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Pennsylvania State University - Dept of MNENUC E 597G

Spring 2011 – Lecture #1 – Introduction to the Fuel CycleBrian D. Boyer

Nonproliferation Analysis Team Leader / Project Leader International SafeguardsNuclear Nonproliferation Division / N-4

Los Alamos National Laboratory

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Primer with Emphasis on Safety, Safeguards and Security – 3S

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• We will study the nuclear fuel cycle with an emphasis on the 3S• 3S = ???

– Safety

– Security

– Safeguards

What are the 3S?

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What would a failure of the 3S concept see..• Disaster

– ChNPP 4– Nuclear 9/11– NPT collapse – rampant proliferation

• Political / Economic consequences– Industrial loss of confidence – 1970’s and 1980’s redux– Political loss of will – Militant Greens / Nuclear Freeze…– Lack of solutions – technical vs. politicalSpent Fuel Repository - NIMBYReprocessing – Ford/Carter decisions – India 1974 nuclear explosionEnrichment – A.Q. Khan network

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Definition of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle • Processes to obtain, refine, and

exploit nuclear material for a specific purpose

– Nat U, Th – Source material– 235U, 233U, Pu – Fissile Material

• There are several different types and subcategories

– Power – Weapons– Naval Reactor Fuel– Radioisotope Production– Research

• Cycles also vary: – Degree of opportunity to obtain directly

weapons-usable material – Degree of difficulty in safeguarding– Intertwining of the civil and military Example: The Open nuclear fuel

cycle for power production in the United States

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Civil and military fuel cycles overlapWeapon Assembly

“Closed” Cycle

Plutonium

To Repository

“Open” Cycle

Enriched Uranium

Natural Uranium

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The Fuel Cycle with Safeguards Aspects

Stored Reprocessed Pu and U

Nuclear Material Color KeyYellow – Indirect Use MaterialOrange – Irradiated Direct Use MaterialRed – Unirradiated Direct Use MaterialPurple – Diverted Nuclear MaterialPink – Waste or not in SGs

+ Unconverted U+ No U or Pu+ OR SGs terminated

Tailings

U3080.7% U-235

~3-5% U-235

Fuel Assemblies

Conversion to UF6

Fuel Fabrication

Depleted Uranium

Disposal Of Terminated Waste

Reprocessing

U

Pu

Spent Fuel

Waste

U, Pu

~3-5% U-23590% U-235

Pu

Spent Fuel Repository

Open Fuel Cycle Option

Closed Fuel Cycle Option

Terminated Waste Storage

Pu WeaponU-235 Weapon

Mining

Spent Fuel StorageENRICHMENT

PATHREACTOR PATH

SAFEGUARDED MATERIAL

UNSAFEGUARDED MATERIAL

~0.2-0.3% U-235

Enrichment

Reactor

MOX/TRU Fuel Fabrication

Conversion to Pu Metal

Clandestine Enrichment HEU

Conversion to U Metal

UF6

UF6

U, PuU, Pu

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Mining• Mining and Milling

– UraniumKey to fuel cycle of today …and near future!

– Thorium - more abundant than UraniumThorium Fuel Cycle – never has taken offNote large Resources in India

2009 Uranium Production (tU)Kazakhstan 14020Canada 10173Australia 7982Namibia 4626Russia 3564Niger 3243Uzbekistan 2429USA 1453Ukraine 840China 750

Yellowcake

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Conversion• Take Uranium Ore Concentrate and put into form for

– Nat Uranium Fuel or Further Processing (Enrichment) – UF6 Product

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Enrichment• Various Historic Enrichment concepts

– EMIS

– Gaseous Diffusion

– Gas Centrifuge

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• Fuel Fabrication– Natural Uranium– LEU– HEU– MOX– Th/233U– Fuel FormsMetalsOxidesCeramics

Fuel Fabrication

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Reactors – All Classes• LWR

– PWR– BWR– VVER– Gen III / Gen III+

• On-Load– CANDU– RMBK

• Gas-Cooled Reactors• Fast Reactors• Breeders• Gen IV• Research Reactors and Critical Assemblies

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Reprocessing• History and controversy / Nonproliferation and safeguards• PUREX and other aqueous techniques• Electrochemical• Future

AREVA – La Hague Reprocessing Facility

DPRK – Reprocessing – Dr. S Hecker Visit

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Waste Disposal• Spent Fuel Storage – short to medium term• Geological Repositories

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Weaponization of the Atom• Brief description of the path to weapons • In an unclassified fashion!• Uranium Path• Plutonium Path• Atoms for Peace Conundrum

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Summary of Course Goals• Understand parts of the nuclear fuel cycle• Grasp the importance of safety, security, and safeguards• Explain IAEA international safeguards goals and practices• Have appreciation for economic and political dimensions of the

nuclear fuel cycle

FIRST ASSIGNMENT:Read Acheson-Lilienthal Report - First step to civilian nuclear power- First concept of international control- First concept of multinational fuel cycle facilities