2011 Progress Report on HEU Minimization Activities in Argentina

After the core conversion of the RA-6 reactor finished in March 2008, an extension of the original CNEA-NNSA DoE contract was signed to enhance the final national HEU inventories minimization. Before this process, CNEA reserved a small inventory of HEU for R and D uses in fission chambers, neutronic probes and standards. This minimization comprises that all fresh and irradiated HEU remnant inventories coming from fuels and Mo99 irradiation targets fabrication and irradiated HEU-oxides retained in production filters and solutions will be recovered, down-blended into LEU and purified or dispose as waste whenever its recovery would not be advisable due to cost-benefit consideration. CNEA has a R and D program to develop the fabrication technology of both dispersed U-Mo (Al-Si matrix and Al cladding) and monolithic (Zry-4 cladding) miniplates to support the qualification activities of the RERTR program. Some monolithic 58% enrichment and LEU 8%Mo and U10%Mo miniplates and plates were and are being delivered to INL-DoE to be irradiated in the ATR reactor core. CNEA, a worldwide leader on LEU technology for fission radioisotope production is providing Brazil with 1/3 of the national requirements on Mo99 by weekly deliveries. Australia has started the fission radioisotope production through several batches by week, based on CNEA's LEU technology provided by INVAP SE. CNEA is also committed to improve the diffusion of LEU target and radiochemical technology for radioisotope production and target and process optimization. Future plans include: 1. Plans to recover and purify the LEU based inventories in Mo99 production filters, once the HEU to LEU campaign is over. 2. Fabrication and delivering to INL to be irradiated in the ATR core of U-8%Mo and U-10%Mo monolithic miniplates and development and fabrication of LEU very high density monolithic and dispersed U-Mo fuel plates with Zr cladding for the FUTURE-MONO experiment in the frame of the RERTR program. 3. Optimization of LEU target and radiochemical techniques for radioisotope production. (author)