Table Of ContentAdvanced Nuclear Systems Consuming Excess
Plutonium
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5erles1:OlsarmamentTechnologles- Voi. 15
Advanced Nuclear Systems
Consuming Excess Plutonium
edited by
Erich R. Merz
ForschungszentrumJOlich,
KFA,
JOlich,Germany
and
Cari E. Walter
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory,
UniversityofCalifornia,
Livermore, California, U.S.A.
SpringerScience+Business Media, LLC
Proceedingsofthe NATD AdvancedResearchWorkshopon
AdvancedNuclearSystems ConsumingExcessPlutonium
Moscow,Russia
13-16OCtober1996
AC.I.P.CataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheLibraryofCongress
ISBN978-94-010-3743-3 ISBN978-94-007-0860-0 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-0860-0
Printedanacid-freepaper
AIIRightsReserved
© 1997SpringerScience+BusinessMedia NewYork
Originally published byKluwerAcademic Publishersin1997
Softcover reprint ofthe hardcover 1stedition 1997
No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or
utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photo
copying,recording or by any informationstorage and retrieval system, without written
permissionfromthe copyright owner.
TABLEOF CONTENTS
Preface vii
Acknowledgements viii
ListofSpeakersand Participants ix
I. Introductionto theworkshop
E.R.Merz
2. Viewon theproblemofthe Plutonium utilization inRussia 5
A.M.Dmitriev
3. Safetyaspects ofadvanced nuclearsystemsconsumingPlutonium II
E.F Hicken
4. Problems ofexcessPlutoniumutilizationinnuclearreactors 21
A.N Chebeskov, vs.Kagramanian,A.VMalenkov
5. Recent neutronphysics investigationson the incinerationofPlutoniumand
other Transuraniaelements 27
CH.M. Broeders,I. Broeders, G.Kessler,E.Kiejhaber
6. Thebenefitsofanadvancedfastreactor fuelcycleforPlutonium management 43
wn.Hannum,HF McFarlane,D.C Wade, R.N Hill
7. ExperienceofSSC RF RINR on usageofUranium-Plutonium oxide fuel in
nuclear reactors 65
VB.Ivanov, 0.VSkiba,A.A.Mayorshin,PT Porodnov,A.VBychkov,VA.Kisly
8. Energy sourcefor thehuman demand 69
S.Hattori
9. Plutonium-basednuclearpowerandnonproliferation 79
VV Orlov
10. ThecostofweaponsPlutoniumdispositionthroughMOX utilisationinexis-
tingcommercialLWRs 81
K.Hesketh
II. Arealistic Plutoniumeliminationschemewith fast energyamplifiersand
Thorium-Plutoniumfuel 89
C Rubbia,S.Buono,E.Gonzalez, Y Kadi,JA.Rubio
12. Weapons grade Plutoniumdestruction inthe gasturbine modular helium
reactor (GT-MHR) 135
D.Alberstein
13. Acceleratordriven systems-somesafetyandfuelcycleconsiderations 147
H.Rief J Magill,H Wider
14. AdvancedCANDU Systems for Plutonium destruction 163
PG.Boczat;PS.W.Chan.R.J Ellis,R.A. Verrall,M.JN Gagnon,A.R.Dastur
vi
15. Advancedsystems for Plutonium utilization 181
M.Salvatores,M. Delpech
16. Burningofweapon-grade Plutonium in VVERandHTGR reactors 203
NN Ponomarev-Stepnoy, E.S.Glushkov.J.K. Levina
17. UtilizationofexcessPlutonium inmoltensaltreactors 219
PN Alekseev. VV Ignatiev,VN Prusakov, NN Ponomarev-Stepnoy, VA.
