The concept of the use of recycled uranium for increasing the degree of security of export deliveries of fuel for light-water reactors |
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Authors: | P N Alekseev E A Ivanov V A Nevinitsa N N Ponomarev-Stepnoi A N Rumyantsev V M Shmelev V D Borisevich A Yu Smirnov and G A Sulaberidze |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Nuclear Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA |
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Abstract: | The present paper deals with investigation of the possibilities for reducing the risk of proliferation of fissionable materials
by means of increasing the degree of protection of fresh fuel intended for light-water reactors against unsanctioned use in
the case of withdrawal of a recipient country of deliveries from IAEA safeguards. It is shown that the use of recycled uranium
for manufacturing export nuclear fuel makes transfer of nuclear material removed from the fuel assemblies for weapons purposes
difficult because of the presence of isotope 232U, whose content increases when one attempts to enrich uranium extracted from fresh fuel. In combination with restricted access
to technologies for isotope separation by means of establishing international centers for uranium enrichment, this technical
measure can significantly reduce the risk of proliferation associated with export deliveries of fuel made of low-enriched
uranium. The assessment of a maximum level of contamination of nuclear material being transferred by isotope 232U for the given isotope composition of the initial fuel is obtained. The concept of further investigations of the degree of
security of export deliveries of fuel assemblies with recycled uranium intended for light-water reactors is suggested. |
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