Variations of uranium and plutonium coprocessing as proliferation-resistant alternatives to the classical purex process
Evaluation of these alternatives for processing LWR fuel has led to the following conclusions: (1) None of the alternaives provide a pure, technical solution which completely eliminates the potential for proliferation of nuclear weapons by utilizing plutonium from the light water reactors. (2) The heat spike alternative appears feasible and provides the most effective method of rendering the LWR plutonim unattractive for weapons use. (3) The low-DF process alternate would require demonstration to: (a) determine the reliability of the in-cell recycle streams which are used to prevent reversion of the process for purification of plutonium, and (b) verify the fission product decontamination factors. (4) The alternates evaluated have no significant impacts on the design of waste treatment facilities, although the required capacities of high-level solid waste processing and high-level liquid waste storage can be significantly altered. (5) The impact of these alternate processes on fuel fabrication and other aspects of the fuel cycle requires additional evaluation.
- Research Organization:
- Allied-General Nuclear Services, Barnwell, SC (USA)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- ET-78-C-09-1040
- OSTI ID:
- 6026371
- Report Number(s):
- AGNS-35900-CONF-14; CONF-791108-7; TRN: 79-021249
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 72. AICHE meeting, San Francisco, CA, USA, 25 Nov 1979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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SPENT FUELS
REPROCESSING
WATER COOLED REACTORS
FUEL CYCLE
PLUTONIUM
PLUTONIUM 238
PROLIFERATION
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ACTINIDES
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FUELS
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
METALS
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUCLEI
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
050800* - Nuclear Fuels- Spent Fuels Reprocessing