Abstracts and Available Papers Presented at the 2005 International RERTR Meeting
About the
Enrichment Limit for Research Reactor Conversion : Why
20%?
Alexander Glaser
Program on Science and Global Security
Princeton University
Abstract
This paper reviews the rationale of selecting an
enrichment of just less than 20% (low-enriched uranium)
as the preferred enrichment level for research reactor
fuel in order to minimize overall proliferation risks.
The net strategic value of the nuclear material
associated with reactor operation is evaluated for a
variety of enrichment levels, ranging from slightly
enriched to weapongrade fuel. To quantify the
proliferation potential, both the demand of fresh
uranium fuel as well as the plutonium buildup in the
irradiated fuel are estimated via cell burnup
calculations. The analysis confirms the usefulness of
the current enrichment limit and challenges a recent
trend to reconsider fuel enrichment levels between 20%
and 50% for new research reactor projects.
Contact: Dr. Jordi Roglans-Ribas
Technical Director, RERTR Department
Nuclear Engineering Division – 362
Argonne National Laboratory
9700 South Cass Avenue
Argonne, IL 60439
Fax: +1 630-252-5161
The 2016 International RERTR Meeting (RERTR-2016) will take place in Belgium.
Stay tuned for further details.
The 2015 International RERTR Meeting (RERTR-2015) took place in Seoul, Korea on Oct. 11-14, 2015.
For more information visit RERTR-2015.