Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

PLUTONIUM MANAGEMENT OPTIONS: LIABILITY OR RESOURCE

  • Published : 2008.02.29
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Since plutonium accounts for 40-50% of the power produced by uranium fuels, spent fuel contains only residual plutonium. Management of this plutonium is one of the aspects influencing the choice of a fuel cycle back-end option: reprocessing, direct disposal or wait-and-see. Different grades and qualities of plutonium exist depending from their specific generation conditions; all are valuable fissile material. Safeguard authorities watch the inventories of civil plutonium, but access to those data is restricted. Independent evaluations have led to an estimated current inventory of 220t plutonium in total (spent fuel, separated civil plutonium and military plutonium). If used as MOX fuel, it would be sufficient to feed all the PWRs and BWRs worldwide during 7 years or to deploy a FBR park corresponding to 150% of today' s installed nuclear capacity worldwide, which could then be exploited for centuries with the current stockpile of depleted and spent uranium. The energy potential of plutonium deteriorates with storage time of spent fuel and of separated plutonium, due to the decay of $^{241}Pu$, the best fissile isotope, into americium, a neutron absorber. The loss of fissile value of plutonium is more pronounced for usage in LWRs than in FBR. However, keeping the current plutonium inventory for an expected future deployment of FBRs is counterproductive. Recycling plutonium reduce the required volume for final disposal in an underground repository and the cost of final disposal. However, the benefits of utilizing an energy resource and of reducing final disposal liabilities are not the only aspects that determine the choice of a back-end policy.

Keywords

References

  1. IAEA, 'Fissile Materials Management Strategies for Sustainable Nuclear Energy', Proceedings of a Technical Meeting held in Vienna, 12-15 September 2005, Proceeding Series (2007)
  2. H BAIRIOT et al, 'Fissile Materials Management Strategies for Sustainable Nuclear Energy: Back-end Fuel Cycle Options', Proceedings of the Technical Meeting held in Vienna, 12-15 September 2005, Proceeding Series (2007)
  3. R WIGELAND et al, 'Waste Management Aspects of Various Fuel Cycle Options', Proceedings of the Technical Meeting held in Vienna, 12-15 September 2005, Proceeding Series (2007)
  4. M DUNN & H BAIRIOT, 'Separated Plutonium Management', Proceedings of the Technical Meeting held in Vienna, 12-15 September 2005, Proceeding Series (2007)
  5. J C MARK, 'Explosive Properties of Reactor-Grade Plutonium', Science & Global Security, 1993, Volume 4
  6. J P HINTON et al, 'For nuclear explosions, All Plutonium is Good Plutonium', verbatim excepts from SAND 97-8203 (Proliferation Vulnerability Red Team Report), October 1996
  7. B PELLAUD, 'Proliferation aspects of plutonium recycling', Proceedings of the French Academy of Sciences, C.R. Physique 3 (2002)
  8. B PELLAUD, 'Proliferation Aspects of Plutonium Recycling', Journal of Nuclear Materials Management, Fall 2002 (revision of the paper mentioned above)
  9. IAEA, 'Communication received from certain Member States concerning their policies regarding the management of plutonium', Information Circular, INFCIRC/549, 16 March 1998
  10. E KUDRYAVTSEV, 'Strategy for Russian Nuclear Energy and Fuel Cycle Industry Development', Presentation at the Technical Working Group on Nuclear Fuel Cycle Options and Spent Fuel Management, Vienna, 9-11 October 2007
  11. D ALBRIGHT, 'Global Stocks of Nuclear Explosive Materials: Summary Tables and Charts', private communication, 12 July 2005, Revised 7 September 2005
  12. IAEA, 'Nuclear Fuel Cycle Simulation System (VISTA)', IAEA-TECDOC-1535, February 2007
  13. IAEA, 'Power Reactor Information System, PRIS', http://www.iaea.org/programme/a2/
  14. NAC International, 'NAC's Nuclear Industry Status Report', A Fuel-$Trac^{\circledR}$ Publication, semi-annual
  15. M CEYHAN, 'Modeling for Nuclear Material Flows in Nuclear Fuel Cycle', Proceedings of the Technical Meeting held in Vienna, 12-15 September 2005, Proceeding Series (2007)
  16. IAEA, 'Nuclear Fuel Cycle Information Systems', web site, http://www.nfcis.iaea.org/
  17. R KWASNY et al, 'Recent Activities and Trends in the Uranium Market', ATW 52. Jg. (2007) Heft 11, November 2007
  18. IAEA, 'Nuclear Power Reactors in the World', Reference Data Series $N^{\circle}2$, 2007 Edition
  19. FORUM NUCLEAIRE BELGE, 'Mieux comprendre l'energie', actualite nucleaire, decembre 2007
  20. DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE & REGULATORY REFORM, 'Meeting the Energy Challenge - A White Paper on Nuclear Power - January 2008', Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform By Command of Her Majesty, CM 7296, January 2008
  21. FORUM NUCLEAIRE BELGE, 'L'energie nucleaire sur la voie de la durabilite', actualite nucleaire, decembre 2007
  22. M MASSON, 'Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative - Missions, organisation et programmes', Convention SFEN, Paris, 8- 9 mars 2006
  23. D GRENECHE, 'An overview of advanced fuel cycle developments in France', Presentation at the Technical Working Group on Nuclear Fuel Cycle Options and Spent Fuel Management, Vienna, 17-19 May 2004
  24. T OGAWA & K MINATO, 'Transmutation of radionuclides', Proceedings of the Technical Meeting held in Vienna, 12- 15 September 2005, Proceeding Series (2007)