Disposing of Excess Weapons Materials: Past and Future of Belgian Plutonium Technology

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yvon Vanderborck ◽  
Jacques Basselier
Keyword(s):  
Fission Products ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Economic Point ◽  
Long Term Storage ◽  
Transfer Of Technology ◽  
The Us ◽  
Further Development ◽  
Term Storage

Abstract Long term storage of plutonium separated from fission products is not a good solution according to the current non-proliferation criteria as well as from an economic point of view. This material has thus to be converted to the equivalent of the “spent fuel standard”. Only one technique has so far reached the industrial maturity necessary to convert the important existing plutonium stockpiles: it is the use of plutonium to manufacture and irradiate MOX fuel. The paper reviews the existing information over the separated plutonium stockpiles and the various International Agreements, which are implemented to cover the peaceful use of plutonium. The dual track solution retained in U.S. in mentioned. The situation U.S. and Russia is updated, the roles of Europe and Belgium are presented. The activities of BELGONUCLEAIRE on the US and Russian sides will be described and its experience in fabrication technology, quality, safety, environmental issues, non-proliferation, safeguards and transport will be considered. The transfer of technology to France, Japan and US makes the MIMAS BELGONUCLEAIRE fabrication process equivalent to an international standard. This forms a sound basis for further development and for a transfer to Russia. The paper will demonstrate by this way the commitment of BELGONUCLEAIRE to participate to the peaceful uses of plutonium, as well as its contribution safely to non-proliferation and disarmament international policy.

Preliminary Studies of the Disposition of Cesium in a Glass-Bonded Sodalite Waste form

2002 ◽  
Vol 713 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marsha J. Lambregts ◽  
Steven M. Frank
Keyword(s):  
National Laboratory ◽  
Argonne National Laboratory ◽  
Fission Products ◽  
Waste Form ◽  
Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
Ceramic Waste ◽  
Long Term Storage ◽  
Geological Repository ◽  
Term Storage

ABSTRACTArgonne National Laboratory has developed an electrometallurgical treatment for DOE spent metallic nuclear fuel. Fission products are immobilized in a durable glass bonded sodalite ceramic waste form (CWF) suitable for long term storage in a geological repository. Cesium is estimated to be in the waste form at approximately 0.1 wt.%. The exact disposition of cesium was uncertain and it was believed to be uniformly distributed throughout the waste form. A correlation of X-ray diffractometry (XRD), electron microscopy (EM), and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) performed on surrogate ceramic waste forms with high cesium loadings found a high cesium content in the glass phase and in several non-sodalite aluminosilicate phases. Cesium was not detected in the sodalite phase.

scholarly journals Fungus Evaluation from Seeds Germplasm before Medium and Long Term Storage

2016 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 71-82
Author(s):  
Domnica Daniela Plăcintă ◽  
Danela Murariu
Keyword(s):  
Agar Medium ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Paper Substrate ◽  
Fungal Parasite ◽  
Blotting Paper ◽  
Long Term Storage ◽  
Seed Health ◽  
Term Storage

Abstract During 2000-2016, 213 entries from 29 plant species from different crop groups (cereals, legumes, industrial crops, perennial grasses, vegetables, cucurbits, aromatic and medicinal plants) from core collection of the Suceava Genebank were evaluated from phytosanitary status point of view, before the storing. The seeds testing to the micromycetes incidence in the laboratory by incubating of them on blotting paper substrate and agar medium was performed. Fungal saprophytes from genus as: Alternaria spp., Stemphylium spp., Cladosporium sp., Rhyzopus sp., Epicocum sp., Aspergillus sp., Penicillium sp., Botrytis sp. occurred frequently in seeds samples of the tested crops. Also, 12 fungal parasite were isolated: Sclerospora sp., Diplodia sp., Nigrospora sp. on maize; Drechslera spp. on wheat, barley, rye and flax; Septoria sp. on barley; Fusarium spp. on maize, barley, rye, millet, bean, pea, flax, hemp, peppers, cucumbers; Colletotrichum spp. on maize, bean and faba bean; Sclerotinia sp., Isariopsis sp. and Rhyzoctonia sp. on bean; Verticillium sp. on peppers and okra, Ascochyta sp. on pea. The obtained results were expressed as percentage of the number of fungal isolated from tested samples species, highlighting the existing microflora and need to seed health testing with major importance in maintaing of high quality germplasm avoiding the pathogens preservation and dissemination.

