The Nuclear Fuel Cycle
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Table 2.Iii.1. Fissionable Isotopes1
FISSIONABLE ISOTOPES Charles P. Blair Last revised: 2012 “While several isotopes are theoretically fissionable, RANNSAD defines fissionable isotopes as either uranium-233 or 235; plutonium 238, 239, 240, 241, or 242, or Americium-241. See, Ackerman, Asal, Bale, Blair and Rethemeyer, Anatomizing Radiological and Nuclear Non-State Adversaries: Identifying the Adversary, p. 99-101, footnote #10, TABLE 2.III.1. FISSIONABLE ISOTOPES1 Isotope Availability Possible Fission Bare Critical Weapon-types mass2 Uranium-233 MEDIUM: DOE reportedly stores Gun-type or implosion-type 15 kg more than one metric ton of U- 233.3 Uranium-235 HIGH: As of 2007, 1700 metric Gun-type or implosion-type 50 kg tons of HEU existed globally, in both civilian and military stocks.4 Plutonium- HIGH: A separated global stock of Implosion 10 kg 238 plutonium, both civilian and military, of over 500 tons.5 Implosion 10 kg Plutonium- Produced in military and civilian 239 reactor fuels. Typically, reactor Plutonium- grade plutonium (RGP) consists Implosion 40 kg 240 of roughly 60 percent plutonium- Plutonium- 239, 25 percent plutonium-240, Implosion 10-13 kg nine percent plutonium-241, five 241 percent plutonium-242 and one Plutonium- percent plutonium-2386 (these Implosion 89 -100 kg 242 percentages are influenced by how long the fuel is irradiated in the reactor).7 1 This table is drawn, in part, from Charles P. Blair, “Jihadists and Nuclear Weapons,” in Gary A. Ackerman and Jeremy Tamsett, ed., Jihadists and Weapons of Mass Destruction: A Growing Threat (New York: Taylor and Francis, 2009), pp. 196-197. See also, David Albright N 2 “Bare critical mass” refers to the absence of an initiator or a reflector. -
小型飛翔体/海外 [Format 2] Technical Catalog Category
小型飛翔体/海外 [Format 2] Technical Catalog Category Airborne contamination sensor Title Depth Evaluation of Entrained Products (DEEP) Proposed by Create Technologies Ltd & Costain Group PLC 1.DEEP is a sensor analysis software for analysing contamination. DEEP can distinguish between surface contamination and internal / absorbed contamination. The software measures contamination depth by analysing distortions in the gamma spectrum. The method can be applied to data gathered using any spectrometer. Because DEEP provides a means of discriminating surface contamination from other radiation sources, DEEP can be used to provide an estimate of surface contamination without physical sampling. DEEP is a real-time method which enables the user to generate a large number of rapid contamination assessments- this data is complementary to physical samples, providing a sound basis for extrapolation from point samples. It also helps identify anomalies enabling targeted sampling startegies. DEEP is compatible with small airborne spectrometer/ processor combinations, such as that proposed by the ARM-U project – please refer to the ARM-U proposal for more details of the air vehicle. Figure 1: DEEP system core components are small, light, low power and can be integrated via USB, serial or Ethernet interfaces. 小型飛翔体/海外 Figure 2: DEEP prototype software 2.Past experience (plants in Japan, overseas plant, applications in other industries, etc) Create technologies is a specialist R&D firm with a focus on imaging and sensing in the nuclear industry. Createc has developed and delivered several novel nuclear technologies, including the N-Visage gamma camera system. Costainis a leading UK construction and civil engineering firm with almost 150 years of history. -
Environmental Impacts of Uranium Mining in Australia History, Progress and Current Practice
A policy paper commissioned MAY 2017 by the Minerals Council of Australia Environmental impacts of uranium mining in Australia History, progress and current practice Ben Heard POLICY PAPER Environmental impacts of uranium mining in Australia History, progress and current practice Ben Heard is a doctoral researcher at the University of Adelaide, focusing on clean energy systems and the potential role of nuclear technologies. He holds a Masters in Corporate Environmental and Sustainability Management from Monash University and was an environmental sustainability consultant from 2005-2016. He has taught several units of the Masters of Sustainability at the University of Adelaide and is an honourary member of the Leaders Institute of South Australia. His most recent research paper Burden of proof: A comprehensive review of the feasibility of 100% renewable-electricity systems was published in the journal Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. The Minerals Council of Australia is the peak national body representing Australia’s exploration, mining and minerals processing industry, nationally and internationally, in its contribution to sustainable economic, and social development. This publication is part of the overall program of the MCA, as endorsed by its Board of Directors, but does not necessarily reflect the views of individual members of the Board. Minerals Council of Australia Level 3, 44 Sydney Ave, Forrest ACT 2603 (PO Box 4497, Kingston ACT Australia 2604) P. + 61 2 6233 0600 | F. + 61 2 6233 0699 www.minerals.org.au | [email protected] Copyright © 2017 Minerals Council of Australia. All rights reserved. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 and subsequent amendments, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher and copyright holders. -
