Weapons-grade plutonium disposition in pressurized water reactors

Journal Article · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1995 · Nuclear Science and Engineering

OSTI ID:109977

Biswas, D; Rathbun, R W; Lee, S Y; Buckner, M R ^[1]

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1. Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Site

Studies have been conducted to demonstrate that weapons-grade plutonium can be readily disposed of by utilizing it as a fuel in pressurized water reactors (PWR). The disposition can be achieved by first fabricating the weapons-grade plutonium into a mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel form and then irradiating it in either advanced or existing PWRs to a depleted level similar to commercial spent fuel. Preliminary neutronics studies pertaining to safety-related core design using 100% weapons-grade MOX fuel are presented. The results demonstrate the feasibility of a small plutonium disposition reactor of 600-MW(electric) capacity called the PDR600, a large plutonium disposition reactor of 1,400-MW(electric) capacity called the PDR1400, and a typical four-loop modified Westinghouse reactor. Feasible loading patterns are obtained for the initial and equilibrium cycles using discrete borosilicate glass burnable absorbers and a heavy loading of zirconium diboride integral fuel burnable absorbers in every fuel rod. The preliminary core physics results include information on soluble boron concentration, peaking factors, Doppler and moderator reactivity coefficients, boron, xenon and control rod worths, shut-down margin and delayed neutron parameters. The core design for weapons-grade plutonium disposition can be achieved with minimum changes in the present safety and licensing criteria of advanced or existing PWRs.

• DOE Contract Number: AC03-93SF19683
• OSTI ID: 109977
• Journal Information: Nuclear Science and Engineering, Journal Name: Nuclear Science and Engineering Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 121; ISSN NSENAO; ISSN 0029-5639
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
BURNUP
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FUEL CYCLE
FUEL MANAGEMENT
MIXED OXIDE FUELS
NEUTRON TRANSPORT
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
NUCLEAR WEAPONS DISMANTLEMENT
PLUTONIUM
PWR TYPE REACTORS
REACTOR CORES
REACTOR KINETICS
REACTOR SAFETY