Strategic Minimization of High Level Waste from Pyroprocessing of Spent Nuclear Fuel

Strategic Minimization of High Level Waste from Pyroprocessing of Spent Nuclear Fuel PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
The pyroprocessing of spent nuclear fuel results in two high-level waste streams--ceramic and metal waste. Ceramic waste contains active metal fission product-loaded salt from the electrorefining, while the metal waste contains cladding hulls and undissolved noble metals. While pyroprocessing was successfully demonstrated for treatment of spent fuel from Experimental Breeder Reactor-II in 1999, it was done so without a specific objective to minimize high-level waste generation. The ceramic waste process uses "throw-away" technology that is not optimized with respect to volume of waste generated. In looking past treatment of EBR-II fuel, it is critical to minimize waste generation for technology developed under the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP). While the metal waste cannot be readily reduced, there are viable routes towards minimizing the ceramic waste. Fission products that generate high amounts of heat, such as Cs and Sr, can be separated from other active metal fission products and placed into short-term, shallow disposal. The remaining active metal fission products can be concentrated into the ceramic waste form using an ion exchange process. It has been estimated that ion exchange can reduce ceramic high-level waste quantities by as much as a factor of 3 relative to throw-away technology.

Strategic Minimization of High Level Waste from Pyroprocessing of Spent Nuclear Fuel

Strategic Minimization of High Level Waste from Pyroprocessing of Spent Nuclear Fuel PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
The pyroprocessing of spent nuclear fuel results in two high-level waste streams--ceramic and metal waste. Ceramic waste contains active metal fission product-loaded salt from the electrorefining, while the metal waste contains cladding hulls and undissolved noble metals. While pyroprocessing was successfully demonstrated for treatment of spent fuel from Experimental Breeder Reactor-II in 1999, it was done so without a specific objective to minimize high-level waste generation. The ceramic waste process uses "throw-away" technology that is not optimized with respect to volume of waste generated. In looking past treatment of EBR-II fuel, it is critical to minimize waste generation for technology developed under the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP). While the metal waste cannot be readily reduced, there are viable routes towards minimizing the ceramic waste. Fission products that generate high amounts of heat, such as Cs and Sr, can be separated from other active metal fission products and placed into short-term, shallow disposal. The remaining active metal fission products can be concentrated into the ceramic waste form using an ion exchange process. It has been estimated that ion exchange can reduce ceramic high-level waste quantities by as much as a factor of 3 relative to throw-away technology.

Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing and Waste Management

Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing and Waste Management PDF Author: Zhang Jinsuo
Publisher: World Scientific
ISBN: 9813271388
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 308

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Book Description
The question of how to effectively, efficiently, and responsibly manage used nuclear fuels is a concern of major impediment in the light of today's increasing usage of nuclear power and development of advanced nuclear reactors. This book focuses on two significant areas of (used) nuclear fuel: the reprocessing technology, and waste disposal and management. The book covers the fundamental knowledge, the current state-of-the-art, and future research activities for each topic. This book provides readers with the fundamental knowledge behind of nuclear used fuel reprocessing and radioactive waste management, and their technical applications, and their requirements and practices; to make the readers aware of social, economic, and environmental concerns as well as technical research needs. The book covers two well-known and well-developed reprocessing technologies: aqueous reprocessing technology, and electrochemical pyroprocessing. On the subject of waste management, it covers the dry storage of used nuclear fuel, novel waste form design, and nuclear waste disposal. This book is a good guide for readers who want to understand, apply, or develop the technologies.

Advancing Technology for Nuclear Fuel Recycling

Advancing Technology for Nuclear Fuel Recycling PDF Author: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Science and Technology (2007)
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Reactor fuel reprocessing
Languages : en
Pages : 80

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Book Description


Research Reactor Aluminum Spent Fuel

Research Reactor Aluminum Spent Fuel PDF Author: Milton Levenson
Publisher: Studies in British Literature
ISBN:
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 248

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Book Description
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) for management of aluminum spent fuel from foreign and domestic research reactors, much of which is highly enriched in uranium-235. This EIS will assess the need for additional treatment and storage facilities at the Savannah River Site to accommodate the receipt of this fuel, and it also will assess and select a treatment technology to prepare this fuel for interim storage and eventual shipment to a repository for disposal. This National Research Council book, which was prepared at the request of DOE's Savannah River Office, provides a technical assessment of the technologies, costs, and schedules developed by DOE for eight alternative treatment options and the baseline reprocessing option. It also provides comments on DOE's aluminum spent fuel disposal program, a program that is slated to last for about 40 years and cost in excess of $2 billion.

Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing and High Level Waste Disposal: Safeguards, proliferation & alternate fuel cycles

Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing and High Level Waste Disposal: Safeguards, proliferation & alternate fuel cycles PDF Author: California Energy Commission
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Reactor fuel reprocessing
Languages : en
Pages : 402

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Book Description


Options for Management of Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste for Countries Developing New Nuclear Power Programmes

Options for Management of Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste for Countries Developing New Nuclear Power Programmes PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN: 9789201407108
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 54

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Book Description
Countries embarking upon a nuclear power programme need to understand the importance of establishing an adequate radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel management infrastructure. To assist in overcoming any challenges this might represent, this publication provides an overview of management practices in use in mature nuclear power programmes. Primarily addressing decision makers, it provides them with the level of strategic and technical information needed to understand overarching management issues of the various waste streams and spent fuel generated in nuclear power production. In addition, it examines the political, legal, societal, economic and technical challenges associated with each of the strategic options considered.

Nuclear Wastes

Nuclear Wastes PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309052262
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 590

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Book Description
Disposal of radioactive waste from nuclear weapons production and power generation has caused public outcry and political consternation. Nuclear Wastes presents a critical review of some waste management and disposal alternatives to the current national policy of direct disposal of light water reactor spent fuel. The book offers clearcut conclusions for what the nation should do today and what solutions should be explored for tomorrow. The committee examines the currently used "once-through" fuel cycle versus different alternatives of separations and transmutation technology systems, by which hazardous radionuclides are converted to nuclides that are either stable or radioactive with short half-lives. The volume provides detailed findings and conclusions about the status and feasibility of plutonium extraction and more advanced separations technologies, as well as three principal transmutation concepts for commercial reactor spent fuel. The book discusses nuclear proliferation; the U.S. nuclear regulatory structure; issues of health, safety and transportation; the proposed sale of electrical energy as a means of paying for the transmutation system; and other key issues.

Status and Trends in Pyroprocessing of Spent Nuclear Fuels

Status and Trends in Pyroprocessing of Spent Nuclear Fuels PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN: 9789201228215
Category : Nuclear fuels
Languages : en
Pages : 137

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Book Description
"The importance of recycling the spent nuclear fuel through partitioning processes has been recognized worldwide for increasing and sustaining nuclear energy. Therefore, the development of advanced partitioning processes, based either on hydrometallurgical or on pyrometallurgical technologies, has received an increasing interest in recent years. Moving towards industrial demonstration, partitioning processes are applied for the separation of actinides, including minor actinides, not only to reduce the burden of high level waste to be disposed of, in terms of heat-load and radiotoxicity, but also to improve the efficiency of the resources' utilization. Furthermore, in the case of Molten Salt Reactors, whose fuel cycle is primary based on pyrochemical processes, there is a need for strengthening pyrometallurgical technologies. This publication reviews the status and trends in the development of pyrometallurgical processes and technologies for processing spent nuclear fuel and identifies gap areas requiring further development."--Publisher's description.

Status and Trends in Pyroprocessing of Spent Nuclear Fuels

Status and Trends in Pyroprocessing of Spent Nuclear Fuels PDF Author: International Atomic Energy Agency
Publisher:
ISBN: 9789201229212
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 148

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Book Description
The importance of recycling the spent nuclear fuel through partitioning processes has been recognized worldwide for increasing and sustaining nuclear energy.

Initial Performance Assessment of the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-level Waste Stored at Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. Volume 2

Initial Performance Assessment of the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-level Waste Stored at Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. Volume 2 PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 453

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Book Description
This performance assessment characterized plausible treatment options conceived by the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) for its spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste and then modeled the performance of the resulting waste forms in two hypothetical, deep, geologic repositories: one in bedded salt and the other in granite. The results of the performance assessment are intended to help guide INEL in its study of how to prepare wastes and spent fuel for eventual permanent disposal. This assessment was part of the Waste Management Technology Development Program designed to help the US Department of Energy develop and demonstrate the capability to dispose of its nuclear waste, as mandated by the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982. The waste forms comprised about 700 metric tons of initial heavy metal (or equivalent units) stored at the INEL: graphite spent fuel, experimental low enriched and highly enriched spent fuel, and high-level waste generated during reprocessing of some spent fuel. Five different waste treatment options were studied; in the analysis, the options and resulting waste forms were analyzed separately and in combination as five waste disposal groups. When the waste forms were studied in combination, the repository was assumed to also contain vitrified high-level waste from three DOE sites for a common basis of comparison and to simulate the impact of the INEL waste forms on a moderate-sized repository, The performance of the waste form was assessed within the context of a whole disposal system, using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level and Transuranic Radioactive Wastes, 40 CFR 191, promulgated in 1985. Though the waste form behavior depended upon the repository type, all current and proposed waste forms provided acceptable behavior in the salt and granite repositories.