Abstracts and Available Papers Presented at the
2004 International RERTR Meeting

Management of Spent Fuel from Research Reactors - Brazilian Progress Report (within the framework of Regional Project IAEA-RLA-4/018)

Soares, A. J.  & Silva, J. E. R.
IPEN - CNEN/SP – Brazil

ABSTRACT
 

There are four research reactors in Brazil. For three of them, because of the low reactor power and low burn-up of the fuel, except for the concern about ageing, spent fuel storage is not a problem. However for one of the reactors, more specifically IEA-R1 research reactor, the storage of spent fuel is a major concern, because, according to the proposed operation schedule for the reactor, unless an action is taken, by the year 2009 there will be no more racks available to store its spent fuel. This paper gives a brief description of the type and amount of fuel elements utilized in each one of the Brazilian research reactors, with a short discussion about the storage capacity at each installation. It also gives a description of the activities developed by Brazilian engineers and researchers during the period between 2001 and 2004, within the framework of regional project “RLA-4/018-Management of Spent Fuel from Research Reactors”. As a conclusion, we can say that the advances of the project, and the integration promoted among the engineers and researchers of the participant countries were of fundamental importance for Brazilian researchers and engineers to understand the problems related to the storage of spent fuel, and to make a clear definition about the most suitable alternatives for interim storage of the spent fuel from IEAR1 research reactor.

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