Department of Energy FY 2012 Congressional ... - The FIRE Place

approach to achieving its mission to reduce and protect vulnerable nuclear and radiological material
worldwide, and denying terrorists access to nuclear and radiological materials that could be used in
weapons of mass destruction or other acts of terrorism. The Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) Reactor
Conversion subprogram supports the conversion or verified shutdown of domestic and international
civilian research reactors and isotope production facilities from HEU to Low Enriched Uranium. The
Nuclear and Radiological Material Removal subprogram supports the removal and disposal of excess,
vulnerable nuclear and radiological materials from civilian sites worldwide. The Nuclear and
Radiological Material Protection subprogram supports the securing of international and domestic
buildings containing high priority nuclear and radiological materials worldwide from theft and sabotage.
Naval Reactors (NR)
The NR Advance Test Reactor (ATR) is designed to evaluate the effects of intense radiation on material
samples, especially nuclear fuels. The principal customer for the ATR over most of its lifetime has been
the NR program. The ATR produces very high neutron flux, which allows the effects of many years of
operation in other reactor environments to be simulated in as short as one-tenth the time. Subsequent
evaluations of test specimens in the NR Expended Core Facility and the Knolls Atomic Power
Laboratory Radioactive Materials Laboratory facilities are the main source of data on the performance
of reactor fuel, poison, and structural materials under irradiated conditions. Naval Reactors continues to
develop enhanced systems for high temperature irradiation testing with precise temperature control and
environmental monitoring in the ATR.
Idaho National Laboratory
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FY 2012 Congressional Budget