Abstract
Intrinsic proliferation resistance (PR) against the weaponization of U and Pu in used nuclear fuel discharged from a 500 MWt pebble bed reactor (PBR) and an integral pressurized water reactor (iPWR) was assessed. Four inherent characteristics (spontaneous fission neutron emission, heat load, radiation exposure, and Rossi-α) of U and Pu in the used fuel were the basis for the PR evaluation. These four characteristics for a significant quantity of U (75 kg of 235U) and Pu (8 kg) metallic sphere made from used fuel were quantified by performing reactor neutronics simulations. The intrinsic PR values for PBR used fuel were found to be lower compared to the iPWR for all the cases analyzed due to the higher quantity and better quality of nuclear material. Online refueling with an effective safeguards approach and a better choice of PBR fuel composition are needed to increase the PR of its used fuel.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 109797 |
| Journal | Annals of Nuclear Energy |
| Volume | 188 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 2023 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Funding
This research is part of a graduate degree study partially funded by the Indonesian Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN, formerly the Ministry of Research and Technology of Indonesia) through a RisetPro fellowship and did not receive any other grant from funding agencies in the commercial or not-for-profit sectors. Authors would like to place on record their highest appreciation for the English language editing and proof-reading assistance provided by Ms. Kelley Holle Ragusa, Assistant Director of the Texas A&M Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives.
Keywords
- Intrinsic proliferation resistance
- Light water reactor
- Multi-attribute utility analysis
- Pebble bed reactor
- Rossi-α