Disposition of Multiple Forms of Highly Enriched Uranium in Kazakhstan

DISPOSITION OF MULTIPLE FORMS OF HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM IN KAZAKHSTANJ. Dewes 1 , P. Chakrov 1 , V. Gnyrya 2 , Y. Koyanbayev 2 , A. Korovikov 21 International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria, 2 National Nuclear Center of theKazakhstan Ministry of Energy, Kurchatov, KazakhstanABSTRACTThe disposition of highly enriched uranium (HEU) from various sources inKazakhstan is an ongoing technical challenge. Since 2004, efforts havebeen made to find disposition pathways for HEU materials from variousfacilities in Kazakhstan, including three research and test reactors, theWWR-K Reactor at the Institute of Nuclear Physics (INP) in Alatau, theIVG.1M Reactor at the Baikal-1 facility near Kurchatov, and the IGRReactor facility, also near Kurchatov. The Kazakhstan Ministry of Energyis responsible for the disposition of the materials, and through theiroperating entities they are developing disposition paths for the variousmaterials. This effort is being conducted with the support of theInternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), ROSATOM, and the U.S.Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration’s(NNSA) Office of Material Management and Minimization (M3).The HEU is in many forms and therefore requires a variety of dispositionpathways and approaches. In this paper we will discuss the varioustechnical challenges associated with the disposition of a wide range ofmaterial forms and properties.