A comparative physics study of alternative long-term strategies for closure of the nuclear fuel cycle

Cometto, Marco; Wydler, P.; Chawla, R.

doi:10.1016/j.anucene.2003.07.001

Cited by 12 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…With regard to the specific characteristic of SFR spent fuel, that is, high-burnup and high-plutonium-concentration, the pyroprocessing employing electro-metallurgical techniques in a molten salt medium has the potential to replace the conventional wet reprocessing technology for the treatment of short-cooled SFR spent fuel. The pyroprocessing has been developed to treat the spent oxide fuel discharged from PWRs and recycle the metallic components containing TRUs for SFRs [9,10]. The metal-fueled SFR using alloys of Actinides-Zirconium (AcZr) has a high potential of recycling actinides by integrating with the pyroprocessing.…”

Section: Calculation Basis and Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamic Analysis of a Pyroprocessing Coupled SFR Fuel Recycling

Gao

2012

Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations

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Numerous studies have attempted to solve the problems constraining the sustainable utilization of nuclear power, for example, the already accumulated HLWs, the worsening environment due to greenhouse emissions, the questionable reliability of natural uranium resources, and the argument over nuclear safety, which are certainly top issues to be addressed. A well-organized nuclear fuel cycle system is the basis for nuclear power sustainability. Therefore, which type of reactor to be employed and whether or not to adopt a reprocessing technique for spent fuel are two key issues to be addressed. A Sodium Fast Reactor (SFR), a Generation IV reactor, has gained considerable attention worldwide. SFR recycling coupled to pyroprocessing, a so-called Pyro-SFR Recycling, shows promising advantages, and therefore, this paper focuses on exploring a strategy of how to realize it, which can offer informative procedures for a better use of nuclear power. A dynamic model has been developed to quantitatively analyze a countryspecific case employing two scenarios, a once-through and Pyro-SFR, for a comprehensive comparison, especially focusing on the uranium utilization, the HLW reduction, and the electricity generation cost.

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Section: Calculation Basis and Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamic Analysis of a Pyroprocessing Coupled SFR Fuel Recycling

Gao

2012

Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations

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“…The GCFR uses a closed fuel cycle in which all TRUs are recycled, requiring refueling with 238 U or some other fertile material only. Cometto et al 11 have shown that such a fuel cycle scenario improves the utilization of uranium by a factor of 160 compared to a strategy using only thermal light water reactor~LWR! systems.…”

Section: Design Choices For the Gcfrmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fuel Design and Core Layout for a Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor

et al. 2005

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“…The potential of spent fuel reprocessing to reduce uranium demand is indicated in literature. , The effect of future nuclear technologies on waste management is still hypothetical, but detailed isotopic modeling has been done, − and fast reactor or accelerator-driven system fuel cycle scenarios have been modeled for the U.S. and Europe . However, a systematic holistic assessment of fuel cycle scenarios covering not only future technologies but also current fuel cycle options, enabling their direct comparison, was not found.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nuclear Energy in Europe: Uranium Flow Modeling and Fuel Cycle Scenario Trade-Offs from a Sustainability Perspective

Tendall

Binder

2011

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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The European nuclear fuel cycle (covering the EU-27, Switzerland and Ukraine) was modeled using material flow analysis (MFA).The analysis was based on publicly available data from nuclear energy agencies and industries, national trade offices, and nongovernmental organizations. Military uranium was not considered due to lack of accessible data. Nuclear fuel cycle scenarios varying spent fuel reprocessing, depleted uranium re-enrichment, enrichment assays, and use of fast neutron reactors, were established. They were then assessed according to environmental, economic and social criteria such as resource depletion, waste production, chemical and radiation emissions, costs, and proliferation risks. The most preferable scenario in the short term is a combination of reduced tails assay and enrichment grade, allowing a 17.9% reduction of uranium demand without significantly increasing environmental, economic, or social risks. In the long term, fast reactors could theoretically achieve a 99.4% decrease in uranium demand and nuclear waste production. However, this involves important costs and proliferation risks. Increasing material efficiency is not systematically correlated with the reduction of other risks. This suggests that an overall optimization of the nuclear fuel cycle is difficult to obtain. Therefore, criteria must be weighted according to stakeholder interests in order to determine the most sustainable solution. This paper models the flows of uranium and associated materials in Europe, and provides a decision support tool for identifying the trade-offs of the alternative nuclear fuel cycles considered.

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A comparative physics study of alternative long-term strategies for closure of the nuclear fuel cycle

Cited by 12 publications

References 1 publication

Dynamic Analysis of a Pyroprocessing Coupled SFR Fuel Recycling

Dynamic Analysis of a Pyroprocessing Coupled SFR Fuel Recycling

Fuel Design and Core Layout for a Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor

Nuclear Energy in Europe: Uranium Flow Modeling and Fuel Cycle Scenario Trade-Offs from a Sustainability Perspective

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