Demonstration experiment of 3 BN-600 MOX vibropac FAs irradiation for the excess weapons plutonium disposal

The paper presents results of a demonstration experiment on conversion of 50 kg of weapon-grade plutonium in the form of metal ingots into granulated MOX-fuel to be used for manufacturing fuel pins and 3 fuel assemblies (FAs) for the fast power-generating reactor BN-600, irradiation parameters of these FAs and the data from post-irradiation examinations. It can be concluded from the PIE results that the 3FAs were successfully irradiated in BN-600 without any fuel pin failures. Therefore, disposition of weapon - grade plutonium with a weight of about 20kg was successfully done. This represents the first disposition of Russian surplus weapon - grade plutonium as an international cooperation (this experiment was performed in collaboration between RIAR and JNC). The possibility of using MOX vipac fuel as a method for weapon plutonium disposition is clearly shown. (author)