NUCLEAR MATERIAL ATTRACTIVENESS: AN ASSESSMENT OF MATERIAL ASSOCIATED WITH A CLOSED FUEL CYCLE

Conference · Fri Jun 11 00:00:00 EDT 2010

OSTI ID:1021292

Bathke, C G; Ebbinghaus, B; Sleaford, Brad W; Wallace, R K; Collins, Brian A; Hase, Kevin R; Robel, Martin; Jarvinen, G D; Bradley, Keith S; Ireland, J R; Johnson, M W; Prichard, Andrew W; Smith, Brian W

This paper examines the attractiveness of materials mixtures containing special nuclear materials (SNM) associated with the various processing steps required for a closed fuel cycle. This paper combines the results from earlier studies that examined the attractiveness of SNM associated with the processing of spent light water reactor (LWR) fuel by various reprocessing schemes and the recycle of plutonium as a mixed oxide (MOX) fuel in LWR with new results for the final, repeated burning of SNM in fast-spectrum reactors: fast reactors and accelerator driven systems (ADS). The results of this paper suggest that all reprocessing products evaluated so far need to be rigorously safeguarded and provided moderate to high levels of physical protection. These studies were performed at the request of the United States Department of Energy (DOE), and are based on the calculation of "attractiveness levels" that has been couched in terms chosen for consistency with those normally used for nuclear materials in DOE nuclear facilities. The methodology and key findings will be presented. Additionally, how these attractiveness levels relate to proliferation resistance (e.g. by increasing impediments to the diversion, theft, or undeclared production of SNM for the purpose of acquiring a nuclear weapon), and how they could be used to help inform policy makers, will be discussed.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1021292
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-72914; NN4003010; TRN: US1103938
• Resource Relation: Conference: European Nuclear Conference (ENC 2010), May 30 - June 2, 2010, Barcelona, Spain
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
ACCELERATORS
FAST REACTORS
FUEL CYCLE
MIXTURES
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
OXIDES
PHYSICAL PROTECTION
PLUTONIUM
PROCESSING
PRODUCTION
PROLIFERATION
REPROCESSING
THEFT
WATER
Nuclear
Fuel Cycle
Attractiveness