Per-10 Basic Information Relating to Uranium
PER-10 1 BASIC INFORMATION RELATING TO URANIUM-ENRICHMENT CALCULATIONS AND FUEL REQUIREMENTS FOR NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS by K.T. Brown m 3 ATOMIC ENERGY BOARD Pelindaba PRETORIA Republic of South Africa February 1977 :::: : =:::""""""::::::;::: i:::""""""" :::::::::i:::::::::::::::H:::""»"""::::::::::::::::: BASIC INFORMATION RELATING TO URANIUM-ENRICHMENT CALCULATIONS AND FUEL REQUIREMENTS FOR NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS hy K.T. Brown POSTAL ADDRESS: Atomic Energy Board Private Bag X256 PRETORIA 0001 PELINDABA Fi-ln liai v 1977 ISBN U 86Ü6U 654 9 Pago Page SAMEVATTING 2 ABSTRACT 2 3. REACTOR FUEL REQUIREMENTS 5 1. INTRODUCTION 3 3.1 Reactor Types 5 2. URANIUM ENRICHMENT 3 3.1.1 Pressurised-water roactor 5 2.1 Definitions 3 3.1.2 Boiling-water reactor 5 2.1.1 Natural uranium 3 3.1.3 CANDU-PHW 6 2.1.2 Fissile 3 3.1.4 High-temperature gas-cooled reactor 6 2.1.3 Fertile 3 2.1.5 Liquid-metal-cooled fast breeder reactor ... .6 2.1.4 Enrichment 3 3.2 Nuclear Fuel Cycles 6 2.1.5 Product 3 3.3 Typical Fuel Requirements 6 2.1.6 Feed 3 3.3.1 Pressurised-wator reactor 7 2.1.7 Tails, or waste 3 3.3.2 Boiling-water reactor 8 2.1.8 Cascade 3 3.3.3 CANDU-PHW 9 2.1.9 Separative work 4 3.3.4 High-temperature gas-cooled reactor 9 2.1.10 Separative-work unit 4 3.3.5 Liquid-metal-cooled fast breeder reactor ... 10 2.2 Enrichment Parameters 4 3.3.6 Comparative data 10 2.3 Optimum Tails Assay 5 4. -
NUREG-1350, Vol. 31, Information
NRC Figure 31. Moisture Density Guage Bioshield Gauge Surface Detectors Depth Radiation Source GLOSSARY 159 GLOSSARY Glossary (Abbreviations, Definitions, and Illustrations) Advanced reactors Reactors that differ from today’s reactors primarily by their use of inert gases, molten salt mixtures, or liquid metals to cool the reactor core. Advanced reactors can also consider fuel materials and designs that differ radically from today’s enriched-uranium dioxide pellets within zirconium cladding. Agreement State A U.S. State that has signed an agreement with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) authorizing the State to regulate certain uses of radioactive materials within the State. Atomic energy The energy that is released through a nuclear reaction or radioactive decay process. One kind of nuclear reaction is fission, which occurs in a nuclear reactor and releases energy, usually in the form of heat and radiation. In a nuclear power plant, this heat is used to boil water to produce steam that can be used to drive large turbines. The turbines drive generators to produce electrical power. NUCLEUS FRAGMENT Nuclear Reaction NUCLEUS NEW NEUTRON NEUTRON Background radiation The natural radiation that is always present in the environment. It includes cosmic radiation that comes from the sun and stars, terrestrial radiation that comes from the Earth, and internal radiation that exists in all living things and enters organisms by ingestion or inhalation. The typical average individual exposure in the United States from natural background sources is about 310 millirem (3.1 millisievert) per year. 160 8 GLOSSARY 8 Boiling-water reactor (BWR) A nuclear reactor in which water is boiled using heat released from fission. -
Consideration of Low Enriched Uranium Space Reactors
AlM Propul~oo aoo Eo«gy Forum 10.25 1416 .20 18~3 Jllly9-11, 2018,0ncinoaoi,Obio 2018 Joi.ot PropuiS;ion Confereoce Chock fof updates Consideration of Low Enriched Uranium Space Reactors David Lee Black, Ph.D. 1 Retired, Formerly Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Washington, DC, 20006. USA The Federal Government (NASA, DOE) has recently shown interest in low enrichment uranium (LEU) reactors for space power and propulsion through its studies at national laboratories and a contract with private industry. Several non-governmental organizations have strongly encouraged this approach for nuclear non-proliferation and safety reasons. All previous efforts have been with highly enriched uranium (HEU) reactors. This study evaluates and compares the effects of changing from HEU reactors with greater than 90% U-235 to LEU with less than 20% U-235. A simple analytic approach was used, the validity of which has been established by comparison with existing test data for graphite fuel only. This study did not include cermet fuel. Four configurations were analyzed: NERVA NRX, LANL's SNRE, LEU, and generic critical HEU and LEU reactors without a reflector. The nuclear criticality multiplication factor, size, weight and system thermodynamic performance were compared, showing the strong dependence on moderator-to-fuel ratio in the reactor. The conclusions are that LEU reactors can be designed to meet mission requirements of lifetime and operability. It ,.;u be larger and heavier by about 4000 lbs than a highly enriched uranium reactor to meet the same requirements. Mission planners should determine the penalty of the added weight on payload. The amount ofU-235 in an HEU core is not significantly greater in an LEU design with equal nuclear requirements. -
