Plutonium-238 production at the Savannah River Plant
Capability exists at the Savannah River Plant (SRP) for the US Dept. of Energy to produce approx. 50 kg of /sup 238/Pu annually for use as the source of heat for radioisotope-powered electric generators. The factor that limits the /sup 238/Pu production is the availability of /sup 237/Np, which is the target nuclide in which neutrons are captured to produce /sup 238/Pu by the subsequent decay of the /sup 238/Np neutron capture product. Capacities of processing facilities at SRP match the 50 kg/yr with varying margins up to 50%. The SRP reactors are ideal reactors for isotope production. The heavy-water moderator provides excellent neutron economy. Reactor fuel is highly enriched uranium contained in tubular elements, which are separate from the target elements whether the product be /sup 238/Pu, /sup 239/Pu, tritium, or other nuclide species. The use of fuel and target elements that are separate generally simplifies the isotope recovery process. Over type years, a great simplifies the isotope recovery produced. The current inventory of /sup 237/Np is approx. 400 kg, which with the annual production rate of /sup 237/Np of approx. 80 kg, will sustain an annual /sup 238/Pu production rate of approx. 50 kg. The unit cost of the /sup 238/Pu is approximately number1200/g for manufacture and approximately $400/g for heat source fabrication exclusive of the cost of the iridium shell material.
- Research Organization:
- Savannah River Plant, Aiken, SC (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 7143349
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8711195-
- Journal Information:
- Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 55; ISSN TANSA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
400703* -- Radiochemistry & Nuclear Chemistry-- Radioisotope Production
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ECONOMICS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
ION EXCHANGE
IRRADIATION REACTORS
ISOTOPE PRODUCTION REACTORS
ISOTOPES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEPTUNIUM 237
NEPTUNIUM ISOTOPES
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PLUTONIUM 238
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
PRODUCTION
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTORS
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES