Integrated development and testing plan for the plutonium immobilization project

Technical Report · Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1998

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/16772· OSTI ID:16772

Kan, T

This integrated plan for the DOE Office of Fissile Materials Disposition (MD) describes the technology development and major project activities necessary to support the deployment of the immobilization approach for disposition of surplus weapons-usable plutonium. The plan describes details of the development and testing (D&T) tasks needed to provide technical data for design and operation of a plutonium immobilization plant based on the ceramic can-in-canister technology (''Immobilization Fissile Material Disposition Program Final Immobilization Form Assessment and Recommendation'', UCRL-ID-128705, October 3, 1997). The plan also presents tasks for characterization and performance testing of the immobilization form to support a repository licensing application and to develop the basis for repository acceptance of the plutonium form. Essential elements of the plant project (design, construction, facility activation, etc.) are described, but not developed in detail, to indicate how the D&T results tie into the overall plant project. Given the importance of repository acceptance, specific activities to be conducted by the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (RW) to incorporate the plutonium form in the repository licensing application are provided in this document, together with a summary of how immobilization D&T activities provide input to the license activity. The ultimate goal of the Immobilization Project is to develop, construct, and operate facilities that will immobilize from about 18 to 50 tonnes (MT) of U.S. surplus weapons usable plutonium materials in a manner that meets the ''spent fuel'' standard (Fissile Materials Storage and Disposition Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision, ''Storage and Disposition Final PEIS'', issued January 14, 1997, 62 Federal Register 3014) and is acceptable for disposal in a geologic repository. In the can-in-canister technology, this is accomplished by encapsulating the plutonium-containing ceramic forms within large canisters of high level waste (HLW) glass. Deployment of the immobilization capability should occur by 2006 and be completed within 10 years.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Fissile Materials Disposition, Washington, DC (US)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-Eng-48
• OSTI ID: 16772
• Report Number(s): UCRL-ID-131608; ON: DE98058632; BR: GA0102011; TRN: US200507%%79
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Supercedes report DE98058632; PBD: 01 Jul 1998; PBD: 1 Jul 1998
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
CERAMICS
CONSTRUCTION
CONTAINERS
DESIGN
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS
FISSILE MATERIALS
GLASS
LICENSING
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PLUTONIUM
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
STORAGE
TESTING
WASTES
WEAPONS