Abstracts and Available Papers Presented at the
2002 International RERTR Meeting

AUTHORISATION TO IRRADIATE TWO U3Si2 PROTOTYPE FUEL ELEMENTS IN THE RA-3 RESEARCH REACTOR

Waldman Ricardo

Nuclear Regulatory Authority - Argentina

ABSTRACT

The Argentine RA-3 research reactor (with U₃O₈-Al LEU MTR fuel type elements and in the process to increase its power from 5 MW to 10 MW since October 2002) is operated by the National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA).

After evaluating the safety studies submitted by CNEA, the Argentine Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ARN) authorised the irradiation of two U₃Si₂-Al prototype fuel elements named P‑06 and P-07, in the RA-3, in September 2000 and September 2001 respectively. These irradiations are part of the qualification programme as manufacturer (CNEA).

This report contains a brief description of the regulatory process the ARN carries out in order to approve major modifications or new experiments in research reactors; it also summarises conditions in force for operable core configurations, considers a definition of prototype fuel element and lists the main characteristics of the RA-3 research reactor. Then, the process involved in the authorisation to irradiate the prototypes P-06 and P-07 is particularly analysed.

Finally, and in case an authorisation to irradiate a prototype fuel element of a non-qualified material (such as U-Mo) in the RA-3 is requested, the regulatory aspects that should be taken into consideration are analysed. This would be the first time a question of this nature is submitted to the ARN.

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