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Radiological Aspects of Deep-Burn Fusion-Fission Hybrid Waste in a Repository

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 March 2011

Henry F. Shaw
Affiliation:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550, U.S.A.
James A. Blink
Affiliation:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550, U.S.A.
Joseph C. Farmer
Affiliation:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550, U.S.A.
Kevin J. Kramer
Affiliation:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550, U.S.A.
Jeffery F. Latkowski
Affiliation:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550, U.S.A.
Pihong Zhao
Affiliation:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550, U.S.A.
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Abstract

The quantity, radioactivity, and isotopic characteristics of the spent fission fuel from a hybrid fusion-fission system capable of extremely high burnups are described. The waste generally has higher activity per unit mass of heavy metal, but much lower activity per unit energy generated. The very long-term radioactivity is dominated by fission products. Simple scaling calculations suggest that the dose from a repository containing such waste would be dominated by 129I, 135Cs, and 242Pu. Use of such a system for generating energy would greatly reduce the need for repository capacity

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2009

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References

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