Decommissioning of the A-1 NPP Long-Term Storage Facility

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Medved ◽  
Ladislav Vargovcik
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Water Jet ◽  
Stage I ◽  
Stage Ii ◽  
Storage Facility ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Special Equipment ◽  
Long Term Storage ◽  
Term Storage

The paper deals with experience, techniques and new applied equipment durig undergoing decommissioning process of the A-1 NPP long-term pool storage and the follow-up decommissioning plan. For rad-waste disposal of the long-term pool storage (where most of the contaminants had remained following the removal of spent fuel) special equipment has been developed, designed, constructed and installed. The purpose of this equipment is the restorage, drainage and fragmentation of cartridges (used as a spent fuel case), as well as treatment of sludge (located at the pool bottom) and of the remaining liquid radwaste. The drainage equipment for cartridges is designed for discharging KCr2 solution from cartridges with spent fuel rods into the handling storage tank in the short-term storage facility and adjustment of the cartridges for railway transport, prior to the liquidation of the spent fuel rod. The equipment ensures full remote visual control of the process and exact monitoring of its technical parameters, including that of the internal nitrogen atmosphere concentration value. Cartridges without fuel and liquid filling are transferred to the equipment for their processing which includes fragmentation into smaller parts, decontamination, filling into drums with their sealed closing and measurement of radioactive dose. For the fragmentation, special shearing equipment is used which leaves the pipe fragment open for the following decontamination. For cleaning the cartridge bottom from radioactive sludge water jet system is used combined with slow speed milling used for preparing the opening for water jet nozzle. The sludge from the cartridge bottom is fixed into ceramic matrix. Nuclear Power Plant JE A-1 (since 1980 in decommissioning) is situated in the locality of Jaslovske´ Bohunice. So far the decommissioning of the Long-term storage was carried out within Stage I of A-1NPP decommissioning. This year the Stage I of decommissioning finished, and the performance of Stage II of decommissioning was started. Decommissioning of the long-term storage facility continues within Stage II of the A-1 NPP decommissioning process.

Dry Storage of the BR3 Spent Fuel in the CASTOR® BR3 Cask

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luc Ooms ◽  
Vincent Massaut ◽  
L. Noynaert ◽  
M. Braeckeveldt ◽  
G. Geenen
Keyword(s):  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Dual Purpose ◽  
Shock Absorbers ◽  
Commercial Plant ◽  
Long Term Storage ◽  
Fuel Assemblies ◽  
Test Reactor ◽  
And Storage ◽  
Term Storage

The BR3 reactor was the first PWR plant installed in Europe. Started in 1962, BR3 was definitely shut down on June 30th, 1987. Used at the beginning of its life as a training device for commercial plant operators, it was also used during its whole life as test-reactor for new fuel types and assemblies. Most of the spent fuel was stored in the deactivation pool of the plant for more than 15 years. The reactor being now in decommissioning, it was decided to remove the spent fuel from the plant. After comparison of different solutions, the long term storage in dual purpose storage casks was selected in 1997. The selected CASTOR-BR3® cask is designed as a transport and storage cask for accommodating 30 spent fuel assemblies. As a type B(U) cask fitted with shock absorbers, it meets the transport requirements according to the IAEA guidelines and fulfils also the conditions for cask storage.

Sorption of Actinides in Well-Defined Oxidation States on Geologic Media

1981 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Allard ◽  
U. Olofsson ◽  
B. Torstenfelt ◽  
H. Kipatsi ◽  
K. Andersson
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Oxidation States ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Long Term Storage ◽  
Term Storage ◽  
Geologic Media

The long-lived actinides and their daughter products largely dominate the biological hazards from spent nuclear fuel already from some 300 years after the discharge from the reactor and onwards . Therefore it is essential to make reliable assessments of the geochemistry of these elements in any concept for long-term storage of spent fuel or reprocessing waste, etc.

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