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A STUDY OF THE FUEL VALUE OF PLUTONIUM
S. Jaye, L.L. Bennett, M.P. Lietzke
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Abstract
The fuel value of mixtures of plutonium isotopes has been calculated for five thermal reactors (Yankee, Dresden, Hallam, GCR-II, Carolinas-Virginia). Plutonium with very high Pu/sup 239/ content may be utilized economically in any of the reactors; its value varies from 1 to .5 per gram depending on the reactor. The use of once-recycle plutonium mixed with natural uranium is economical only in reactors with good neutron economy. The value of twicerecycle plutonium mixed with natural uranium was less than per gram in four of the five reactor types studied. Fuel-cost calculations indicate that future reductions in fuel fabrication and handling charges will reduce fuel costs less than 1 mill/Ekwh if the annual fuel inventory charges are increased from 4 to 8%. The calculated fuel values for plutonium were not significantly affected by the use of projected-cost rather than present-cost estimates. (auth)