This report examines the recycling of plutonium as thermal mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel in pressurised water reactors (PWRs) in order to discover the number of times plutonium can effectively be recycled. In particular, it describes an exercise based on a realistic, multiple-recycle scenario, which followed plutonium through five generations of recycling in a PWR. It considers both a standard PWR design currently in use and a highly moderated design, in order to provide a better understanding of their relative merits, as well as giving an insight into the limitations of multiple recycling and the long-term toxicity of fission products and actinides.

A compilation of reports previously issued by the OECD.

Hydrogen has the potential to play an important role as a sustainable and environmentally acceptable source of energy in the 21st century. However, current methods for producing hydrogen are based mainly on the reforming of fossil fuels with subsequent release of greenhouse gases. This report examines new developments in the nuclear production of hydrogen, including the possibility of using heat and surplus electricity from nuclear power plants to produce hydrogen by water cracking, and the scientific and technical challenges involved.

This publication presents the proceedings of a NEA workshop, held in May 2002 in the US, to discuss RandD activities regarding the use of high power proton accelerators in nuclear energy systems. Issues discussed include: the reliability of the accelerator and the impact of beam interruptions on the design and performance of accelerator-driven systems; spallation target design characteristics and their impact on the subcritical system design; safety and operational characteristics of a subcritical system driven by a spallation source; and test facilities.