Hydride-dehydride module within ARIES (Advanced Recovery and Integrated Extraction System)
One of the many requirements placed on the DOE is the reduction of the nuclear stockpile through dismantlement programs. The DOE Office of Fissile Materials Disposition (OFMD) has been tasked with the disposition of excess plutonium and other fissile materials. On the list of items containing excess fissile materials are nuclear weapon cores, pits. The Advanced Recovery and integrated Extraction System (ARIES) at Los Alamos National Laboratory is the pit disassembly and conversion demonstration line that is being used to gather data to support the design of the full scale pit disassembly and conversion facility. The Hydride Dehydride recycle system is an important element to this program, because it provides these dismantlement programs with a technology for removing plutonium from nuclear weapons without producing large amounts of waste compared to historical processes used in the DOE complex. The Hydride Dehydride recycle process can separate plutonium from other weapons components resulting in an unclassified plutonium metal button. After separation, this button can be stored in long term storage containers or processed to produce plutonium oxide, which will be used by either of the plutonium disposition options, mixed oxide fuel burning in a nuclear reactor or immobilization. Once placed into long term storage containers, either the plutonium metal or plutonium oxide can be inspected by bilateral or international agencies to invoke transparency of the plutonium.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab., Nuclear Technology Div., NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 314110
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR--98-2935; CONF-980906--; ON: DE99001783
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Advanced Recovery and Integrated Extraction System (ARIES) Fiscal Year 1996 Annual Report
The United States pit disassembly and conversion project -- Meeting the MOX fuel specification