Study on Effect of Multiple Recycling of Plutonium on Problem Pertaining to Radiation Protection in a Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Plant. Synthesis Report

摘要

The objectives of this study are to determine the radiation properties of various plutonium mixtures, to identify the dependence of these properties on isotope compositions and to determine the possible effects of these parameters on handling and shielding plutonium in mixed oxide fuel fabrication plants. This study has been sub-divided into its theoretical and experimental parts. In the theoretical part a calculation is made of the changes in activity of definite reference mixtures with a characterisitic isotope composition i.e., realistic isotope mixtures with relatively high shares of Pu sub 238 and Pu sub 241 , relevant to radiation protection. To determine radiation protection problems, the dose rates of these mixtures have been computed for definitie source geometries behind various shieldings. In the second, experimental part radiation protection measurements were made of such practically available plutonium mixtures which, as regards their isotope composition, closely approximate the mixtures used for the theoretical part. Finally, the results of the theoretical part and experimental measuring results were compared, and the consequences therefrom to radiation protection were compiled. The results generally show that the dose rate of recycled plutonium of the compositions given here increases, as expected, as compared with plutonium of the first generation, and show also the great depen. (Atomindex citation 13:702791)