Russian-U.S. joint program on the safe management of nuclear materials

Conference · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:653923

Witmer, F E; Krumpe, P F ^[1]; Carlson, D D ^[2]

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1. Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (US)
2. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (US); and others

The Russian-US joint program on the safety of nuclear materials was initiated in response to the 1993 Tomsk-7 accident. The bases for this program are the common technical issues confronting the US and Russia in the safe management of excess weapons grade nuclear materials. The US and Russian weapons dismantlement process is producing hundreds of tons of excess Pu and HEU fissile materials. The US is on a two path approach for disposition of excess Pu: (1) use Pu in existing reactors and/or (2) immobilize Pu in glass or ceramics followed by geologic disposal. Russian plans are to fuel reactors with excess Pu. US and Russia are both converting and blending HEU into LEU for use in existing reactors. Fissile nuclear materials storage, handling, processing, and transportation will be occurring in both countries for tens of years. A table provides a history of the major events comprising the Russian-US joint program on the safety of nuclear materials. A paper delineating program efforts was delivered at the SPECTRUM '96 conference. This paper provides an update on program activities since then.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 653923
• Report Number(s): SAND--97-3088C; CONF-980905--; ON: DE98001688; BR: DP0514010
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
CERAMICS
FISSILE MATERIALS
GLASS
MANAGEMENT
PROCESSING
SAFETY
STORAGE
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WEAPONS