Flexible Plutonium Management with IFR Technology

Conference · Sun Nov 14 00:00:00 EST 1993 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:6846831

Hannum, W. H. ^[1]; Lineberry, M. J. ^[1]

---

1. Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

From the earliest days of the development of peaceful nuclear power, it has been recognized that efficient utilization of nuclear fuel resources requires a closed fuel cycle (recycle). With a closed cycle, essentially all the energy content of mined uranium can be used, whereas a once-through light water reactor (LWR) cycle uses only [approximately]0.5%. Since weapons programs have used the PUREX process to extract plutonium, it has further been assumed that this is the appropriate technology for closing the uranium fuel cycle. In the United States, these assumptions were put into question by concerns over commerce in separated plutonium and the threat of diversion of this material for weapons use.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
• OSTI ID: 6846831
• Report Number(s): CONF-931160-; CODEN: TANSAO
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Vol. 69; Conference: American Nuclear Society (ANS) Winter Meeting , San Francisco, CA (United States), 14-18 Nov 1993; ISSN 0003-018X
• Publisher: American Nuclear Society
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
IFR REACTOR
FUEL MANAGEMENT
BURNUP
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
FUEL CYCLE
NUCLEAR FUELS
PLUTONIUM
PUREX PROCESS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
SAFEGUARDS
ACTINIDES
EFFICIENCY
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
EXPERIMENTAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
FUELS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
METALS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
REPROCESSING
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
ZERO POWER REACTORS
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
Light Water Reactor (LWR) Cycle
PUREX Process
050800* - Nuclear Fuels- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
055000 - Nuclear Fuels- Safeguards
Inspection
& Accountability