Nonproliferation Uncertainties, a Major Barrier to Used Nuclear Fuel Recycle in the United States

Conference · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2011

OSTI ID:1025398

Collins, Emory D ^[1]; Ehinger, Michael H ^[1]

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1. ORNL

A study and comparison of the goals and understandings of nonproliferation authorities with those of used nuclear fuel (UNF) recycle advocates have uncovered (1) some of the basic reasons for the creation of uncertainties by each of the parties, (2) why these uncertainties have become a major barrier to a decision to recycle UNF components in the United States, and (3) what steps can be taken to clarify these uncertainties. Recent papers and viewpoints expressed by nonproliferation authorities and technical consultants were reviewed, summarized, and compared with results of recent fuel cycle systems analyses made at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. 1 Similarities and differences were identified, including both technical and policy factors. Nonproliferation authorities and a few UNF recycle advocates have recognized that the reprocessing technologies used for UNF component recycle do not offer significant nonproliferation differences; thus, the methods used can be chosen on some other basis, such as process efficiency, maturity, and/or economics. This paper reviews the safeguards implications beyond the simple assessment of UNF recycle technology selection. Differences in understanding that led to uncertainty barriers to UNF recycle include (1) the vulnerability of unseparated UNF, (2) the effects of time factors on production and accumulation of fissile plutonium isotopes and decay of the ?self-protecting radiation barrier,? (3) the chemistry of UNF components and relative ease of separation, and (4) the significant differences in commercialscale ?safeguards-by-design? UNF recycle facilities and smaller-scale covert operations. Application of safeguards-by-design and engineered safeguards can provide the defense-in-depth necessary for sufficient safeguards. Establishing these requirements for governing acceptable commercial UNF component recycle is essential.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: DE-AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1025398
• Resource Relation: Conference: Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM), Palm Desert, CA, USA, 20110717, 20110721
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
CHEMISTRY
CONSULTANTS
DECAY
ECONOMICS
EFFICIENCY
FUEL CYCLE
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
ORNL
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
PRODUCTION
PROLIFERATION
RADIATIONS
REPROCESSING
SAFEGUARDS
VULNERABILITY
SPENT FUELS