The sintering behavior of uranium and uranium-zirconium alloys in the alpha phase were characterized in this research. Metal uranium powder was produced from pieces of depleted uranium metal acquired from the Y-12 plant via hydriding/dehydriding process. The size distribution and morphology of the uranium powder produced by this method were determined by digital optical microscopy. Once the characteristics of the source uranium powder were known, uranium and uranium-zirconium pellets were pressed using a dual-action punch and die. The majority of these pellets were sintered isothermally, first in the alpha phase near 650°C, then in the gamma phase near 800°C. In addition, a few pellets were sintered using more exotic temperature profiles. Pellet shrinkage was continuously measured in situ during sintering. The isothermal shrinkage rates and sintering temperatures for each pellet were fit to a simple model for the initial phase of sintering of spherical powders. The material specific constants required by this model, including the activation energy of the process, were determined for both uranium and uranium-zirconium. Following sintering, pellets were sectioned, mounted, and polished for imaging by electron microscopy. Based on these results, the porosity and microstructure of the sintered pellets were analyzed. The porosity of the uranium-zirconium pellets was consistently lower than that of the pure uranium pellets. In addition, some formation of an alloyed phase of uranium and zirconium was observed. The research presented within this thesis is a continuation of a previous project; however, this research has produced many new results not previously seen. In addition, a number of issues left unresolved by the previous project have been addressed and solved. Most notably, the low original output of the hydride/dehydride powder production system has been increased by an order of magnitude, the actual characteristics of the powder have been measured and determined, shrinkage data was successfully converted into a sintering model, an alloyed phase of uranium and zirconium was produced, and pellet cracking due to delamination has been eliminated.

Nuclear fuel cycles (NFC) are the collection of interconnected processes which generate electricity through nuclear power. Due to the high degree of coupling between components even in the simplest cycles, the need for a dynamic fuel cycle simulator and analysis framework arises. The work presented herein develops essential physics models of nuclear power reactors and incorporate them into a NFC simulation framework. First, a one-energy group reactor model is demonstrated. This essential physics model is then to simulate a sampling fuel cycles which are perturbations of well known base-case cycles. Because the NFC may now be simulated quickly, stochastically modeling many fuel cycle realizations dramatically expands the parameter space which may be analyzed. Finally, a multigroup reactor model which incorporates spectral changes as a function of burnup is presented to increase the fidelity of the original one-group reactor. These methods form a suite of modeling technologies which reach from the lowest levels (individual components) to the highest (inter-cycle comparisons). Prior to the development of this model suite, such broad-ranging analysis had been unrealistic to perform. The work here thus presents a new, multi-scale approach to fuel cycle system design. / text

The final disposal location for used nuclear fuel in the U.S. remains unresolved. A major complication in resolving this issue has historically been the lack of public acceptance. This motivates the creation of a decision making model for selecting a nuclear fuel cycle in the U.S. that incorporates the preferences of the public. A model based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was created, tested, and shown to be problematic in incorporating public opinion into decision objectives. A new model based on Multi-Attribute Utility Theory (MAUT) has been created. This model contains the fundamental objectives for both technical and non-technical factors in both the short and long term for the decision. Additionally, the relevant subject matter experts involved in a nuclear fuel cycle selection are evaluated based on the public's perception of their qualifications, and environmental scientists are found to be considered equally as qualified as nuclear engineers and scientists.

Os acidentes causados pelo efeito dominó são dos mais graves ocorridos na indústria química e de processo. Mesmo sendo o potencial destrutivo desses eventos acidentais bastante conhecido, pouca atenção tem sido dada a este problema pela literatura técnica e uma metodologia completa e aprovada para a avaliação quantitativa da contribuição do efeito dominó ao risco industrial ainda não está plenamente desenvolvida. O presente estudo propõe um procedimento sistemático para a avaliação quantitativa do efeito dominó em plantas químicas do ciclo do combustível nuclear. O trabalho é baseado em avanços recentes feitos na modelagem de danos a equipamentos de processo causados por incêndios e explosões devido aos vetores de propagação (radiação de calor, sobrepressão e projeção de fragmentos). Dados disponíveis na literatura técnica e novos modelos de vulnerabilidade deduzidos para diversas categorias de equipamentos de processo foram utilizados no presente trabalho. O procedimento proposto é aplicado a uma área de tancagem típica de uma planta de reconversão situada em um sítio que abriga varias outras instalações do ciclo do combustível nuclear. São analisados os vários eventos iniciadores, seus vetores de propagação, as conseqüências desses eventos e as freqüências associadas ao efeito dominó. / Accidents caused by domino effect are among the most severe accidents in the chemical and process industry. Although the destructive potential of these accidental scenarios is widely known, little attention has been paid to this problem in the technical literature and a complete methodology for quantitative assessment of domino accidents contribution to industrial risk is still lacking. The present study proposed a systematic procedure for the quantitative assessment of the risk caused by domino effect in chemical plants that are part of nuclear fuel cycle plants. This work is based on recent advances in the modeling of fire and explosion damage to process equipment due to different escalation vectors (heat radiation, overpressure and fragment projection). Available data from literature and specific vulnerability models derived for several categories of process equipment had been used in the present work. The proposed procedure is applied to a typical storage area of a reconversion plant situated in a complex that shelters other nuclear fuel cycle facilities. The top-events and escalation vectors are identified, their consequences estimated and credible domino scenarios selected on the basis of their frequencies.

Os acidentes causados pelo efeito dominó são dos mais graves ocorridos na indústria química e de processo. Mesmo sendo o potencial destrutivo desses eventos acidentais bastante conhecido, pouca atenção tem sido dada a este problema pela literatura técnica e uma metodologia completa e aprovada para a avaliação quantitativa da contribuição do efeito dominó ao risco industrial ainda não está plenamente desenvolvida. O presente estudo propõe um procedimento sistemático para a avaliação quantitativa do efeito dominó em plantas químicas do ciclo do combustível nuclear. O trabalho é baseado em avanços recentes feitos na modelagem de danos a equipamentos de processo causados por incêndios e explosões devido aos vetores de propagação (radiação de calor, sobrepressão e projeção de fragmentos). Dados disponíveis na literatura técnica e novos modelos de vulnerabilidade deduzidos para diversas categorias de equipamentos de processo foram utilizados no presente trabalho. O procedimento proposto é aplicado a uma área de tancagem típica de uma planta de reconversão situada em um sítio que abriga varias outras instalações do ciclo do combustível nuclear. São analisados os vários eventos iniciadores, seus vetores de propagação, as conseqüências desses eventos e as freqüências associadas ao efeito dominó. / Accidents caused by domino effect are among the most severe accidents in the chemical and process industry. Although the destructive potential of these accidental scenarios is widely known, little attention has been paid to this problem in the technical literature and a complete methodology for quantitative assessment of domino accidents contribution to industrial risk is still lacking. The present study proposed a systematic procedure for the quantitative assessment of the risk caused by domino effect in chemical plants that are part of nuclear fuel cycle plants. This work is based on recent advances in the modeling of fire and explosion damage to process equipment due to different escalation vectors (heat radiation, overpressure and fragment projection). Available data from literature and specific vulnerability models derived for several categories of process equipment had been used in the present work. The proposed procedure is applied to a typical storage area of a reconversion plant situated in a complex that shelters other nuclear fuel cycle facilities. The top-events and escalation vectors are identified, their consequences estimated and credible domino scenarios selected on the basis of their frequencies.

