Russian-American Symposium on the Conversion of
Research Reactors to Low Enriched Uranium Fuel
6–10 June, 2011
Moscow
RAS Presidium
Presidential Hall
(Leniniskii Road, 32a, 2nd Floor)
June 8, Wednesday
SESSION 1: WELCOME, PURPOSES, AND TASKS OF SYMPOSIUM
10:00 | Welcome and opening remarks Academician N. Laverov, co-chair of symposium (Russian Academy of Sciences) | |
10:10 | Welcome from Rosatom S.V. Kiriyenko (Rosatom) | |
10:25 | Welcome from Russian Federation Ministries of Formation and Science S.N. Mazurenko (Ministries of Formation and Science) | |
10:40 | Tasks and purpose of symposium R. Meserve, co-chair of symposium (Carnegie Institution for Science, USA) |
COFFEE BREAK (11:00 – 11:20)
11:20 | Keynote briefing: Non-proliferation and the reduction of commercial traffic in HEU P. Adelfang (International Atomic Energy Agency) | |
12:00 | Types, purposes, and conversion potential of Russian origin research reactors Yu.G. Dragunov (NIKIET) | |
12:30 | Challenges associated with converting reactors to low enriched fuel: History and prospects N.V. Arkhangelsky (Rosatom) |
LUNCH (1:00 – 2:30 pm)
2:30 | Welcome from U.S. Department of Energy T. D’Agostino (U.S. Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration) | |
2:40 | Types, purposes, and conversion potential of U.S. origin research reactors J. Roglans (Argonne National Laboratory) |
SESSION 2: OVERVIEW OF TECHNICAL CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH CONVERSION AND POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS
Panel 2.1: Technical challenges associated with conversion and potential solutions
3:00 | LEU fuel design for research reactors D. Wachs (Idaho National Laboratory) | |
3:20 | Reduced enrichment in research reactors: Current status and prospects Yu.S. Cherepnin (NIKIET) | |
3:40 | Core Modifications (U.S. viewpoint) J. Stevens (Argonne National Laboratory) | |
4:00 | Core Modifications (Russian viewpoint) I.T. Tetiyakov (NIKIET) |
COFFEE BREAK (4:20 – 4:40)
4:40 | Maintaining performance and missions (U.S. viewpoint) J. Roglans (Argonne National Laboratory) | |
5:00 | Maintaining performance and missions (Russian viewpoint) A.L. Petelin (NIIAR) | |
5:20 | Discussion and question and answer period Led by J. Snelgrove, Committee member | |
6:00 | Closing remarks |
June 9, Thursday
SESSION 2: OVERVIEW OF TECHNICAL
CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH CONVERSION
AND POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS, CONTINUED
Panel 2.2: Other technical challenges associated with conversion
10:00 | Ageing and obsolescence of research reactors H.-J. Roegler (Siemens, ret.) | |
10:15 | Ageing and obsolescence of research reactors E.P. Ryazantsev (Kurchatov Institute) | |
10:30 | Regulatory challenges (U.S. viewpoint) A. Adams (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission) | |
10:45 | Regulatory challenges (Russian viewpoint) V.S. Bezzubtsev (ROSTEXNADZOR) | |
11:00 | Challenges posed by research reactors that cannot be converted (U.S. viewpoint) J. Chamberlin (U.S. Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration) | |
11:15 | Challenges posed by research reactors that cannot be converted (Russian viewpoint) A.V. Zrodnikov (Institute for Physics and Power Engineering) |
COFFEE BREAK (11:30 – 11:50)
11:50 | Discussion and question and answer period Led by V. Ivanov, Committee Member |
Panel 2.3: How challenges associated with previously converted reactors were overcome
12:20 | Experience with solutions to conversion challenges (U.S. viewpoint) J. Matos (Argonne National Laboratory) | |
12:40 | Experience with solutions to conversion challenges (Russian viewpoint) Yu.S. Cherepnin (NIKIET) |
LUNCH (1:00 – 2:30)
2:30 | Discussion and question and answer period Led by R. Bari, (Brookhaven National Laboratory; consultant to the committee) |
SESSION 3: TECHNICAL CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED
WITH CONVERSION OF SPECIFIC U.S. AND
RUSSIAN REACTORS (CASE STUDIES)
Panel 3.1: Converting two U.S. reactors
3:00 | Challenges associated with the conversion of American reactor MITR T. Newton (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) | |
3:20 | Challenges associated with the conversion of American reactor HFIR D. Cook (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) | |
3:40 | Discussion and question and answer period Led by R. Meserve, U.S. Chair |
COFFEE BREAK (4:00 – 4:20)
Panel 3.2: Converting two Russian reactors of the six intended for conversion under the recent U.S.-Russian agreement
4:20 | Concrete challenges and solutions V.A. Starkov (NIIAR) | |
4:40 | Classification of reactors according to type of decided tasks V.A. Pavshuk (Kurchatov Institute) | |
5:00 | Discussion and question and answer period Led by N. Laverov, R.F. Chair |
Panel 3.3: Converting training research reactors
5:20 | Conversion of the U.S. training research reactors P. Wilson (University of Wisconsin, Madison) | |
5:40 | Problems with conversion of reactor IR-8 V.A. Nasonov (Kurchatov Institute) | |
6:00 | Challenges associated with converting training research reactor MIFI E.F. Kruchkov (MEPhI) | |
6:20 | Challenges associated with converting training research reactor TPU (Tomsk) Yu.A. Tzibulnikov (TPU) | |
6:40 | Discussion and question and answer period Led by A. Zrodnikov, Committee member |
June 10, Friday
SESSION 4: FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONVERSION
10:00 | Estimation of the risks of the propagation of fissionable elements with the operation of the research reactors A.N. Chebeskov (Institute for Physics and Power Engineering) | |
10:20 | Estimation of risk for research reactors B. Bari (Brookhaven National Laboratory) | |
10:40 | Desires of reactor users and the future tasks that cannot be solved today on the existing types of the research reactors A.V. Zrodnikov (Institute for Physics and Power Engineering) |
11:00 | Design and engineering of future LEU fuel for research reactors: Application to Jules Horowitz Reactor project P. Lemoine (Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique, France) | |
11:20 | Types and designs of future LEU research reactors R.P. Kuatbekov (NIKIET) |
COFFEE BREAK (11:40 – 12:00)
12:00 | Discussion and question and answer period Led by B. Myasoedov, Committee member | |
12:20 | Discussion of the actions which Russian and U.S. organizations could undertake for the realization of the conversion of research reactors | |
12:50 | Summary of symposium results R. Meserve, U.S. Chair N. Laverov, R.F. Chair | |
1:10 | Adjourn symposium |