Nuclear Power
FEBRUARY 28, 2013 | No. 757 NUCLEAR POWER: LOOKING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD (NM757.4292) Last year marked the 20th anniversary of the fi rst edition of the World Nuclear Industry Status Report (WNISR). For two decades the reports have punctu- red the lies of the nuclear industry. Mycle Schneider and Antony Froggatt wrote the 2012 edition and both contributed to the 1992 edition − congratulations Mycle and NUCLEAR POWER: LOOKING Antony! BACK, LOOKING FORWARD 1 FUKUSHIMA PROPAGANDA 4 The predictions made in WNISR-1992 stack up well. After a 20-year period of signi- fi cant growth, the report correctly predicted that nuclear expansion would "slow to a URANIUM MINING ISSUES: trickle". From 1992 to 2012, worldwide nuclear power capacity increased from 326 2012 REVIEW 8 gigawatts (GW) to 374 GW − a 15% increase in 20 years. IN BRIEF 18 The nuclear industry is fi nally catching up with Mycle and Antony. The International Atomic Energy Agency's 'low' estimates have become a more reliable guide over the years, and the Agency's current 'low' estimate of 456 GW capacity in 2030 suggests very slow annual growth of around 1.5% (IAEA, 2012). Nuclear power's proportional contribution to world electricity production will certainly decline. Nuclear's contribution peaked at 17% in 1993, fell to 12.3% in 2011, and the IAEA estimates just 4.7−6.2% in 2030 (IAEA, 2012, p.17). By 2030, a majority of the world's reactors will be nearing the end of their operating lives and the nuclear industry will need to run just to stand still. -
Re-Examining the Role of Nuclear Fusion in a Renewables-Based Energy Mix
Re-examining the Role of Nuclear Fusion in a Renewables-Based Energy Mix T. E. G. Nicholasa,∗, T. P. Davisb, F. Federicia, J. E. Lelandc, B. S. Patela, C. Vincentd, S. H. Warda a York Plasma Institute, Department of Physics, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK b Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PH c Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3GJ, UK d Centre for Advanced Instrumentation, Department of Physics, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LS, UK Abstract Fusion energy is often regarded as a long-term solution to the world's energy needs. However, even after solving the critical research challenges, engineer- ing and materials science will still impose significant constraints on the char- acteristics of a fusion power plant. Meanwhile, the global energy grid must transition to low-carbon sources by 2050 to prevent the worst effects of climate change. We review three factors affecting fusion's future trajectory: (1) the sig- nificant drop in the price of renewable energy, (2) the intermittency of renewable sources and implications for future energy grids, and (3) the recent proposition of intermediate-level nuclear waste as a product of fusion. Within the scenario assumed by our premises, we find that while there remains a clear motivation to develop fusion power plants, this motivation is likely weakened by the time they become available. We also conclude that most current fusion reactor designs do not take these factors into account and, to increase market penetration, fu- sion research should consider relaxed nuclear waste design criteria, raw material availability constraints and load-following designs with pulsed operation. -
Compilation and Evaluation of Fission Yield Nuclear Data Iaea, Vienna, 2000 Iaea-Tecdoc-1168 Issn 1011–4289
IAEA-TECDOC-1168 Compilation and evaluation of fission yield nuclear data Final report of a co-ordinated research project 1991–1996 December 2000 The originating Section of this publication in the IAEA was: Nuclear Data Section International Atomic Energy Agency Wagramer Strasse 5 P.O. Box 100 A-1400 Vienna, Austria COMPILATION AND EVALUATION OF FISSION YIELD NUCLEAR DATA IAEA, VIENNA, 2000 IAEA-TECDOC-1168 ISSN 1011–4289 © IAEA, 2000 Printed by the IAEA in Austria December 2000 FOREWORD Fission product yields are required at several stages of the nuclear fuel cycle and are therefore included in all large international data files for reactor calculations and related applications. Such files are maintained and disseminated by the Nuclear Data Section of the IAEA as a member of an international data centres network. Users of these data are from the fields of reactor design and operation, waste management and nuclear materials safeguards, all of which are essential parts of the IAEA programme. In the 1980s, the number of measured fission yields increased so drastically that the manpower available for evaluating them to meet specific user needs was insufficient. To cope with this task, it was concluded in several meetings on fission product nuclear data, some of them convened by the IAEA, that international co-operation was required, and an IAEA co-ordinated research project (CRP) was recommended. This recommendation was endorsed by the International Nuclear Data Committee, an advisory body for the nuclear data programme of the IAEA. As a consequence, the CRP on the Compilation and Evaluation of Fission Yield Nuclear Data was initiated in 1991, after its scope, objectives and tasks had been defined by a preparatory meeting. -
