Safety aspects of Particle Bed Reactor plutonium burner system
An assessment is made of the safety aspects peculiar to using the Particle Bed Reactor (PBR) as the burner in a plutonium disposal system. It is found that a combination of the graphitic fuel, high power density possible with the PBR and engineered design features results in an attractive concept. The high power density potentially makes it possible to complete the plutonium burning without requiring reprocessing and remanufacturing fuel. This possibility removes two hazardous steps from a plutonium burning complex. Finally, two backup cooling systems depending on thermo-electric converters and heat pipes act as ultimate heat removal sinks in the event of accident scenarios which result in loss of fuel cooling.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH00016
- OSTI ID:
- 10179057
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-49296; CONF-930913-19; ON: DE93018821; TRN: 93:019946
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Global `93: future nuclear systems - emerging fuel cycles and waste disposal options,Seattle, WA (United States),12-17 Sep 1993; Other Information: PBD: [1993]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ACTINIDE BURNER REACTORS
REACTOR SAFETY
PLUTONIUM
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL PARTICLES
FISSION PRODUCT RELEASE
ENGINEERED SAFETY SYSTEMS
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
220600
052000
RESEARCH
TEST
TRAINING
PRODUCTION
IRRADIATION
MATERIALS TESTING REACTORS
WASTE MANAGEMENT