tests.