Converting research and development facilities and operations into a238pu production process

E. D. Collins, R. M. Wham

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

Production of238Pu for use in radioisotope thermoelectric generators that provide power for instruments on deep space missions is being resumed in the United States. Plutonium-238 was previously produced at the Savannah River Site during the 1960s–1990s in large production reactors and facilities that are no longer available. Use of existing research reactors and radiochemical processing facilities is necessary to resume production of 1.5-2 kg/y of heat source dioxide (PuO2) with ≥ 82%238Pu in the total Pu. Scaling up and converting existing research facilities for production poses significant challenges, but progress is being made in early operations.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationNuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space, NETS 2018
PublisherAmerican Nuclear Society
Pages110-113
Number of pages4
ISBN (Print)9781510859609
StatePublished - 2016
EventNuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space, NETS 2018 - Las Vegas, United States
Duration: Feb 26 2018Mar 1 2018

Publication series

NameNuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space, NETS 2018

Conference

ConferenceNuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space, NETS 2018
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityLas Vegas
Period02/26/1803/1/18

Funding

This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the US Department of Energy (DOE). The US government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for US government purposes. DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan (http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan). Funding for this program is provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration through the US Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy.

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