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Swiss nuclear power and the case for long-term operation
Designed for 40 years but built to last far longer, Switzerland’s nuclear power plants have all entered long-term operation. Yet age alone says little about safety or performance. Through continuous upgrades, strict regulatory oversight, and extensive aging management, the country’s reactors are being prepared for decades of continued operation, in line with international practice.
E. D. Clayton, B. M. Durst
Nuclear Technology | Volume 33 | Number 1 | April 1977 | Pages 110-111
Technical Note | Chemical Processing | doi.org/10.13182/NT77-A31768
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Calculations of the infinite multiplication factor for aqueous homogeneous mixtures of mixed oxides of plutonium and natural uranium at low fissile concentrations (7 g Pu/ℓ ) disclose a maximum to occur in the value of k∞ at a weight fraction, Pu/(Pu + U), of ∼0.0035. With mixed oxide solutions containing 7 g Pu/ℓ, the value of k∞ is estimated to be nearly 1.04, whereas in the absence of the natural uranium, the maximum value of k∞ at 7 g Pu/ℓ in water is ∼4% less or near unity. The occurrence of this peak in value of k∞ is due to the 235U content in the natural uranium. Thus, in the presence of natural uranium, it should be borne in mind that the limiting subcritical concentration of plutonium (given as 7.0 g Pu/ℓ) in water must be reduced to values <7.0 g Pu/ℓ to ensure sub criticality of the mixture.