Uranium Fact Sheet
Fact Sheet Adopted: December 2018 Health Physics Society Specialists in Radiation Safety 1 Uranium What is uranium? Uranium is a naturally occurring metallic element that has been present in the Earth’s crust since formation of the planet. Like many other minerals, uranium was deposited on land by volcanic action, dissolved by rainfall, and in some places, carried into underground formations. In some cases, geochemical conditions resulted in its concentration into “ore bodies.” Uranium is a common element in Earth’s crust (soil, rock) and in seawater and groundwater. Uranium has 92 protons in its nucleus. The isotope2 238U has 146 neutrons, for a total atomic weight of approximately 238, making it the highest atomic weight of any naturally occurring element. It is not the most dense of elements, but its density is almost twice that of lead. Uranium is radioactive and in nature has three primary isotopes with different numbers of neutrons. Natural uranium, 238U, constitutes over 99% of the total mass or weight, with 0.72% 235U, and a very small amount of 234U. An unstable nucleus that emits some form of radiation is defined as radioactive. The emitted radiation is called radioactivity, which in this case is ionizing radiation—meaning it can interact with other atoms to create charged atoms known as ions. Uranium emits alpha particles, which are ejected from the nucleus of the unstable uranium atom. When an atom emits radiation such as alpha or beta particles or photons such as x rays or gamma rays, the material is said to be undergoing radioactive decay (also called radioactive transformation). -
Nuclear Energy & the Environmental Debate
FEATURES Nuclear energy & the environmental debate: The context of choices Through international bodies on climate change, the roles of nuclear power and other energy options are being assessed by Evelyne ^Environmental issues are high on international mental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which Bertel and Joop agendas. Governments, interest groups, and citi- has been active since 1988. Since the energy Van de Vate zens are increasingly aware of the need to limit sector is responsible for the major share of an- environmental impacts from human activities. In thropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, interna- the energy sector, one focus has been on green- tional organisations having expertise and man- house gas emissions which could lead to global date in the field of energy, such as the IAEA, are climate change. The issue is likely to be a driving actively involved in the activities of these bodies. factor in choices about energy options for elec- In this connection, the IAEA participated in the tricity generation during the coming decades. preparation of the second Scientific Assessment Nuclear power's future will undoubtedly be in- Report (SAR) of the Intergovernmental Panel on fluenced by this debate, and its potential role in Climate Change (IPCC). reducing environmental impacts from the elec- The IAEA has provided the IPCC with docu- tricity sector will be of central importance. mented information and results from its ongoing Scientifically there is little doubt that increas- programmes on the potential role of nuclear ing atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases, such power in alleviating the risk of global climate as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane, will cause change. -
Tailings and Their Component Radionuclides from the Biosphere-Some Earth Science Perspectives
Tailings and Their Component Radionuclides From the Biosphere-Some Earth Science Perspectives Isolation of Uranium Mill Tailings and Their Component Radionuclides From the Biosphere-Some Earth Science Perspectives By Edward Landa GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 814 A critical review of the literature dealing with uranium mill tailings, with emphasis on the geologic and geochemical processes affecting the long-term containment of radionuclides 1980 United States Department of the Interior CECIL D. ANDRUS, Secretary Geological Survey H. William Menard, Director Library of Congress catalog-card No. 79-600148 Free on application to Branch of Distribution, U.S. Geological Survey 1200 South Eads Street, Arlington, VA 22202 CONTENTS Page Abstract 1 Introduction ------------------------------------------------------------ 1 Acknowledginents ---------_----------------------------------------------- 2 Quantity and location of the tailings -------------------------------------- 2 Radioactivity in tailings -------------------------------------------------- 4 Sources of potential human radiation exposure from uranium mill tailings ------ 6 Radon emanation ----------------------------------------------------- 6 VVind transport ------------------------------------------------------- 6 Surface water transport and leaching ----------------------------------- 7 External gamma radiation ------------------------------------------- 8 Contamination of terrestrial and aquatic vegetation ---------------------- 8 Seepage ----------------------------------------------------~--------