Abstract
The U.S. Department of Energy has decided to dispose of a portion of the nation’s
surplus weapons-grade plutonium by reconstituting it into mixed oxide (MOX) fuel and irradiating
it in commercial power reactors. Four lead assemblies were manufactured with weapons-grade
MOX and irradiated to a maximum fuel rod burnup of 47.3 MWd/kg. As part of the fuel
qualification process, five fuel rods with varying burnups and plutonium contents were selected
from one of the assemblies and shipped to Oak Ridge National Laboratory for hot cell
examination. This is the first hot cell examination of weapons-grade MOX fuel. The rods have
been examined nondestructively with the ADEPT apparatus and are currently being destructively
examined. Examinations completed to date include length measurements, visual examination,
gamma scanning, profilometry, eddy-current testing, gas measurement and analysis, and optical
metallography. Representative results of these examinations are reviewed and found to be
consistent with predictions and with prior experience with reactor-grade MOX fuel. The results
will be used to support licensing of weapons-grade MOX for batch use in commercial power
reactors.
