Feasibility Study of a Proliferation-Resistant Fuel Form for Plutonium Recycling
- University of Texas (United States)
A feasibility study of a proliferation-resistant fuel form for commercial power reactors was conducted. An increase in {sup 238}Pu is known to increase the heat load in pure plutonium metal. At high {sup 238}Pu concentrations in spent fuel, the heat load in the plutonium may be sufficiently high that it will be less desirable for weapons production. An actinide-based fuel is proposed that will increase the ratio of {sup 238}Pu/{sup 239}Pu in spent fuel, leading to a fuel form resistant to diversion for weapons use. Two actinides were considered, {sup 237}Np and {sup 241}Am, for seeding in low-enriched (3% {sup 235}U) uranium oxide fuel. The ORIGEN point depletion code was utilized to calculate time-dependent spent-fuel concentrations of {sup 238}Pu, {sup 239}Pu, {sup 237}Np, {sup 241}Am, and other nuclides of interest. The preliminary results show that both {sup 237}Np and {sup 241}Am in small quantities generate significant {sup 238}Pu in spent fuel, and more importantly, both actinide-based fuels shift the {sup 238}Pu/{sup 239}Pu ratio significantly higher at relatively small initial concentrations. Based on a closed-loop actinide-fuel life cycle study, a {sup 237}Np-based fuel cycle seems much more sustainable as compared to {sup 241}Am. However, {sup 241}Am addition to {sup 237}Np-based fuel may have benefits in reducing the end-of-cycle deficit of {sup 237}Np.
- OSTI ID:
- 20826722
- Journal Information:
- Nuclear Technology, Vol. 137, Issue 1; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2006 American Nuclear Society (ANS), United States, All rights reserved. http://epubs.ans.org/; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0029-5450
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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