Abstract
The production of238Pu as a heat generation source for radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) was active at the Savannah River Site (SRS) from the 1960s-1990s. Stockpiles of this valuable radioisotope have decreased over the last few decades and more material must be produced to support future deep space exploration missions. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has initiated efforts to establish a reliable production facility to replenish this resource by transmuting237Np into238Pu. Like the SRS, ORNL uses a mechanically pressed ceramic/metallic (cermet) pellet that blends237Np (in the form of ceramic NpO2 powder) with aluminum powder. A “Generation I” target containing 52 such pellets has been qualified for irradiation at the High Flux Isotope Reactor at ORNL. The next “Generation II” target design incorporates lessons learned from the previous qualification exercise to develop a further optimized irradiation vehicle design. This paper discusses the evolution of the cermet targets at ORNL and provides details on the Generation II design.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space, NETS 2018 |
Publisher | American Nuclear Society |
Pages | 368-371 |
Number of pages | 4 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781510859609 |
State | Published - 2016 |
Event | Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space, NETS 2018 - Las Vegas, United States Duration: Feb 26 2018 → Mar 1 2018 |
Publication series
Name | Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space, NETS 2018 |
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Conference
Conference | Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space, NETS 2018 |
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Country/Territory | United States |
City | Las Vegas |
Period | 02/26/18 → 03/1/18 |
Funding
This program is provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration through the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy. This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the U.S. Department of Energy. The United States Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, world-wide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes. The Department of Energy will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan. Funding for this program is provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration through the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy.