Method of increasing the deterrent to proliferation of nuclear fuels
Abstract
A process of recycling protactinium-231 to enhance the utilization of radioactively hot uranium-232 in nuclear fuel for the purpose of making both fresh and spent fuel more resistant to proliferation. The uranium-232 may be obtained by the irradiation of protactinium-231 which is normally found in the spent fuel rods of a thorium base nuclear reactor. The production of protactinium-231 and uranium-232 would be made possible by the use of the thorium uranium-233 fuel cycle in power reactors.
- Inventors:
-
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Bettis Atomic Power Lab., West Mifflin, Pa. (USA)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 864308
- Patent Number(s):
- 4344912
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21G - CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS
- DOE Contract Number:
- EY-76-C-11-0014
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- method; increasing; deterrent; proliferation; nuclear; fuels; process; recycling; protactinium-231; enhance; utilization; radioactively; hot; uranium-232; fuel; purpose; fresh; spent; resistant; obtained; irradiation; normally; found; rods; thorium; base; reactor; production; uranium-233; cycle; power; reactors; power reactors; power reactor; nuclear fuels; fuel rods; nuclear fuel; nuclear reactor; spent fuel; fuel rod; fuel cycle; uranium-233 fuel; base nuclear; /376/976/
Citation Formats
Rampolla, Donald S. Method of increasing the deterrent to proliferation of nuclear fuels. United States: N. p., 1982.
Web.
Rampolla, Donald S. Method of increasing the deterrent to proliferation of nuclear fuels. United States.
Rampolla, Donald S. Fri .
"Method of increasing the deterrent to proliferation of nuclear fuels". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/864308.
@article{osti_864308,
title = {Method of increasing the deterrent to proliferation of nuclear fuels},
author = {Rampolla, Donald S},
abstractNote = {A process of recycling protactinium-231 to enhance the utilization of radioactively hot uranium-232 in nuclear fuel for the purpose of making both fresh and spent fuel more resistant to proliferation. The uranium-232 may be obtained by the irradiation of protactinium-231 which is normally found in the spent fuel rods of a thorium base nuclear reactor. The production of protactinium-231 and uranium-232 would be made possible by the use of the thorium uranium-233 fuel cycle in power reactors.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1982},
month = {1}
}