Beryllium oxide is a manmade compound and was discovered not too long ago. This colourless solid is a notable electrical insulator with a higher thermal conductivity than any other nonmetal except diamond, and exceeds that of most metals. Beryllium was used as a neutron reflector to reduce the size of reactor cores. In closely packed circuitry like that in the electronic ignition systems of automobiles, beryllium ceramic layers can draw heat away from other circuit. Beryllium oxide beo was studied extensively as a fi ssion reactor moderator throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Investigation of beo as a reflector for the low power.
It is usually loaded into fuel assemblies near the periphery of the core, because the sourcerange excore detectors are installed outside the pressure vessel. Experimental 25 x 25 x 1 mm samples of beryllium metal 99 % and beryllium oxide 99. High thermal conductivity of beryllium and beryllium oxide has led to their use in heat transport and heat sinking applications. The compound consists of one beryllium atom and one oxygen atom. Beryllium is a specialty high temperature fluxing oxide available as a pure material in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. It is not yet possible to find experimentally an influence of the dose rate on radiation. White, refractory, thermally stable, volatile in vapor stream and steam of o2. Development of thermal models and analysis of uo2beo fuel. Beryllium ores contain no more than 5% be, because it is so light. Beryllium reacts with acids and with water to form hydrogen gas. Beryllium oxide possesses attractive nuclear and hightemperature properties which justify its consideration and use in a number of reactor systems. Remember that metallic oxides react with water to produce metallic hydroxides, such as beoh2.
It is manufactured from beryl, an igneous mineral silicate of beryllium and aluminum containing about 1214% beryllium. Beryllium oxide is an insoluble source of beryllium available in powder and dense pellet form for such uses as optical coating and thin film applications. Beryllium oxide market global industry analysis and. Beo specimens of selected compositions and densities were irradiated. Beryllium oxide beo, is also commonly referred to as beryllia. The experimental fusion reactor iter, currently under construction in cadarache, france, is transferring the nuclear fusion research to the power plant scale. Dec 24, 2014 the possibility of using uo2beo fuel in a vver reactor is considered with allowance for the thermophysical properties of this fuel. Its high melting point leads to its use as a refractory material. Beryllium never occurs as a free element, only as a compound. Beryllium oxide has many key physical and chemical properties that contribute to its usefulness. The hazard fields include special hazard alerts air and water reactions, fire hazards, health hazards, a reactivity profile, and details about reactive groups assignments and potentially incompatible absorbents.
Experimental study of elmlike heat loading on beryllium. Beoh2 reacts with water according to the following equation. Sintered beo is a very stable ceramic and is used in a. Our nuclear grade beryllium is the reference grade for the international thermonuclear experimental reactor iter, a cuttingedge fusion energy program. The research was aimed at developing an advanced hightemperature pebblebed reactor pbr, using beryllium oxide for the moderatorbeo pebbles, not graphite. Because uranium oxide does not conduct heat well, during a reactors operation there is. Nuclear street nuclear power plant news, jobs, and careers. On the possibility of using uraniumberyllium oxide fuel. Neutron characteristics of vver fuel assemblies with uo2beo fuel pellets are estimated. Small fraction of high conductivity beo in uo 2 fuel significantly improves thermal. Summary of beo development work for the experimental. The design of the russian demotype fusion power reactor fpr demos with fusion power of 2.
Beryllium oxide is used in a wide range of applications. The experimental beryllium oxide reactor ebor program. It is an electrical insulator and its thermal conductivity is such that it is higher than any other nonmetal except diamond, and actually exceeds that of. It is used in nuclear weapons for the same purpose. Beryllium oxide as well can be used as a reflector in the low power research reactor. The high toxicity of the beryllium oxide powders when inhaled, and the high cost of the raw material, has limited its use to applications that exploit its singular properties.
