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    Nuclear Fuel Cycles

    Uploaded by

    Dil Som
    This document discusses advanced nuclear fuel cycles and synergistic relationships between different fuel cycle options. It presents arguments for and against nuclear power that are tied to the fuel cycle. One approach discussed is using new reactor designs like fast breeder reactors to minimize waste and produce more energy from uranium by breeding plutonium. Modeling shows that a phase-in of a combined light water and fast breeder reactor system could reduce plutonium stockpiles and spent fuel over time.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Nuclear Fuel Cycles

    Uploaded by

    Dil Som
    84 views15 pages
    This document discusses advanced nuclear fuel cycles and synergistic relationships between different fuel cycle options. It presents arguments for and against nuclear power that are tied to the fuel cycle. One approach discussed is using new reactor designs like fast breeder reactors to minimize waste and produce more energy from uranium by breeding plutonium. Modeling shows that a phase-in of a combined light water and fast breeder reactor system could reduce plutonium stockpiles and spent fuel over time.

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    This document discusses advanced nuclear fuel cycles and synergistic relationships between different fuel cycle options. It presents arguments for and against nuclear power that are tied to the fuel cycle. One approach discussed is using new reactor designs like fast breeder reactors to minimize waste and produce more energy from uranium by breeding plutonium. Modeling shows that a phase-in of a combined light water and fast breeder reactor system could reduce plutonium stockpiles and spent fuel over time.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    84 views15 pages

    Nuclear Fuel Cycles

    Uploaded by

    Dil Som
    This document discusses advanced nuclear fuel cycles and synergistic relationships between different fuel cycle options. It presents arguments for and against nuclear power that are tied to the fuel cycle. One approach discussed is using new reactor designs like fast breeder reactors to minimize waste and produce more energy from uranium by breeding plutonium. Modeling shows that a phase-in of a combined light water and fast breeder reactor system could reduce plutonium stockpiles and spent fuel over time.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
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    The presentation discusses advanced nuclear fuel cycles and synergistic relationships between different types of reactors and fuel cycles. It also covers topics like breeder reactors and modeling a phase-in of fast breeder reactors.

    Arguments for nuclear power include reducing carbon emissions and producing more energy from the fuel. Arguments against include the lack of a long-term waste storage solution and safety/proliferation concerns.

    A breeder reactor produces more fuel than it consumes by using uranium-238 in a breeding blanket to produce plutonium that can be used as fuel. It requires a fast neutron spectrum to achieve this breeding process.

    Synergistic Relationships of

    Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycles


    Jordan Weaver
    Technology Report Presentation
    Obligatory Graphic of Fuel Cycle
    Uranium Mining,
    Milling, Refining
    Ore Tailings
    Yellowcake
    (U
    3
    O
    8
    )
    Conversion
    UF
    6
    (gas)
    Enrichment
    Depleted
    Uranium
    Enriched
    UO
    2
    Fuel
    Fabrication
    Fuel
    Assemblies
    Reactor
    e
    -
    Irradiated
    Fuel
    Onsite Cooling
    Storage
    Transportation
    Reprocessing
    Disposal
    Pu and
    (maybe)
    other
    actinides
    High
    Level
    Waste

    (HLW)
    Vitrification
    Vitrified
    HLW
    Fuel Cycles are a Hot Topic Right Now. Why?
    If new reactor designs prove as safe as hoped and if progress is made on waste disposal,
    proliferation prevention, and protection against terrorism, nuclear power will deserve a
    chance to compete in the market against other sources of power that do not emit CO
    2
    . -
    Boston Globe, June 16, 2005

    Now that the United States has removed the ban on recycling used fuel, it will be possible
    to use that energy and to greatly reduce the amount of waste that needs treatment and
    disposal. Last month, Japan joined France, Britain and Russia in the nuclear-fuel-recycling
    business. The United States will not be far behind - Patrick Moore, Greenpeace Founder,
    in the Washington Post, April 16, 2006

