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Title: 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:
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory (BAPL), West Mifflin, PA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
864308
Patent Number(s):
4344912
Application Number:
06/159891
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21C - NUCLEAR REACTORS
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21G - CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS
DOE Contract Number:  
EY-76-C-11-0014
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 1980 Jun 16
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 = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1982},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1982}
}