MOX fuel rods for fast breeders and light water reactors

The plutonium arisings from reprocessing light water reactor fuel elements expected in the next few years will exceed the requirements of fast breeder programs. The prolonged storage of plutonium entails high costs and has some other drawbacks as well because an additional chemical treatment will be necessary if the material is used at some later time. This makes it reasonable to use the plutonium for energy generation in light water reactors, unless it is employed in fast breeders. Work on the development of the necessary plutonium technology and of methods of manufacturing mixed oxide fuel rods (MOX), which had originally been directed only at applications in fast breeder reactors, was extended to light water reactor conditions at a relatively early date in the Federal Republic of Germany, i.e., in the late sixties. This development work was carried out chiefly by ALKEM within the framework of development programs sponsored by the government. After standard techniques had been found which were advantageous from the points of view of economy and radiation, new fabrication techniques had to be developed in 1977, for the previous MOX types of fuel were not fully dissoluble in reprocessing. In the meantime, positive experience has been accumulated also with this new technique. (orig.)