Disposal of Weapon Plutonium: Approaches and Prospects

ISBN-13: 9789401065597 / Angielski / Miękka / 2011 / 352 str.

E. R. Merz; Carl E. Walter

Opis

In the immediate term, plutonium recovered from dismantled nuclear warheads will have to be stored securely, under international safeguards where possible. One of the principal alternatives for the disposition of this plutonium is to blend it with high-level waste as it is vitrified for final disposal in a geologic repository. The high radioactivity of the resulting product provides self-shielding and ensures that the Pu cannot be separated without the development of highly sophisticated technology. This third NATO ARW on the disposal of weapons-grade plutonium discusses the non-reactor disposition option, presenting a thorough evaluation of the pros and cons. In broad terms, the workshop presents an exchange of information on waste vitrification, including technical feasibility as well as the necessary stringent safeguards. It discusses the different approaches to the optimum techniques and credible alternatives for immobilizing transuranics and fission products for disposal. It introduces new disposal techniques, in particular matrix immobilization followed by deep borehole disposal. It assesses the implications of safeguarding requirements. And it identifies common areas in which defined research tasks can be initiated in cooperative partnership.

Spis treści

Preface. Session I: Safe Disposal of Weapons Plutonium. 1. Weapons Plutonium Management: The Present Situation, the Methods and the Prospects; A.I. Karelin. 2. Retrievability and Safeguards Concerns Regarding Plutonium in Geological Repositories; J. Swahn. 3. Multibarriers: Their Efficacy Against Intentional Intrusion into a Geological Repository to Retrieve Disposed Plutonium; E.R. Merz. 4. Prospects for Using Plutonium as a Fuel in Russia; V.N. Mikhailov, et al. 5. Plutonium Handling and Vitrification: Main Process Steps and their Cost Evaluation; E. Trauwert, M. Demonie. Session 2: Product Forms. 6. Dissolution of Materials Containing Metal Plutonium and Oxidized Forms of Plutonium; G.P. Nikitina, et al. 7. Crystalline Ceramics: Waste Forms for the Disposal of Weapons Plutonium; R.C. Ewing, et al. 8. The Crystalline Host-Phases for Immobilization of Weapons Plutonium and Waste Actinides; B.E. Burakov, et al. 9. On the Long-Term Storage of Weapons Plutonium in Form of Criticality-Free Ceramics Containing Lithium; J.A. Trutnev, et al. 10. Incorporation of Pu and other Actinides in Borosilicate Glass and in Waste Ceramics; Hj. Matzke, J. van Geel. 11. Feasibility of Rock-Like Fuel and Glass Waste Forms for Disposal of Weapons Plutonium; H. Furuya, et al. 12. Possible Ways of the Weapon Plutonium Processing to Produce the Steady Glass Materials Suitable for Further Safe Disposal; Y.I. Matyunin, et al. 13. Management of Operational Waste from MOX Fuel Plants; F.W. Ledebrink. Session 3: Vitrification Technology. 14. SRS Vitrification Studies in Support of the U.S. Program for Disposition of Excess Plutonium; G.G. Wicks, et al. 15. On the Feasibility of Vitrifying High-Level Liquid Waste Containing High Amounts of Plutonium; M. Demonie, H. Cuyvers. 16. Vitrification of Weapons Plutonium: A Hypothetic Option or a Real Way to Solve the Problem; A.S. Aloy, E.B. Anderson. 17. Vitrification of Plutonium for Disposal; J.A.C. Marples. 18. French Appraisal of the Vitrification Option. Weapons Plutonium &endash; or how to get rid of it! A. Jouan. 19. Safety Aspects with Regard to Plutonium Vitrification Techniques; L.W. Gray, T. Kan. Session 4: Disposal in Deep Boreholes. 20. Disposition of Radionuclides in Deep Geological Formations either in Containers or Vitrified Form; T.A. Goupalo. 21. Disposition of Plutonium in Deep Boreholes; W.H. Halsey, et al. Session 5: Long Term Safety Aspects. 22. The Process of the Equipment and Room Surface Pu- Decontamination and Means to Prevent their Contamination; A.B. Pavlov, Ye.I. Yulikov. 23. Technical Basis for Pu Safeguard Practices, Handling and Disposal, PERLA and TAME Experiences; H. Dworschak. 24. Long-Term Safety Aspects of Geological Disposal of Large Quantities of Plutonium; B. Baltes. 25. MPC&A for Plutonium Disposition in the Russian Federation; W.G. Sutcliffe. 26. Ecological Safety Aspects with Regard to Plutonium Disposal; V.F. Menschikov. 6. Summary of Workshop Presentations. 7. NATO Workshop Summary evaluation. Index.

O autorze

Carl E. Walter is a Managing Director of JP Morgan and Chief Operating Officer of its China businesses. Prior to joining JP Morgan in 2001, Mr. Walter was a Managing Director and member of the Management Committee of China International Capital Corporation. He was Chief Representative in Beijing for Credit Suisse First Boston from 1993-8. During his decade in China, Mr. Walter has participated in a number of pathbreaking international and domestic share listings and debt issues for Chinese companies, banks and the Ministry of Finance. He holds a PhD from Stanford University and a graduate certificate from Beijing University.