Stukalov. S.A.Subbotin
18. Accelerator-drivensystems-anewperspectiveonFission Energy 225
WGudowski
19. Onsolvingthefissionable Materialsnon-proliferationproblem intheclosed
Uranium-Thorium cycle 237
VE.Marshalkin, VM.Povyshev, Yu.A. Trurnev
20. DestructionofPlutoniumandothernuclearwaste materialsusing theaccele-
rator-driventransmutationofwasteconcept 259
F Venneri
21. Environmental& safetyproblemsinPlutonium utilization& powergeneration 265
L.A.Boishov,R.VArutyunyan, VP Kiselev,B.P Maksimenko, VN Nosatov,
OA.Pavlovsky
22. Accelerator-driventransmutationsystem with liquid Leadcooling-Basic
conditions,layout goals andresults 275
P-WPhlippen
23. Plutonium problem and oneofthesolutiontechniques 283
YzI.A. Trutnev, VE.Marshalkin, VM. Povyshev
24. The utilitarianapproachtothedispositionofPlutonium 287
C.E. Walter
25. Neutronspectrumconcerningex-weaponplutoniumdegradationand
Plutonium utilization inthefuture 297
H.Sekimoto
26. Problemsofradiochemicalreprocessing,related toPlutonium utilization 307
B.Zakharkin
27. FrenchLawon waste management research-Generalviewon thepartitio-
ningprogram and current state ofpartitioningstudies 313
J Lefevre
28. Self-regulatingprocessesinnuclear reactor 331
V Ycl.Gol'din
SUMMARIES ofthe PAPERSPRESENTED atthe WORKSHOP 335
WORKSHOPSUMMARYand EVALUATION 353
PREFACE
This volume summarizes the materials presented at the NATO Advanced
Research Workshop on Advanced Systems Consuming Excess Plutonium, held
in Moscow, Russia, 13-16 October 1996. The conference was sponsored by
the NATO Division of Scientific and Environmental Affairs in the frame
work of its outreach program to develop co-operation between NATO mem
ber countries and the Cooperation Partner Countries in the area of dis
armament technologies.
This workshop was the first attempt to address unconventional ap
proaches for maximum plutonium burning both from the point of view of
reactor type and from the point of view of fuel cycle including fuel
type, since they have not been reviewed and evaluated in depth else
where.
It is common understanding that in order to degrade the ex-weapon
plutonium security risk to an acceptable level, any disposition option
should meet what it calls the "spent fuel standard". This means making
the excess plutonium roughly as inaccessible for weapons use as the
much larger growing quantity of plutonium in spent fuel from commercial
nuclear-power reactors. However, if one intends to go beyond the spent
fuel standard to reduce the proliferation risk further and to satisfy
the needs created by the entire global stock of plutonium and not only
to protect it due to the allocated radiation barrier, an advanced ap
proach is required.
Although weapon plutonium represented the focal essence of the work
shop content, the addressed "advanced nuclear systems" apply to all
sorts of plutonium as well (e.g. reactor grade Pu), and thus the more
generally formulated workshop title seems to be justified.
As a follow-up to NATO's three preceding Advanced Research Work
shops,
- Managing the Plutonium Surplus, ARW in London, U.K., January 1994;
- Mixed Oxide Fuel Exploration and Destruction in Power Reactors, ARW
in Obninsk, Russia, October 1994~
- Disposition of Weapon Plutonium - Approaches and Prospects, ARW in
St.Petersburg, Russia, May 1995;
dealing with the totality of various topics of ex-weapon plutonium dis
position stemming from dismantled warheads, this final workshop in se
ries was hosted by the Nuclear Safety Institute, Russian Academy of
Sciences. This far-sighted contemplation includes the exploration and
evaluation of all conceivable pathways, even rather futuristic ones.
The conference's concept envisaged consideration of the various op
tions such as burning the plutonium more or less totally in reactors
by special fuel management and repeated fuel reprocessing (partitioning
and transmutation) or accelerator-driven subcritical systems. The con
ference demonstrated the availability, in different countries, of sub
stantial relevant knowledge, experience, technologies, and other re
sources that can be applied to solve the predetermined goal.
vii
The results and conclusions thus gathered now provides an excellent
overview of the state of the art and should help decision makers to
initiate reasonable problem solutions. Abroad range of methods and
processes are available to get rid of the unwanted weapon plutonium.
Athorough examination of all aspects was highlighted at the meet
ing and the pros and cons discussed. Specific future challenges posed
include the safe and secure storage of surplus plutonium until the
most suitable disposition option becomes workable. In the meantime,
the creation of increased transparency is required to ensure mutual
monitoring processes. International safeguarding measures are of para
mount importance.
The issue treated on a comprehensive scientific basis at the work
shop is a particularly multi-faceted problem. It represents besides
important safety and security features a complicated technological
challenge, and requires economic assessment as well.
The workshop concluded that there are several alternative solutions
at hand for application and some others may be made available in the
future. What is needed now is to promote the use of appropriate tools
in comparative assessment studies.
Prof.Dr. Erich R. Merz
Co-Director, NATO Advanced
Research Workshop Programme
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The sponsorship and the financial support of NATO is gratefully acknowl
edged. The editors are most grateful to the Disarmament Panel of the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization Science Committee for their support.
