Surplus plutonium disposition via immobilisation in synroc

Conference · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:476560

Jostsons, A; Vance, E R; Day, R A ^[1]

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1. Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Menai (Australia); and others

The immobilization of excess weapons plutonium into Synroc yields wasteforms that satisfy the key criteria of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences for geological disposal. Synroc-C with a {sup 137}Cs spike to provide an internal radiation barrier can immobilize up to about 12wt.% PuO{sub 2} as well as adequate amounts of Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} and HfO{sub 2} as neutron absorbers to limit risks of nuclear criticality. New results are presented on zirconolite-rich Synroc that has the potential to accept up to about 20 wt.% PuO{sub 2} if the internal radiation barrier is not included. An external radiation barrier to improve diversion resistance can be utilized with the can-in-canister concept. The implications of the various radiation barriers on processing and eventual geological disposal of Pu-rich Synroc wasteforms are discussed briefly.

• OSTI ID: 476560
• Report Number(s): CONF-960804--Vol.3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
STABILIZATION
SYNROC PROCESS
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL