Australian Atomic Energy Commission
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AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION TWENTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT Being the Commission's Report for the Year Ended 30 June 1974 AUSTRALIAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION AUSTRALIAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION To the Honourable R. F. X. Connor, M.P., Minister of State for Minerals and Energy, The Minister of State for Minerals and Energy Parliament House, The Honourable R. F. X. Connor, M.P. Canberra, A.C.T. Sir, In accordance with Section 31 of the Atomic Energy Act, Members of the Commission During the Year 1973-74 1953-73, we submit the Twenty-second Annual Report of the Australian Atomic Energy Commission, covering the Commission's operations for the financial year ended 30 June 1974. Chairman Financial accounts for the year, with a report on the accounts R. W. Boswell, O.B.E., M.Sc. by the Auditor-General as required by the Act, are appended to the report. A statement of the Commission's capital assets as at 30 June Deputy Chairman 1974 is also appended to the accounts. R. G. Ward, MA, Ph.D.(Cantab.) Yours faithfully, Members R. W. BOSWELL, Chairman. K. F. Alder, M.Sc., F.I.M. R. G. WARD, Deputy Chairman. Sir Lenox Hewitt, O.B.E., B.Com., F.A.S.A., A.C.I.S., L.C.A. K. F. ALDER, Member. C. L. HEWITT, Member. Secretary W. B. Lynch, B.A. 45 Beach Street, Coogee, N.S.W. 2034. 23 August 1974 Contents INTRODUCTION 9 Nuclear Energy 9 Uranium Resources . 10 Commission Program 11 Organisation 11 ADVISORY COMMITTEES 2 THE ROLE OF NUCLEAR POWER AS AN ENERGY RESOURCE 12 Energy Resources and Their Availability 12 Established Nuclear Power Systems 13 Appointed under Section 20 of the Atomic Energy Act, 1953-73 Table of World Nuclear Power Stations 14 Recent Developments .. .. 15 Delays in Commissioning Plant . 15 Safety Review Committee Regulation and Safety of Nuclear Energy 16 Regulatory Studies . .. ]6 Professor Sir Sydney Sunderland, C.M.G., M.D., B.S., D.Sc., F.R.A.C.P., Safety Research .... 16 F.R.A.C.S., F.A.A., Chairman. Overseas Developments ... ... 18 Future Nuclear Power Systems 18 Dr C. J. Cummins, M.B., B.S., D.P.H. High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors 19 D. J. Stevens, O.B.E., B.Sc., A.lnst.P. Fast Breeder Reactors 19 Controlled Thermonuclear Fusion .. 19 Function: To review periodically the health and safety standards and procedures adopted 3 URANIUM 21 by the Commission in the operation of its World Demand and Supply Position . .21 reactors and in the use of radiation, radioactive National Programs ... 25 substances, and toxic materials. Australian Situation . .... 26 Exploration and Development in Australia 27 Bureau of Mineral Resources . .... 27 Company Activities 28 Health and Safety in Mining and Milling Radioactive Ores . .... 30 Environmental Studies in the Northern Territory 31 Atomic Energy Advisory Committee 4 URANIUM FUEL CYCLE 32 A. W. B. Coady, C.M.G., B.A., B.Ec. Introduction to the Fuel Cycle 32 Sir Willis Connolly, C.B.E., B.E.E., B.Com., M.l.E.Aust. Uranium Hexafluoride ... 33 Professor M. C. Kemp, B.Com., M.A., Ph.D. Uranium Enrichment .. ... 34 Nuclear Reactor Fuels 34 Sir John Phillips, K.B.E., B.Ec. Reprocessing and Recycling Power Reactor Fuel 34 Professor J. W. Roderick, M.A.(Camb.), M.Sc., Ph.D.(Bristol), F.A.A., Treatment, Storage and Disposal of Radioactive Wastes 36 M.l.Struct.E., M.I.C.E., A.F.R.Ae.S., M.I.E.Aust., M.A.S.C.E. 5 URANIUM ENRICHMENT 38 R. A. Simpson, B.E., F.S.A.S.M., M.I.E.Aust. World Requirements for Enrichment 38 Professor R. Street, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.(Lond.) Present Supply of Enrichment 39 Future Supply 39 L. W. Wcickhardt, M.Sc., F.R.A.C.I., F.A.I.M. World Supply-Demand Balance 40 Competitive Technologies — Current Status 42 Australian Domestic Requirements for Enrichment 44 Function: To advise the Commission on scientific, industrial and economic matters Association for Centrifuge Enrichment 44 relating to atomic energy research and Australian Centrifuge Enrichment Development 45 development. Other Enrichment Methods . 45 Contents Contents RADIOISOTOPES AND RADIATION 46 9 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND SAFEGUARDS 87 Radioisotope Applications 46 International Atomic Energy Agency 87 Mineral Industry 46 OECD Nuclear Energy Agency 88 Hydrology 47 International Agreements for Co-operation 90 Radioisotopes in Industry 50 Colombo Plan 90 Radiation Research and Applications 52 Safeguards . 90 Radiation Sterilisation 52 Radiation Measurement 52 10 GENERAL 92 Radiation Polymerisation 54 Legislation 92 Radiobiology of Human Cancer 55 Senior Stall Changes . 92 Radioisotope Production and Services 55 Stafl' Numbers . ... 93 Production and Distribution . ... 55 Information Services .. 93 Radiopharmaceutical Research and Development 58 Safety Review Committee 94 Radiation Sources Research and Development . 61 Medical-Health Survey . 95 Acknowledgments .. .. 62 Overseas Visits . 95 Attachments 96 7 GENERAL NUCLEAR SCIENCE . 63 Distinguished Visitors to the Commission 96 Nuclear Science ... 63 Finance . 