HTGR Knowledge Base

Conference Article: PBMR Nuclear Material Safeguards

Johan Slabber, PBMR (Pty) Ltd, Centurion, SOUTH AFRICA

Abstract

The paper presents a brief technical description of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) design. This technical description is presented in sufficient detail in order to serve as a basis for understanding the design of the fuel handling system and the reactor core. In the section describing the core design and associated reactor physics, the lack of ability of the reactor to produce nuclear material for use in nuclear explosives is presented. It is shown that, with reference to plutonium production, the mixture of isotopes produced during normal commercial operation is unsuitable for use in nuclear explosives. The approach that is currently proposed for the implementation of safeguards is based on nuclear material flow and inventory verification. A schematic diagram is included which summarizes the IAEA verification system interfacing with PBMR fuel handling and storage system. The present status regarding high-temperature graphite moderated reactor reprocessing technology is briefly summarized. Finally, a summary is presented of the non-proliferation attributes of the PBMR fuel cycle.

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key words: Non-proliferation, safeguards, nuclear material safeguards
Reference:
Proceedings of the Conference on High Temperature Reactors, Beijing, China, September, 22-24, 2004
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)
HTR-2004, pp:1-10