The workshop was hosted and supported by the Nuclear Safety Institute
of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IBRAE). Thanks to the efforts of
many individuals from IBRAE in producing both a technically challenging
and a perfect organized workshop.
The organizing committee and the editors would like to express their
thanks to the speakers, commentators, and all others who attended the
workshop and contributed to the discussions; they all made this publi
cation possible.
We would like to thank Mrs. Annelies Kersbergen for editorial assistance.
LIST OF SPEAKERS AND PARTICIPANTS
Afanasiev, Anatoli A. Carron, Igor
Russian Academy of Sciences Texas A&M University
Nuclear Safety Institute (IBRAE) Department of Nuclear Engineering
52, Bolshaya Tulskaya College Station, Texas 77B43-3133
113191 Moscow USA
Russia
Chebeskov, Alexander N.
Alberstein, David State Research Centre
General Atomics Institute of Physics and
3550 General Atomics Court Power Engineering
San Diego, California 1, Bondarenko square
USA 249020 Obninsk
Russia
Alekseev, Pavel N.
Russian Scientific Centre Didenko, Andrei N.
Kurchatov Institute Russian Academy of Sciences
1, Kurchatov square 14, Leninsky prospect
123182 Moscow 117915 Moscow
Russia Russia
Arutyunyan, Rafael V. Dmitriev, Alexander M.
Russian Academy of Sciences Gosatomnadzor of the RF
Nuclear Safety Institute (IBRAE) 34, Taganskaya str.
52, Bolshaya Tulskaya 109147 Moscow
113191 Moscow Russia
Russia
Doolen, Garry G.
Boczar, Peter G. Los Alamos National Laboratory
Atomic Energy of Canada Limited P.O.Box 1663, H854
Chalk River Laboratories Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
Chalk River, Ontario KOJ lJO USA
Canada
Efimov, Evgenii I.
Bolshov, Leonid A. State Research Centre
Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of Physics and Power
Nucleqr Safety Institute (IBRAE) Engineering
52, Bolshaya Tulskaya 1, Bondarenko square
113191 Moscow 249020 Obninsk
Russia Russia
Broeders, Cornelius Egorov, Nikolai N.
Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe Vice Minister
Institut fur Neutronenphysik und MINATOM of the Russian Federation
Reaktortechnik 24/26, Bolshaya Ordynka str.
Postfach 3640 101000 Moscow
0-76021 Karlsruhe Russia
Germany
ix
x
Ermakov, Nikolai I. Hyunin, Vladimir G.
MINATOM of the Russian Federation State Research Centre
24/26, Bolshaya Ordynka str. Institute of Physics and Power
101000 Moscow Engineering
Russia 1, Bondarenko square
249020 Obninsk
Gordeev, Vadim N. Russia
Science, Technique, and
Disarmament Advisor of the Ipatov, Anatolii P.
Embassy of Ukraine in Moscow Institute of Power Problems
18, Leont'evskii per. Belarus Academy of Sciences
103009 Moscow Sosny, 220109 Minsk
Russia Belarus
Gudowski, Waclaw Ivanov, Valentin B.
The Royal Institute of State Research Centre
Technology Institute of Nuclear Reactors
Lindstedtsvagen 30 Ulyanovsk region
S-10044 Stockholm 433510 Dimitrovgrad-10
Sweden Russia
Hannum, William H. Krechetov, Sergei V.
Argonne National Laboratory Nuclear Power Agency
P.O.Box 2528 Republic of Kazakhstan
Idaho Falls, Idaho 83403-2528 13, Respubliki square
USA 480013 Almaty
Kazakhstan
Hattori, Sadao
Central Research Institute of Korobeinikov, Valerii V.
Electric Power Industry, CRIEPI State Research Centre
1-6-1, Ohtemachi, Chiyoda-ku Institute of Physics and Power
Tokyo 100 Engineering
Japan 1, Bondarenko square
249020 Obninsk
Hesketh, Kevin W. Russia
British Nucler Fuel
BNFL Springfields Kudryavtsev, Evgenii G.
Springfields, Preston, Lanes PR4 OXJ MINATOM of the Russian Federation
United Kingdom 24/26 Bolshaya Ordynka str.
101000 Moscow
Hicken, Enno F. Russia
Institute of Safety Research and
Reactor Technology, ISR-l Lefevre, Jean
Forschungszentrum JOlich Saclay Research Center
P.O.Box 1913 DCC/DIR, CE Saclay
0-52425 JOlich F-91191 Gif sur Yvette, CEDEX
Germany France
