Basic Analysis on Isotopic Barrier of Material Attractiveness Based on Plutonium Composition of FBR

Permana, Sidik; Suzuki, Masahiro; Saito, Masaki

doi:10.1080/18811248.2011.9711755

Cited by 12 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…A great number of works have been done for the utilization of nuclear waste transuranium and fertile material in fast reactors. [27][28][29][30][31] The transformation of actinide isotopes is analyzed in detail. 31 In that respect, the performance of fusion-fission (hybrid) reactors for the utilization of nuclear waste of LWR and CANDU reactors as well as that of fertile has been outlined in a high number of studies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Large-scale energy production with thorium in a typical heavy-water reactor using high-grade plutonium as driver fuel

Şahi̇n

Şarer²

2018

Int J Energy Res

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Summary Thorium can be introduced into the energy vector in combination with high‐grade plutonium (HG‐Pu). Excellent neutron economy of heavy‐water moderator allows use of mixed ThO2/HG‐PuO2 fuel in heavy‐water reactors with high efficiency, leading to the exploitation of large world thorium reserves and extending the availability of the nuclear energy by two orders of magnitude. In the present work, the criticality calculations have been performed with the code MCNPX 3‐D geometrical modeling of a typical heavy‐water reactor, where the structure of all fuel rods and bundles is represented individually. In the course of time calculations, nuclear transformation and radioactive decay of all actinide elements as well as fission products are considered. Five different fuel compositions have been selected for investigations: (1) 97% thoria (ThO2) + 3% PuO2; (2) 96% ThO2 + 4% PuO2; (3) 95% ThO2 + 5% PuO2; (4) 94% ThO2 + 6% PuO2; and (5) 92% ThO2 + 8% PuO2. The behavior of the criticality k∞ and the burn‐up values of the reactor have been pursued by full power operation at 640 MWel (2180 MWth) for approximately 7 years. Time calculations have been conducted with MCNPX and CINDER codes under consideration of all nuclear transformation and radioactive decay processes on the actinide isotopes and fission fragments. As the reactor allows fuel recharging at on‐power operation mode, the reactor criticality has been followed down to keff,end = ~1.05. The corresponding burn‐up values and operation periods for the investigated modes are (1) 18 GWd/MT and 780 days; (2) 27 GWd/MT and 1200 days; (3) 35 GWd/MT and 1560 days; (4) 44 GWd/MT and 1940 days; and (5) 60 GWd/MT and 2640 days. Among the investigated four modes, 94% ThO2 + 6% PuO2 seems a reasonable choice under consideration of the high price of the HG‐Pu as driver fuel. The mixed fuel has the potential of an extensive exploitation of thorium resources. Reactor will run with the same fuel charge for approximately 5 years and allow a fuel burn‐up approximately 44 GWd/MT, comparable with conventional light‐water reactors (LWRs). Plutonium component of the mixed fuel will become nonprolific after few months of plant operation through the accumulation of even isotopes. Addition of few percent natural uranium to the initial mixed fuel charge will keep the 233U component below 22% and hence at nonprolific level over the entire plant operation period. Replacement of 4% ThO2 with 4% nat‐UO2 will practically not change main technical parameters of the reactor.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Large-scale energy production with thorium in a typical heavy-water reactor using high-grade plutonium as driver fuel

Şahi̇n

Şarer²

2018

Int J Energy Res

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“…The parameters bare critical mass, neutron prompt life, and Rossi-Alpha as a material barrier refer to the technology of a nuclear fuel that can designed to prevent the misuse of nuclear technology. The material barrier evaluate the attractiveness of nuclear materials in the ESBWR reactor [12,13]. The ESBWR reactor assembly design that has been developed by GE-Hitachi is shown in Figure 1.…”

Section: Parameters and Methodology Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluated Material Attractiveness of Plutonium Composition from Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR)

