Year
1968
Abstract
The Zero Power Reactor facility, recently completed at the National Reactor Testing Station in Idaho, will require a fuel inventory of 3,000 kilograms of plu- tonlum consisting of more than 15,000 fuel elements. The fuel elements are 2\" x 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8\" x 1/4\" thick rectangular plates jacketed in 304 stainless steel 0.015\" thick. The plutonium fuel is in the form of a ternary alloy 69.3 w/o depleted uranium, 28.2 w/o plutoniura, and 2.5 w/o molybdenum. The plutonium is 86.6% Pu-239, 11.5% Pu-240, 1.7% Pu-241 and .2% Pu-242. The nondestructive assay of ZPPR elements for Pu-239 by ganma ray spec- trometry is being done at Argonne National Laboratory by the Quality Evaluation Section of the Special Materials Division for accountability purposes. A computer operated system that handles up to 48 eleraents at a tine is being used for the nondestructive assay. The equipment was put into operation February 1 and has been handling approximately 1,000 elements per month since that date.