Weapons-grade plutonium dispositioning. Volume 1: Executive summary

Technical Report · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10167895· OSTI ID:10167895

Parks, D L; Sauerbrun, T J

The Secretary of Energy requested the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Committee on International Security and Arms Control to evaluate dispositioning options for weapons-grade plutonium. The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) assisted NAS in this evaluation by investigating the technical aspects of the dispositioning options and their capability for achieving plutonium annihilation levels greater than 90%. Additionally, the INEL investigated the feasibility of using plutonium fuels (without uranium) for disposal in existing light water reactors and provided a preconceptual analysis for a reactor specifically designed for destruction of weapons-grade plutonium. This four-volume report was prepared for NAS to document the findings of these studies. Volume 2 evaluates 12 plutonium dispositioning options. Volume 3 considers a concept for a low-temperature, low-pressure, low-power-density, low-coolant-flow-rate light water reactor that quickly destroys plutonium without using uranium or thorium. This reactor concept does not produce electricity and has no other mission than the destruction of plutonium. Volume 4 addresses neutronic performance, fabrication technology, and fuel performance and compatibility issues for zirconium-plutonium oxide fuels and aluminum-plutonium metallic fuels. This volumes gives summaries of Volumes 2--4.

• Research Organization: USDOE Idaho Field Office, Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-76ID01570
• OSTI ID: 10167895
• Report Number(s): DOE/ID--10422-Vol.1; ON: DE94015246
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

055001
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220600
350200
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450200
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
DECOMMISSIONING
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
MATERIALS PROCESSING REACTORS
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS AND EXPLOSIVES
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
PLUTONIUM
PROLIFERATION
REACTOR KINETICS
RESEARCH
TEST
TRAINING
PRODUCTION
IRRADIATION
MATERIALS TESTING REACTORS
TECHNICAL ASPECTS
TRANSMUTATION
WATER COOLED REACTORS