Nasyidiah,

Permana,

Pramuditya

2024

J. Phys.: Conf. Ser.

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The potential for misuse of nuclear fuel has prompted many to make efforts to prevent a country from acquiring nuclear explosive devices (weapons). Weapon utility equated with nuclear material attractiveness when applied to protection and security. Material attractiveness evaluated using an equation first developed by Masaki Saito, namely ATTR. ESBWR is one of the reactors of the BWR reactor type that is still operating. The purpose of this study is to evaluate Material Attractiveness based on the composition of plutonium in the ESBWR reactor, during reactor operation and after reactor operation. The ATTR concept utilizes the plutonium isotope composition to evaluate the material attractiveness aspect. Parameters such as BCM, Rossi-alpha, and neutron prompt life become additional aspects in evaluating material attractiveness. In the research results, the ATTR value decreased from the beginning of reactor operation until the reactor stopped operating. At the beginning of the reactor operation, it was categorizing as a weapon-grade with an ATTR value of 0.19 and when the reactor stopped operating it was categorizing as an unusable grade with an ATTR value of 0.012. At the time of cooling time up to 1x106 (one million) cooling time, the ATTR value increases by 0.019 which was categorizing as an unusable grade. After a cooling time of 1x106 (one million) years up to 1x107 (ten million) years, the ATTR value was 0.001 which categorized as an exempt level. This states that the increasing burnup value will further reduce the ATTR value. Likewise with the Rossi-Alpha and Bare Critical Mass values. Conversely, it will decrease the value of neutron lifetime. The ATTR value after the reactor operates up to one hundred years of cooling time increases and then decreases significantly after 1x106 (one million) years due to the half-life of plutonium isotopes. Likewise, the Rossi-Alpha and Bare critical mass values. However, it is different with the neutron fast lifetime.

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“…in In fast energy regions, it has a significant fission capability for some actinides to be used to increase the criticality condition of the reactors as well as it can be transmuted into fissile material as additional fissile material. Recycled LWR SNF can be use to produce some plutonium composition which can be used for protected plutonium aspect as isotopic plutonium barrier based on even mass of plutonium isotopes as well as to reduce the quantity of nuclear waste [2][3][4][5]. Isotopic plutonium composition as proliferation resistance parameter are adopted because of their intrinsic material properties in term of high intensity of decay heat (DH) as well as high spontaneous fission neutron (SFN) rates especially from the plutonium contribution of even mass number ( 238 Pu, 240 Pu and 242 Pu).…”

Section: Figure 1 Evolution Of Nuclear Power From Generation 1 To Gen...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis on Even Mass Plutonium Production of Different Loading Materials in FBR Blanket

Permana

Trian

Waris

et al. 2013

AMR

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Spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from nuclear facilities such as from accumulated SNF commercial reactors becomes one of the important issues in term of reducing environmental impact and fuel sustainability as well as nuclear nonproliferation point of view when those SNF materials can be recycled and utilized as new fuel loaded into the reactors. Minor actinides (MA) as one of the important material of spent nuclear fuels can be recycled and transmuted into some useful materials which can be utilized to increase the fuel breeding capability as well as for increasing protected plutonium production from the view point of nuclear nonproliferation issue. Increasing some even mass isotopic plutonium compositions are estimated to increase the level of proliferation resistance level in term of material barrier point of view. The objective of this study is to analyze the proliferation resistance aspect of nuclear fuel based on plutonium production of different loading materials in the FBR blanket. Evaluation is based on some basic parameters of reactor operation analysis, such as reactor operation time which is adjusted to 800 days operation per cycle for 4 fuel batches systems which is refered to the large FBR type of Japan Sodium Fast Reactor (JSFR) design. The results show some nuclear fuels behavior during reactor operation for different loading materials and cycles. Minor actinide (MA) material loading as doping material gives some significant plutonium productions during reactor operation. Some obtained actinide productions have different profiles such as some reducing compositions in americium and neptunium actinide compositions with the time which depends on initial loading material. Some plutonium vector compositions are evaluated from Pu-238 to Pu-242 to estimate the proliferation resistance level as isotopic material barrier of plutonium. Some significant contributions for increasing even mass plutonium as plutonium protected material are shown by Pu-238 from all doping material as well as additional production of Pu-240 and Pu-242 in certain conditions.

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Basic Analysis on Isotopic Barrier of Material Attractiveness Based on Plutonium Composition of FBR

Cited by 12 publications

References 20 publications

Large-scale energy production with thorium in a typical heavy-water reactor using high-grade plutonium as driver fuel

Large-scale energy production with thorium in a typical heavy-water reactor using high-grade plutonium as driver fuel

Evaluated Material Attractiveness of Plutonium Composition from Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR)

Analysis on Even Mass Plutonium Production of Different Loading Materials in FBR Blanket

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