At alternative to reuse of plutonium is disposal in a GDF and it is likely that some of the plutonium inventory will require disposal as it will not be suitable for reuse. We are interested in technologies and techniques that would enable plutonium disposal in the GDF. This includes both treatment options and disposal package design.
Existing potential options include Disposal MOX and Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) to produce a ceramic wasteform. Similarly to reuse, we are interested in any constraints that would limited how much of the plutonium inventory could be disposed of or how quickly it could be disposed.
Get in touch with research@nda.gov.uk
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
Lead research organisation: University of Manchester
Partially relevant as it focuses on understanding plutonium dioxide evolution rather than disposal techniques.
HM Government's civil nuclear energy policy has the threefold objectives of: exploiting nuclear power for low carbon, reliable and affordable electricity generation; decommissioning the legacy of historic nuclear fuel cy...
Funded by: EPSRC
Lead research organisation: University of Sheffield
Fully relevant as it focuses on thermal treatment of radioactive wastes for disposal.
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: FLF
Lead research organisation: University of Glasgow
Partially relevant as it focuses on actinide nano-chemistry but not specifically on disposal techniques.