OVERVIEW OF HIGH FLUX ISOTOPE REACTOR DESIGN BASES RELEVENT TO POSSIBLE CONVERSION TO LOW-ENRICHED URANIUM

In order to consider the conversion of the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) from highly enriched uranium (HEU) to low enriched uranium (LEU), a review of the design bases and key operating criteria is being performed in order to develop the scope of the engineering analyses for a fuel conversion study. The aspects of the review are discussed and include: current fuel operating parameters, enrichment-related Safety Analysis Report sections and Technical Safety Requirements, and the record of past fuel performance and current fabrication criteria that would be expected to be matched or applied or would impact the manufacture of LEU fuel. Finally, out-of-reactor issues related to a potential LEU fuel cycle will be discussed. Criteria to bound the engineering analyses are being developed and are presented. A set of reactor performance measures is being developed to quantify the impact on performance for an LEU core design, and this set is presented. The HFIR design, criteria, and performance metrics will form the bases for design analyses of the HFIR core conversion planned to be performed in 2006