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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Cost-effectiveness assessment of technical deterrents to proliferation

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6038754
This report relies on the results of many other studies to characterize the nonproliferation technical fixes to the nuclear fuel cycle. The seven technical fixes or initiatives considered are: coprocessing and coprecipitation of uranium and plutonium in the reprocessing plant, coprocessing and coprecipitation with partial fission product decontamination, adding of radioactive isotopes (/sup 60/Co) to fresh mixed oxide; preirradiation of fabricated mixed oxide fuel; increasing the /sup 238/Pu content of the plutonium produced (the /sup 238/Pu heat spike); active countermeasures (use-denial) within the facilities; and passive countermeasures (resistance engineering) within the facilities. The initiatives are compared as they might be applied to the LWR fuel cycles with recycle of plutonium and to the closed fast breeder reactor fuel cycle. The basis of comparison is an assessment of the cost effectiveness of each initiative through consideration of technical, environmental, and safeguard factors.
Research Organization:
Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, TN (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-26
OSTI ID:
6038754
Report Number(s):
K/OP-266; ON: DE82001928
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English