科研之友
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摘要
Background: Antineutrino monitoring of reactors is an enhanced nuclear safeguard that is being explored by several international groups. A key question is whether such a scheme could be used to verify the destruction of plutonium loaded in a reactor as mixed oxide (MOX) fuel.
Purpose: To explore the effectiveness of antineutrino monitoring for the purposes of nuclear accountability and safeguarding of MOX plutonium, we examine the magnitude and temporal variation in the antineutrino signals expected for different loadings of MOX fuels.
Methods: Reactor burn simulations are carried out for four different MOX fuel loadings and the antineutrino signals as a function of fuel burnup are computed and compared.
Results: The antineutrino signals from reactor-grade and weapons-grade MOX are shown to be distinct from those from burning low enriched uranium, and this signal difference increases as the MOX plutonium fraction of the reactor core increases.
Conclusion: Antineutrino monitoring could be used to verify the destruction of plutonium in reactors, although verifying the grade of the plutonium being burned is found to be more challenging.
- 出版日期2012-2-24