Beryllium oxide data page language watch edit this page provides supplementary chemical data on beryllium oxide. Beryllium oxide definition of beryllium oxide by the free. Beryllium oxide beo, also known as beryllia, is an inorganic compound with the formula beo. Beryllium and beryllium oxide are attractive candidate materials for neutron reflector application in space reactors due to their beneficial combination of low density and high neutron moderation and reflection capabilities. The oxide has a very high melting point and is also used in nuclear work and ceramic applications. The oxidation number of beryllium in beryllia is 2. Experimental reactor iter and therefore nuclear performance has been a fo cus. Enthalpy of formation of liquid at standard conditions.
Beryllium was considered a promising material for hightemperature nuclear reactors carbon, of course, cannot be used. Beryllium and its salts are toxic and should be handled with the greatest of care. This skeleton of beryllium oxide enables the nuclear fuel to conduct. Regeneration of beryllium oxide irradiated in a reactor. Beryllium fluoride is another insoluble form for uses in which oxygen is undesirable such as metallurgy, chemical and physical vapor deposition and in some optical coatings. This process is experimental and the keywords may be. It can also be used as a modifier and opacifier at lower temperatures. The amount of beryllium in the european design of 3. Predicted data is generated using the us environmental protection agencys episuite. Beryllium oxide beo, which is commonly referred to as beryllia, is endowed with a virtuously unique combination of thermal, electrical, optical, and mechanical properties which may be exploited for a diverse range of applications from thermal management systems for integrated electronics to high temperature high performance refractory components for nuclear. Shows amphoteric properties, reacts with concentrated acids and alkalis, acid and basic oxides.
Nov 01, 2016 the design of the russian demotype fusion power reactor fpr demos with fusion power of 2. Its early consideration for the moderator and fuel matrix material in the proposed daniels reactor in 1945 is of historical significance. The chemical and physical properties of beryllium including low atomic number and large neutron scattering crosssection make it an ideal. Use of beryllium and beryllium oxide in space reactors.
Purdue engineers create safer, more efficient nuclear fuel. Beryllium oxide beo is a toxic material, but its combination of high thermal conductivity and low expansion coefficient make it seem like a magical solution to a lot of semiconductor heat problems. Pdf use of beryllium and beryllium oxide in space reactors. Based on application, the global beryllium oxide market can be segmented into electronics, microwave ovens, medical, military, energy, and laser. Experimental 25 x 25 x 1mm samples of beryllium metal 99% and beryllium oxide 99. Beryllium oxide is made through the calcination heating of beryllium hydroxide. The project started on february 17, 1958 as the maritime gascooled reactor. S liquid,1 bar entropy of liquid at standard conditions 1 bar s solid,1 bar entropy of solid at standard conditions 1 bar. Progress is reported on reactor development, reactor physics, and materials development. Drawbacks to their use include the expense of working with toxic materials, a limited industrial infrastructure, and material properties that are. China high purity beryllium oxide cas 4569 manufacturers.
Materion has a strong heritage working with the nuclear energy market, providing beryllium materials that support the operation of nuclear test reactors and experimental fusion reactors. Osteogenic sarcoma after inhalation of beryllium oxide. Oxide beryllium beryllium oxide these keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. The use of beo in advanced reactor concepts sciencedirect. Van dijck nuclear research centre sckcen, mol, belgium abstract br2 is a 100 mw tank type material test reactor which reached its first criticality on 29 june 1961 and. S65 beryllium metal was chosen for the walls in iter and for breeder pebbles because it offers superior resistance to cracking under high heat flux thermal cycling. Feb 10, 2009 the objective of the research is to develop for commercial use an enhanced uranium oxide beryllium oxide nuclear fuel for both current and future nuclear power reactors. Beryllium moderated reactors a molten salt reactor msr is a class of nuclear fission reactors in which the primary coolant, or even the fuel itself, is a molten salt mixture. Ibcs enhanced beo nuclear fuel exceeds thermal conductivity. The experimental beryllium oxide reactor ebor was a 10mwt helium cooled beryllium moderated nuclear reactor at idaho national laboratory. Beryllium is used in numerous research reactors to moderate neutron energy and to reflect neutrons back into the core, thus intensifying the thermal neutron flux. It reacts briefly with oxygen in the air to form beryllium oxide beo. Beryllium and its compounds should not be tasted to verify the sweetish nature of beryllium as did early experimenters.