96 Chemistry of the Actinides 63 Radiation Cytogenetics 64 APPENDICES Oxidation of Uranium Dioxide Fuel Pellets During Hydrogen A Auditor-General's Report 99 Sintering 65 B Financial Accounts 100 Neutron Emission from Individual Fission Fragments 66 C Organisation of Commission 102 Fission Product Yield Analysis 66 D AAEC Research Projects 105 Neutron Capture 66 E AAEC Research Contracts 106 Development of Techniques .. 66 F AINSE Research and Training Grants 107 Neutron Activation Analysis 66 G Technical Papers by Commission Staff 111 Uranium Analysis 67 Patent Applications 116 Prompt Nuclear Analysis . 67 Radiography . 69 Anodic Stripping Voltammetry 71 Acoustic Emission 71 Spark Source Mass Spectrometry 72 Patents and Exploitation 75 Extramural Research 75 Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering 75 Australian School of Nuclear Technology 77 8 RESEARCH ESTABLISHMENT OPERATIONS AND SERVICES 78 Site Management 78 Reactor Operations 78 Waste Management 79 Engineering Services 79 Safety 80 Administration 80 Library Services 83 Medical Service 83 Computer Services 83 Scientific Services 85 1 INTRODUCTION NUCLEAR ENERGY Relatively few countries of the world possess reserves of fossil fuels adequate and suitable for their own requirements, and quite a number have become largely dependent on foreign supplies. Prices of imported fossil fuels, particularly oil, have escalated rapidly over the past 12 months and this factor, coupled with possible future shortages and interruptions to supply has caused most countries — both developing and industrialised — to review their energy policies. As a result, it can be expected that greater attention will be given to the more efficient use of energy resources, research and development of new sources of energy will be accelerated, and nuclear power stations will provide an increasing proportion of the total elec- trical output. Some countries already committed to nuclear power (for example France and Japan) have announced accelerated or increased programs of construc- tion while others are about to place orders for their first units. There is a renewal of interest in nuclear marine propulsion and in the use of nuclear energy for other purposes such as the provision of process heat. The current nuclear power programs of most major countries continue to lag behind schedules due to delays resulting from environmental issues, licensing pro- cedures, construction and management problems. The United States Atomic Energy Commission recently revised its forecasts for nuclear power in the USA and other countries. When compared with their previous predictions made in December 1972, the new forecasts indicate a small reduction in total world installed nuclear generating capacity over the next decade because of the delays mentioned above. However, the figures imply that there will be a continued rapid build-up beyond the 1980s, the figures increasing from between 521 and 695 thousand megawatts in 1985, to between 1,700 and 2,560 thousand megawatts in 1995, and between 2,450 and 3,950 thousand megawatts by the end of the century. A range is given for each year, the values depending on the assumptions made. The predicted build-up will only be achieved if the problems presently being experienced by the nuclear industry arc resolved satisfactorily and that there is no major down-turn in world economic growth. In contrast to many overseas countries, Australia has relatively large fossil fuel resources and docs not at present depend to any significant extent on imported fuel oil for power generation purposes. Consequently, Australia is not under the COMMISSION PROGRAM same pressure as these other countries to exploit nuclear power. The Commission and State generating authorities have continued to review and compare the merits of nuclear and fossil-fuelled stations. It is not expected that nuclear power will play The present Commission , rogram places emphasis in the following areas: a major role in Australia until the 1990s. Nuclear Power, assessment of the potential contribution and the overall implications Comparisons between nuclear and conventional stations at the present time of nuclear power in the co-ordinated development of Australia's resources. arc difficult to assess because of economic and environmental issues. It is difficult Safety and the Environment: establishment of adequate arrangements for safety to determine the effects of inflation and possible changes in currency exchange and assessment, licensing and regulation of all nuclear facilities to control any potential interest rates on plant capital and fuel costs. A further complication is that there hazards to health and the environment; the long-term management and disposal of are at present no clearly defined Australian standards in respect to siting, safety radioactive wastes. and environmental matters for cither nuclear or fossil-fuelled power plants. Uranium and Nuclear Fuel: the development of uranium resources; consideration The Commission, in collaboration with the major State generating authorities, of the desirable extent and timing of uranium processing, including enrichment; the is engaged in the development of suitable licensing and regulatory procedures in development of a technical base on which Australia can establish its own uranium relation to nuclear power plants.