As normas de gestão ambiental têm por objetivo prover as organizações dos elementos necessários para implantação de Sistemas da Gestão Ambiental (SGA) que possam ser integrados a outros requisitos da gestão, e auxiliá-las a alcançar seus objetivos ambientais e econômicos. A Unidade de Produção de Hexafluoreto de Urânio USEXA, do Centro Tecnológico da Marinha em São Paulo - CTMSP, será a primeira planta industrial da etapa de conversão do ciclo do combustível nuclear (produção de hexafluoreto de urânio UF6) do Brasil, permitindo que seja agregado valor ao minério de urânio. Neste trabalho, o SGA proposto para a USEXA, permite disciplinar suas interfaces com o meio ambiente, uma vez que as Normas da CNEN Comissão Nacional de Energia Nuclear e da AIEA Agência Internacional de Energia Atômica para instalações nucleares, na sua grande maioria, visam a atender a critérios de segurança para o público e o meio ambiente, apenas nos quesitos envolvendo radiações ionizantes. O modelo de SGA desenvolvido preenche as lacunas das normas da CNEN e da AIEA, por considerar os impactos ambientais decorrentes do uso de substâncias químicas no processo de fabricação de UF6 e os aspectos gerais de sustentabilidade. Isso pode ser considerado uma contribuição original dentro das complexas atividades que abrangem o processamento de urânio no ciclo do combustível nuclear. Como resultado, esta pesquisa propõe, para avaliação de impactos ambientais, a adoção de um filtro de significância, relacionado à localização do empreendimento, apresenta um Manual do Sistema de Gestão para a USEXA e sugere modelos de treinamentos em gestão de pessoal, como o coaching e a programação neurolinguística, e que poderão ser aplicados em qualquer Sistema de Gestão. Os treinamentos podem ser considerados como uma ação preventiva, por contribuírem para diminuir os incidentes relacionados à manutenção de equipamentos e consequentemente a ocorrência de impactos ambientais. / The environmental management standards are intended to provide to the organizations the elements needed for the implementation of an Environmental Management System (EMS) that can be effectively integrated to another management requirements and assist them to achieve their environmental and economic goals. The Uranium Hexafluoride Production Unit - USEXA, located at the Navy Technological Center in São Paulo, will be the first Brazilian industrial plant responsible for the conversion stage in the nuclear fuel cycle (production of uranium hexafluoride UF6), allowing added-value to the uranium ore. The EMS proposed to USEXA in this project allows to regulate its interfaces with the environment, since the Standards of CNEN - National Commission of Nuclear Energy and of the IAEA - International Atomic Energy Agency for Nuclear Installations, aim, mostly, to attend the security criteria for the population and the environment, concerning ionizing radiation. This model of EMS fills the gaps in standards of IAEA and CNEN, since it takes into account the environmental impacts from the use of chemicals in the manufacturing process of UF6, and general aspects of sustainability. It can be considered an original contribution within the complex activities that includes the uranium processing in the nuclear fuel cycle. This research proposes, as result, the use of a filter of significance to evaluate the environmental impacts depending on the installation location. It is also presented the Management System Manual for USEXA and models for training in personnel management are suggested, such as coaching and neurolinguistic programing, which can be applied to any Management System. The trainings can be considered a preventive action as they considerably decreased incidents related to equipments maintenance and thus the occurrence of environmental impacts.

As normas de gestão ambiental têm por objetivo prover as organizações dos elementos necessários para implantação de Sistemas da Gestão Ambiental (SGA) que possam ser integrados a outros requisitos da gestão, e auxiliá-las a alcançar seus objetivos ambientais e econômicos. A Unidade de Produção de Hexafluoreto de Urânio USEXA, do Centro Tecnológico da Marinha em São Paulo - CTMSP, será a primeira planta industrial da etapa de conversão do ciclo do combustível nuclear (produção de hexafluoreto de urânio UF6) do Brasil, permitindo que seja agregado valor ao minério de urânio. Neste trabalho, o SGA proposto para a USEXA, permite disciplinar suas interfaces com o meio ambiente, uma vez que as Normas da CNEN Comissão Nacional de Energia Nuclear e da AIEA Agência Internacional de Energia Atômica para instalações nucleares, na sua grande maioria, visam a atender a critérios de segurança para o público e o meio ambiente, apenas nos quesitos envolvendo radiações ionizantes. O modelo de SGA desenvolvido preenche as lacunas das normas da CNEN e da AIEA, por considerar os impactos ambientais decorrentes do uso de substâncias químicas no processo de fabricação de UF6 e os aspectos gerais de sustentabilidade. Isso pode ser considerado uma contribuição original dentro das complexas atividades que abrangem o processamento de urânio no ciclo do combustível nuclear. Como resultado, esta pesquisa propõe, para avaliação de impactos ambientais, a adoção de um filtro de significância, relacionado à localização do empreendimento, apresenta um Manual do Sistema de Gestão para a USEXA e sugere modelos de treinamentos em gestão de pessoal, como o coaching e a programação neurolinguística, e que poderão ser aplicados em qualquer Sistema de Gestão. Os treinamentos podem ser considerados como uma ação preventiva, por contribuírem para diminuir os incidentes relacionados à manutenção de equipamentos e consequentemente a ocorrência de impactos ambientais. / The environmental management standards are intended to provide to the organizations the elements needed for the implementation of an Environmental Management System (EMS) that can be effectively integrated to another management requirements and assist them to achieve their environmental and economic goals. The Uranium Hexafluoride Production Unit - USEXA, located at the Navy Technological Center in São Paulo, will be the first Brazilian industrial plant responsible for the conversion stage in the nuclear fuel cycle (production of uranium hexafluoride UF6), allowing added-value to the uranium ore. The EMS proposed to USEXA in this project allows to regulate its interfaces with the environment, since the Standards of CNEN - National Commission of Nuclear Energy and of the IAEA - International Atomic Energy Agency for Nuclear Installations, aim, mostly, to attend the security criteria for the population and the environment, concerning ionizing radiation. This model of EMS fills the gaps in standards of IAEA and CNEN, since it takes into account the environmental impacts from the use of chemicals in the manufacturing process of UF6, and general aspects of sustainability. It can be considered an original contribution within the complex activities that includes the uranium processing in the nuclear fuel cycle. This research proposes, as result, the use of a filter of significance to evaluate the environmental impacts depending on the installation location. It is also presented the Management System Manual for USEXA and models for training in personnel management are suggested, such as coaching and neurolinguistic programing, which can be applied to any Management System. The trainings can be considered a preventive action as they considerably decreased incidents related to equipments maintenance and thus the occurrence of environmental impacts.