Msrs run at higher temperatures than watercooled reactors for higher thermodynamic efficiency, while staying at low vapor pressure. Progress made in the development of the experimental beryllium oxide reactor ebor is reported. It is produced as a white amorphous powder and sintered into larger shapes. The possibility of using uo2beo fuel in a vver reactor is considered with allowance for the thermophysical properties of this fuel. Currently, beo is being used, or planned for use, in the general atomic experimental beryllium oxide reactor ebor, the aerojet general gascooled reactor gcre, the atomics international snap reactors, and the lawrence radiation laboratory pluto ramjet reactor. The objective of the ebor program is to develop a gascooled, beryllium oxidemoderated reactor which can be used in conjunction with a closedcycle gas turbine or a steam cycle for a small landbased or a maritime power plant. Pdf beryllium and beryllium oxide are attractive candidate materials for. Scientific research and development supplier details. Its density is higher than the density of the be reflector ding and kloosterman, 20. Currently, beo is being used, or planned for use, in the general atomic experimental beryllium oxide reactor ebor, the aerojet general gascooled reactor. Working safely with beryllium oxide occupational health. Van dijck nuclear research centre sckcen, mol, belgium abstract br2 is a 100 mw tank type material test reactor which reached its first criticality on 29 june 1961 and is in power operation since january 1963.
At we advise you against using this compound in any design. This facility used no special ppe in its production operations and employed housekeeping as an administrative control in most areas as part of the process. The beryllium oxide forms a thin skin on the surface of the metal that prevents the metal from reacting further with oxygen. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
The status of the experimental beryllium oxide reactor ebor being designed by general atomic and its use as a testing facility for beryllium oxide and. Apr 03, 2001 beryllium oxide beo is unique for oxides as it combines excellent electrical insulating properties with high thermal conductivity. Beryllium oxide definition of beryllium oxide by the. Purdue engineers create safer, more efficient nuclear fuel, model its. It is an electrical insulator and its thermal conductivity is such that it is higher than any other nonmetal except diamond, and actually. The only fluoride fuel available at that time was a mixture of sodium, zirconium, and uranium fluorides in which the. Mar 16, 2005 beryllium and beryllium oxide are attractive candidate materials for neutron reflector application in space reactors due to their beneficial combination of low density and high neutron moderation and reflection capabilities.
The objective of the research is to develop for commercial use an enhanced uranium oxide beryllium oxide nuclear fuel for both current and future nuclear power reactors. The experimental beryllium oxide reactor is described. Table 1 shows the physical characteristics of different types of reflectors usually used in the low power research reactors u. These products range from heat sinks, crucibles, rods, washers, and thermocouple tubing to large monolithic radar and nuclear, and custommade substrate components for a diverse. The beryllium oxide is like a heat pipe that sucks the heat out and helps to more efficiently cool the fuel pellet, solomon said. Impurities like carbon, trapped with the crystals can give a variety of colors to this material. A mathematical model developed by revankar and latta has been shown to accurately predict the performance of the experimental fuel and will be used in future work to further develop the fuel, revankar said. The primary attraction to this material in addition to its moderating powerit. Sbbe neutron source is typical external neutron source used in commercial nuclear reactors. A molten salt reactor msr is a class of nuclear fission reactors in which the primary coolant, or even the fuel itself, is a molten salt mixture. Beryllium oxide synonyms, beryllium oxide pronunciation, beryllium oxide translation, english dictionary definition of beryllium oxide. Dimensional changes due to radiation were in the range below 1. On the possibility of using uraniumberyllium oxide fuel in a.
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