Storage of Plutonium

Background

We are interested in improving our understanding of the long-term storage of plutonium. This includes the behaviour of the plutonium, the storage package and the store.

We are also interested in how the operation of our stores (package movement or inspection and store monitoring) could be improved, particularly through the implementation of remotely operated technologies and techniques (robotics). This work is done in close collaboration with Sellafield Ltd.

Next steps

Get in touch with research@nda.gov.uk

Related UKRI funded projects

  • Compositional and Structural Evolution of Plutonium Dioxide: Underpinning Future Decisions

    Plutonium dioxide is a very dynamic material. Radioactive decay damages the lattice and also forms other elements in the material. Helium, an inert gas, may be localised or trapped in the lattice, or maybe released. Uran...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Why might this be relevant?

    This project specifically focuses on the behavior of plutonium dioxide in storage, addressing the long-term storage aspect of the question.

  • Experimental Actinide Nano-chemistry for the Future of the Civil UK Plutonium Inventory

    In the UK, electricity generation using Nuclear Power is key to energy security and to achieving Net Zero. After six decades of commercial nuclear fuel reprocessing by Sellafield Ltd (SL), the UK has the largest inventor...

    Funded by: UKRI FLF

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project addresses the long-term storage of plutonium, behavior of plutonium, storage package, and store, as well as improvements in store operation through remotely operated technologies.

  • Digitalised Autonomous System for Nuclear Waste Sort and Segregation

    When a nuclear power station enters the decommissioning phase a large amount of nuclear waste is generated. This waste, which is made up of a range of materials with differing radioactive content and intensity, as well a...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project focuses on developing a digitalized autonomous system for sorting and segregating nuclear waste, which directly relates to the long-term storage of plutonium and the use of remotely operated technologies.

  • Sim-Fuel and Alpha-Active Material Manufacturing and Characterisation Capability

    The aim of this proposal is to provide key equipment that will deliver an internationally-unique open-access academic capability to manufacture, irradiate, and examine the pre- and post-irradiation characteristics of a r...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Why might this be relevant?

    While this project focuses on alpha-active material manufacturing and characterization, it does not directly address the long-term storage of plutonium as requested in the question.

  • WACPAC - Efficient packing of decommissioning waste which meets the waste acceptance criteria for disposal

    WACPAC -- efficient packing of decommissioning waste which meets the waste acceptance criteria for disposal WACPAC is an autonomous system for assigning items from decommissioning operations to the correct waste stream....

    Funded by: Innovate UK

  • Deployment of a Muon Tomography System for Nuclear Waste Characterisation

    Muon Tomography is a new technology that is just now making the transition from academic research into commercialisation. Over the past decade, Muon Tomography has been one of the fastest-growing fields in applied partic...

    Funded by: Innovate UK