Control of civilian plutonium inventories using burning in a non-fertile fuel

The increasing inventories of plutonium generated by commercial nuclear power production represent a potential source for proliferation of nuclear weapons. To address this threat we propose separating the plutonium from the other constituents of commercial reactor spent fuel and burning it in a non-...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of nuclear materials 1997-05, Vol.245 (1), p.17-26
Main Authors: Oversby, V.M., McPheeters, C.C., Degueldre, C., Paratte, J.M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Combustion
Plutonium
Q1
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Summary:The increasing inventories of plutonium generated by commercial nuclear power production represent a potential source for proliferation of nuclear weapons. To address this threat we propose separating the plutonium from the other constituents of commercial reactor spent fuel and burning it in a non-fertile fuel based on a zirconium dioxide matrix. The separation can be performed by the Purex process currently in use, but we recommend development of a more compact separation technology that would produce less secondary waste than currently used technology and would allow for more stringent accounting of plutonium inventories. The non-fertile fuel is designed for use in conventional light water power reactors and does not require development of new reactor technology.
ISSN:0022-3115
1873-4820
DOI:10.1016/S0022-3115(96)00751-9