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Modelling of the Dounreay Recovered Spent Nuclear Fuel Database

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 March 2011

I.D. Baikie
Affiliation:
UKAEA, Dounreay, Thurso, KW14 7TZ, UK
Frank Dennis
Affiliation:
KP Technology Ltd, Milton House, Thurso Road, Wick Caithness, KW1 5LE, UK
Massimo Scirea
Affiliation:
KP Technology Ltd, Milton House, Thurso Road, Wick Caithness, KW1 5LE, UK
Ron Crawford
Affiliation:
KP Technology Ltd, Milton House, Thurso Road, Wick Caithness, KW1 5LE, UK
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Abstract

We report the initial results of modelling studies performed on the Dounreay Database of Spent Nuclear fuel particles recovered from the marine environment and coastal foreshore adjacent to the Dounreay Fast Reactor Complex located in the North East coast of Scotland. We demonstrate how interrogation of the fuel-particle frequency versus 137Cs isotopic distribution allows us to generate particle behaviour models and residence lifetimes of various particle subgroups. Similarly we find the recovered fuel particle's spatial distribution and shape characteristics are determined by environmental selection rules governed by properties of adjacent sediment and sediment transport mechanisms.

Analysis of the Spent Fuel particle database allows us to speculate on the original Site discharge pathways and fuel composition at the time of discharge. Further such studies correlate well with other sample morphology and compositional data and allow us to speculate upon the ultimate fate of different spent fuel types.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

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