Formation of proliferation-resistant nuclear fuel supplies based on reprocessed uranium for Russian nuclear technologies recipient countries

• Main Authors: M.I. Fedorov, A.I. Dyachenko, N.A. Balagurov, V.V. Artisyuk
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: National Research Nuclear University (MEPhI) 2015-10-01
• Series: Nuclear Energy and Technology
• Subjects: reprocessed uranium; burnup; resources saving; spent nuclear fuel; VVER-1000
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452303815000242

The paper presents different strategies for the conversion of VVER-1000 reactors to reprocessed uranium fuel for estimating the time required to form a proliferation-resistant VVER-1000 fuel load based on uranium extracted from spent fuel of reactors of the same type cleared of minor actinides and fission products. It has been shown that the change in the proliferation resistance status of generated plutonium in the VVER-1000 spent nuclear fuel is achieved by denaturation of plutonium through the increase in the concentration of 238Pu plutonium isotope in irradiated fuel. The initial presence of 236U uranium isotope in fresh uranium fuel of the VVER-1000 reactor has been shown to have an effect on the accumulation of 238Pu, a key isotope in the context of the barrier against unauthorized proliferation. Saving of uranium resources has been additionally analyzed for the considered strategies to convert VVER-1000 reactors to reprocessed uranium fuel for the purpose of improving the resource base of NPPs in Russia and recipient countries.