A PROGRAM TO STABILIZE NUCLEAR MATERIALS AS MANAGED BY THE PLUTONIUM FOCUS AREA

摘要

This paper describes the program to stabilize nuclear materials, consistent with the Departmentof Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM) plan, Accelerating Cleanup: Paths toClosure. The program is managed by the Plutonium Stabilization and Disposition Focus Area,which defines and manages technology development programs to stabilize nuclear materials andassure their subsequent safe storage and final disposition. The Department of Energy IdahoOperations Office, with support from Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies Company andArgonne National Laboratory manages the Plutonium Stabilization and Disposition Focus Area(PFA).The scope of PFA activities includes non-weapons plutonium materials, special isotopes, andother fissile materials. The PFA provides solutions to site-specific and complex wide technologyissues associated with plutonium remediation, stabilization, and preparation for disposition.Currently, PFA technology development projects are derived from the Plutonium Stabilizationand Disposition Focus Area Research and Development Plan, DOE/ID-10561 Revision 3,September 1998. This Research and Development plan defines the current gaps in technologythat may pose significant worker and public safety risk and/or programmatic risk to timelydisposition of nuclear materials.The PFA has identified 21 Functional Need Areas that remain to be addressed to reduce theprogrammatic risk of meeting Department of Energy milestones. Many of the needs are beingadequately addressed with End Use Site program-specific technology development funds or bythe Los Alamos National Laboratory Plutonium Applied Technology Program. Other functionalneeds are not currently pursued due to lack of funding. If funding is allocated, these needs will beaddressed through calls for proposals.Our paper describes an important programmatic function of the Department of Energy nuclearmaterials stabilization program, including the tie-in of policy to research needs and funding forthe nuclear materials disposition area. The PFA uses a rigorous systems engineeringdetermination of technology needs and gaps, under the guidance of a Technical Advisory Panel,consisting of complex-wide experts. The Research and Development planning provides anexample for other waste areas and should be of interest to Research and Development managers.The materials disposition maps developed by the PFA and described in this paper provide anevaluation of research needs, data gaps and subsequent guidance for the development of