Continuing negotiations in nuclear weapons reduction and accelerated cleanup across theDepartment of Energy complex continues to produce programmatic goals and milestonesthat require the disposition of large amounts of excess fissile materials. The Departmentof Energy has initiated numerous activities to focus on identifying material managementstrategies for these excess materials. Many of these planning strategies have includedisotopic dilution of highly enriched uranium as a means of reducing the proliferation andsafety risks, and thereby provide disposition pathways that include recycle and disposal.Isotopic dilution by dry blending highly enriched uranium with natural and/or depleteduranium has been identified as one non-aqueous method to achieve these risk reductionsand disposition options. This paper reviews the ongoing technology development of dryblending as applied to free flowing oxide materials.
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