New Specification for Commercial Grade High Assay Low Enriched Uranium Metal
1. Scope
This specification covers uranium metal that has processed from commercial natural uranium hexafluoride or enriched commercial grade uranium hexafluoride of a 235U mass fraction above 5% and less than 20?% and that is intended for nuclear reactor fuel fabrication. The objective is to define the physical, chemical, and radionuclide requirements for commercial grade high assay low enriched uranium metal. Radionuclide limits are set so as to have little to no impact on the use of this material in existing and future facilities designed to process unirradiated uranium. This specification is intended to provide the nuclear industry with a standard for high assay low enriched uranium metal which is to be used in the production of fast spectrum nuclear reactor fuel.
Keywords
high assay low enriched uranium (HALEU); nuclear fuel; reactor fuel; uranium metal
Rationale
A HALEU metal standard is needed to provide requirements for the enricher, deconversion/reduction processors, and fuel fabricators in the production of Generation IV fast reactor fuel.
