Simulering av bestrålning och utbränning av vapengradigt plutonium som MOX-bränsle i lättvattenreaktor

Sammanfattning

Irreversible disposition of weapons grade material was performed for weapons grade uranium in the Megatons to MegaWatts program. For plutonium there has been less progress in disposition, despite the fact Pu-239, the primary isotope in nuclearweapons, is an excellent substitute for U-235 in enriched nuclear fuel. This paper examines the possibility to consume plutonium extracted from nuclear weapons as MOX-fuel in a light-water reactor to produce electric power and to render weapons grade plutonium unattractive for weapons manufacture. Plutonium that has been irradiated in a reactor for a substantial time is ill-suited for weapons due to the buildup of heavier isotopes. Depletion of various fuel compositions are examined by simulation with the reactor physics code Serpent 2.0 to see how isotope ratios change and how this effects properties relevant to the ease of reversal to use innuclear weapons.