    But there are arguments [against nuclear power] that do stand up. The most fundamental
    environmental principle is that you don't make a new mess until you have cleared up
    the old one. To start building a new generation of nuclear power stations before we know
    what to do with the waste produced by existing plants is grotesquely irresponsible. The
    government's advisers have determined only that it should be buried. No one yet knows
    where, how or at what cost. - The Manchester Guardian [UK], July 11, 2006
    Consider these arguments for and against nuclear power --
    --- The concerns raised are inevitably tied up with the fuel cycle.
    Motivation
    One possible aspect of an advanced fuel cycle
    lies in the use of new reactor designs that will
    help to minimize the amount of waste that
    will be disposed of as well as produce more
    energy (and more fuel).
    Generic Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor
    Fast Reactor Physics
    Typical PWR Neutron Flux Fast Na-Cooled Reactor Flux
    Fast Reactor Technology
    Breeder Reactors
    During operation, produces
    more fuel than it consumes.
    Uses U-238 in a breeding
    blanket to produce
    plutonium that can
    eventually be used as fuel.
    To achieve this, fast neutron
    spectrum is needed.
    Breeder Reactor Diagram
    Modeling FBR Phase-In
    Setup a network of Light-Water Reactors as
    well as Fast Breeder Reactors. Recycle spent
    fuel from LWR fleet to obtain plutonium. Use
    Pu as fuel in FBR to breed more fuel.
    One cycle is 10 years and fuel bred in FBR
    cannot be used until following cycle.
    Normalize overall capacity to 100 GWt to
    phase-out LWR fleet.
    First Decade Flow Chart
    Next Decade
    Concentration of Spent Fuel
    Fuel discharge coefficients obtained from
    ORIGEN-ARP Depletion Code.
    Driver Fuel
    76.44% U
    23.56% Pu
    0.0% MA
    Na Cooled FR
    BU = 140 MWd/kg
    Driver Fuel
    68.41% U
    18.41% Pu
    0.27% MA
    12.91% FP
    Blanket Fuel
    100.0% U
    0.0% Pu
    0.0% MA
    Blanket Fuel
    97.50% U
    1.70% Pu
    0.00% MA
    0.80% FP
    Breeding Blanket
    4.55 kg Blanket
    per kg Driver
    Results
    0
    20
    40
    60
    80
    100
    120
    0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
    P
    o
    w
    e
    r

    (
    G
    W
    t
    )

    Years
    Power Split
    FBR Startup Power LWR Power FBR Reload Power
    0
    50
    100
    150
    200
    250
    300
    0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
    P
    u

    m
    a
    s
    s

    (
    k
    g
    )

    Years
    Pu Inventory
    LWR + FBR
    Conclusions
    By having reprocessing infrastructures in
    place, fuel cycles can be designed to minimize
    waste as well as conserve fuel resources while
    inherently being proliferation-conscious.
    Multi-national approaches can benefit by
    utilizing regional resources and sharing the
    burden of nuclear waste.
    References
    109th U.S.C. "Energy Policy Act." August 2005.
    Department of Energy. Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative. 2005. Nov 2008
    <http://www.ne.doe.gov/AFCI/neAFCI.html>.
    Knief, Ronald Allen. Nuclear Engineering: Theory and Technology of
    Commercial Nuclear Power. 2nd. Washington: Taylor & Francis, 1992.
    "ORIGEN-ARP 5.1." Isotopic Depletion and Decay Analysis System. Oak
    Ridge National Laboratory, 2007.
    Salvatores, M. "Improved Resources Utilisation, Waste Minimisation and
    Proliferation Resistance in a Regional Context." 9th NEA Information
    Exchange on Actinide and Fission Product P&T. 2006.
    Wikipedia. Fast breeder reactor. November 2008.
    <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_breeder>.
    . Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository. 16 November 2008.
    <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca_Mountain>.
    World Nuclear Association. Nuclear Power in the USA. October 2008. 21
    November 2008 <http://www.world-nuclear.org>.

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