A family of top-down statistical models describing energy consumption in the mining, milling, and refining of uranium are formulated. The purpose of the models is to estimate the energy-to-grade dependence for uranium extraction, while defining a minimum grade that can be feasibly mined and produced. The results serve as a basis for understanding the factors governing energy consumption in the production of U3O8. The models are applied to a considerably larger data set of operating mines than in any previous effort. In addition, the validity of the modeling approach is established by modeling energy for two other commodities, gold and copper, thereby showing it can be applied to other metals. Statistical measures of explanatory power show that the models the energy-to-grade relationship is well-described for both uranium and gold. For copper, there was insufficient data over a broad range of ore grades to obtain a model that passed statistical confidence measures. The results show that mining of lower-grade deposits of uranium is likely to be less energy-intensive than previous investigators concluded. It is shown that the uncertainty in the results is dominated by the contribution of the grade-independent component of energy consumption. / text

Light water reactors (LWRs) are the world’s dominant nuclear reactor system. Uranium (U)-fuelled LWRs produce long-lived transuranic (TRU) isotopes. TRUs can be recycled in LWRs or fast reactors. The thermal neutron spectrum in LWRs is less suitable for burning TRUs as this causes a build-up of TRU isotopes with low fission probability. This increases the fissile feed requirements, which tends to result in a positive void coefficient (VC) and hence the reactor is unsafe to operate. Use of reduced-moderation LWRs can improve TRU transmutation performance, but the VC is still severely limiting for these designs. Reduced-moderation pressurized water reactors (RMPWRs) and boiling water reactors (RBWRs) are considered in this study. Using thorium (Th) instead of U as the fertile fuel component can greatly improve the VC. However, Th-based transmutation is a much less developed technology than U-based transmutation. In this thesis, the feasibility and fuel cycle performance of full TRU recycle in Th-fuelled RMPWRs and RBWRs are evaluated. Neutronic performance is greatly improved by spatial separation of TRU and 233-6U, primarily implemented here using heterogeneous RMPWR and RBWR assembly designs. In a RMPWR, the water to fuel ratio must be reduced to around 50% of the normal value to allow full actinide recycle. If implemented by retrofitting an existing PWR, steady-state thermal-hydraulic constraints can still be satisfied. However, in a large break loss-of-coolant accident, the emergency core cooling system may not be able to provide water to the core quickly enough to prevent fuel cladding failure. A discharge burn-up of ~40 GWd/t is possible in RMPWRs. Reactivity control is a challenge due to the reduced worth of neutron absorbers in the hard neutron spectrum, and their detrimental effect on the VC, especially when diluted, as for soluble boron. Control rods are instead used to control the core. It appears possible to achieve adequate power peaking, shutdown margin and rod-ejection accident response. In RBWRs, it appears neutronically feasible to achieve very high burn-ups (~120 GWd/t) but the maximum achievable incineration rate is less than in RMPWRs. The reprocessing and fuel fabrication requirements of RBWRs are less than RMPWRs but more than fast reactors. A two-stage TRU burning cycle, where the first stage is Th-Pu MOX in a conventional PWR feeding a second stage continuous burn in a RBWR, is technically reasonable. It is possible to limit the core area to that of an ABWR with acceptable thermal-hydraulic performance. In this case, it appears that RBWRs are of similar cost to inert matrix incineration in LWRs, and lower cost than RMPWRs and Th- and U-based fast reactor recycle schemes.

This thesis is focused to the economic analysis of the nuclear fuel strategy change at nuclear power plant Temelin, where the change to 18 months fuel cycle is considered. The introduction of theses is aimed to the identification of direct economic aspects for the financial analysis. Nuclear fuel strategy change affects operation of power plant as a whole and affects production of spent nuclear fuel. Therefore the economic analysis is needed for include all social costs of the change. The conclusion of thesis is aimed to the risk analysis of the nuclear fuel strategy change. Risk analysis is performed by Monte Carlo simulation.