气候变化领域集成服务门户(CCPortal): Nuclear fuel reprocessing: Can pyro-processing reduce nuclear proliferation risk?

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DOI	10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111601
	Nuclear fuel reprocessing: Can pyro-processing reduce nuclear proliferation risk?
	Woo S.M.; Chirayath S.S.; Fuhrmann M.
发表日期	2020
ISSN	03014215
卷号	144
英文摘要	The long-term sustainability of nuclear energy requires a closed fuel cycle in which used fuel is reprocessed and recycled. Unlike the PUREX process, which produces a pure plutonium product, pyro-processing produces a depleted uranium ingot and a mixed ingot of depleted uranium and transuranic elements (neptunium, plutonium, americium, and curium) in the ratio 1:1. This seems to suggest that pyro-processing has a lower nuclear proliferation risk compared to PUREX because of the non-availability of a pure Pu product in pyro-processing. In this paper, we study some of the technical challenges in safeguarding a pyro-processing facility with respect to various special nuclear material (SNM) diversion scenarios and propose some possible solutions. We also analyze the misuse of pyro-processing in tandem with a covert PUREX facility. Wide-area environmental sampling and satellite imagery could detect the misuse. Additional strategies recommended are: employment of resident inspectors, establishment of dedicated nuclear safeguards funds, and international sanctions against the misuse of pyro-processing facilities. Results of the study show that suggested technical and administrative measures can make SNM diversion from a pyro-processing facility extremely difficult. We conclude that the use of pyro-processing in place of PUREX in a closed fuel cycle can lower the proliferation risk. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd
关键词	Non-proliferation Nuclear fuel cycle Pyro-processing Safeguards
英文关键词	Fuels; Ingots; Plutonium; Radioactive materials; Sampling; Satellite imagery; Sustainable development; Uranium; Administrative measures; Environmental sampling; Long-term sustainability; Nuclear proliferation; Processing facilities; Special nuclear materials; Technical challenges; Transuranic elements; Nuclear fuel reprocessing; administrative system; alternative energy; fuel cell; fuel consumption; nuclear power plant; numerical model; renewable resource; strategic approach
语种	英语
来源期刊	Energy Policy
文献类型	期刊论文
条目标识符	http://gcip.llas.ac.cn/handle/2XKMVOVA/204927
作者单位	Center for Nuclear Security Science and Policy Initiatives, College Station, TX 77843, United States; Department of Nuclear Engineering, College Station, TX 77843, United States; Department of Political Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States; Department of Nuclear and Energy Engineering, Jeju National University, Jeju, 63243, South Korea
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714	Woo S.M.,Chirayath S.S.,Fuhrmann M.. Nuclear fuel reprocessing: Can pyro-processing reduce nuclear proliferation risk?[J],2020,144.
APA	Woo S.M.,Chirayath S.S.,&Fuhrmann M..(2020).Nuclear fuel reprocessing: Can pyro-processing reduce nuclear proliferation risk?.Energy Policy,144.
MLA	Woo S.M.,et al."Nuclear fuel reprocessing: Can pyro-processing reduce nuclear proliferation risk?".Energy Policy 144(2020).