NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE | FAST NEUTRON REACTORS
nitrates. The diversion of such amounts would certainly be detected by the IAEA during their inspections under safeguards implementation. Protracted diversions of smaller amounts to accumulate the required material would have to take place over a long period of time and so increase the likelihood of detection. Organisational solutions that address concerns about
Above:
Used fuel from VVER reactors like Novovoronezh unit 2 could be used in fast neutron machines
V plutonium, and minor actinides like americium and neptunium. The remaining material will comprise fission products – highly radioactive plutonium and minor actinides – which will make any unauthorised handling extremely difficult. It should also be noted that, to achieve critical mass of the nuclear material, sufficient for a nuclear explosive device, it would be necessary to divert significant amounts of the intermediate product generated in reprocessing – at least, 1.5 tonnes in the case of used fuel, 350 kg for the cathode deposit in the pyro-chemical extraction of the mixture, or 135 kg for uranium, plutonium, and neptunium
proliferation could be the establishment in nuclear weapons States of centres to produce mixed uranium-plutonium fuel and to reprocess used fuel, which could supply fuel for fast reactors located in countries that do not possess nuclear weapons. It would also be possible to create in countries requiring energy, centres such as Russia’s ODEK, which has on-site closed NFC facilities with intrinsic characteristics that prevent any diversion of plutonium for the production of nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices. Moreover, widely used fast neutron reactors will facilitate
in gradual emptying the plutonium storage facilities and reprocessing of all UNF coming from NPPs that are in operation now. In the absence of any need for uranium enrichment, this will significantly strengthen any nuclear non-proliferation regime. Thus, when switching to nuclear power, society
will receive an environmentally friendly, practically inexhaustible source of energy for thousands of years and hope for further development. With large-scale nuclear power based on fast neutron reactors, a closed nuclear fuel cycle will be the future. ■
Customized Special Control Valves for Nuclear Power Plants
Steam Conditioning Valve Type C4
Steam Conditioning Valve Type E20
Cooling Water Control Valve
Steam Conditioning Safety Valve Type 700
WELLAND & TUXHORN AG A R M A T UREN - UND M A S C H I NENF A BRIK
• Process steam applications • Control valves with safety function
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• Boiler start-up and blow-down valves • Desuperheater valves • Hydraulic actuating systems • Pneumatic actuators
24 | September 2022 |
www.neimagazine.com
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