EVALUATION OF NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION USING THE MATERIAL ATTRACTIVENESS METHOD IN LIGHT WATER-COOLED REACTORS

• Main Author: Iqlima Nasyidiah, Fungky
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/77671
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

This study aims to evaluate the Material Attractiveness behavior of several reactor types under development light water-based reactors such as NuScale, ESBWR, BWRX-300, and PWR, during and after reactor operation. The results of this study can provide important insights related to nuclear safety and potential proliferation risks associated with the use of nuclear energy in the future. Plutonium isotopes become one of the important parameters in the aspect of nuclear non-proliferation. In this study, the production of plutonium isotopes increased except for Pu-239 which decreased due to the fission process. Based on the composition of Pu-240, the four reactors have Pu-240 composition with super-grade plutonium composition level at the beginning of reactor irradiation. However, the increasing burnup of Pu-240 composition becomes the level of reactor grade plutonium composition. At the beginning of irradiation the ATTR value for ESBWR was 0.19, PWR 0.20, BWRX-300 0.16 and NuScale 0.21. The ATTR value is included in the weapon-grade category. Then at the end of operation the ATTR value decreased with the ATTR value of ESBWR being 0.0125, PWR 0.0148 BWRX-300 0.0111 and NuScale 0.0133. The ATTR value at the end of reactor operation becomes categorized as un-usable grade. This shows that the attractiveness value (ATTR) decreases effectively when there is an increase in burnup from weapon-grade to un-usable grade at the end of operation. This is influenced by the increased production of Pu238, Pu-240, Pu-242 isotopes and the decline of Pu-239 as the main fissile material. In terms of ATTR analysis, these values DH, SFN, BCM and neutron prompt life affect the decrease of ATTR value from BOC to EOC except Rossi-alpha. And the effect of compression on ATTR values does not significantly change the value of both ATTR at the beginning of reactor operation to the end of reactor operation.