The FuTure oF nuclear Fuel cycle - MIT Energy Initiative
The FuTure oF nuclear Fuel cycle - MIT Energy Initiative
The FuTure oF nuclear Fuel cycle - MIT Energy Initiative
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Table E.4 Recycling <strong>Fuel</strong> Fabrication Technologies<br />
<strong>Fuel</strong><br />
CompoSition <strong>Fuel</strong> FabriCation teChnoloGy <strong>Fuel</strong> paCKinG ShieldinG needS<br />
u/Pu-MoX lWr<br />
u/Pu-MoX Fr<br />
Mill and mix u and Pu oxides. cold<br />
press and sinter<br />
Mill and mix u and Pu oxides. cold<br />
press and sinter<br />
Pellets stacked in cladding<br />
Pellets stacked in cladding<br />
Shielded glovebox with<br />
controlled atmosphere<br />
Shielded glovebox with<br />
controlled atmosphere<br />
u/Pu-Metal Fr dip cast from molten-metal bath Metal rod in cladding na-bonded Shielded glovebox with<br />
controlled atmosphere<br />
u/Pu/np-oX lWr<br />
u/Pu/np-oX Fr<br />
u/Tru-oX Fr<br />
Mill and mix oxides. cold press and<br />
sinter<br />
Mill and mix oxides. cold press and<br />
sinter<br />
Precipitate oxides or precursors to<br />
form granular product<br />
Pellets stacked in cladding<br />
Pellets stacked in cladding<br />
Product remotely packed in cladding<br />
Shielded govebox or cell with<br />
controlled atmosphere<br />
Shielded govebox or cell with<br />
controlled atmosphere<br />
Shielded cell with controlled<br />
atmosphere<br />
u/Tru-Metal Fr dip cast from molten-metal bath Metal rod in cladding na-bonded Shielded cell with controlled<br />
atmosphere<br />
u/Pu or Tru<br />
ceramic<br />
sol-gel** microsphere pelletization<br />
Microspheres packed in cladding<br />
(plutonium-uranium solid-solution<br />
oxides, carbides, or nitrides)<br />
Shielded glovebox/cell with<br />
controlled atmosphere<br />
u/Pu or Tru oX Vibro-pack*** ceramic pellets remotely packed Shielded glovebox/cell with<br />
controlled atmosphere<br />
am/cm targets<br />
Precipitate oxides or precursors to<br />
form granular product<br />
Product remotely packed in cladding<br />
Shielded cell with controlled<br />
atmosphere<br />
*Technology readiness is large engineering scale, but current process is not commercially viable due to waste generation and actinide losses<br />
**Sol-Gel2<br />
***Vibro-pack3<br />
teChnoloGy<br />
readineSS<br />
Plant-scale<br />
Plant-scale<br />
large eng.-scale*<br />
Small eng.- scale<br />
Small eng.- scale<br />
Small eng.- scale<br />
Small lab-scale<br />
lab-scale<br />
Pilot-scale<br />
lab-scale<br />
tonium (with each fuel assembly having different plutonium isotopics), different SNF fuel<br />
assemblies are processes as a group to obtain the desired end product.<br />
u.S. <strong>Fuel</strong> CyCle<br />
In countries like the United States where the reactor fleet is far from uniform and the burnup<br />
time and cooling time of the SNF inventory varies widely, the French commercial MOX<br />
strategy would be more difficult to implement for the current stock of SNF. If the U.S. is to<br />
achieve multi-objective fuel <strong>cycle</strong> goals, it is necessary to evaluate what is the preferred option<br />
that is applicable to the United States, for its current and future SNF inventory. In this<br />
context, there is a very large technical and economic difference between re<strong>cycle</strong> of most<br />
SNF and all SNF. If economics are a major component of a decision to re<strong>cycle</strong> SNF, the SNF<br />
with a high fissile assay will be re<strong>cycle</strong>d while SNF with a low fissile assay will be considered<br />
wastes. This is similar to the re<strong>cycle</strong> of metals, paper, and other waste streams worldwide.<br />
<strong>The</strong> last funded effort to address closing of the fuel <strong>cycle</strong> in the U.S. was led by the DOE<br />
Global Nuclear <strong>Energy</strong> Partnership (GNEP) program. It initially focused on R&D needs<br />
and small engineering-scale demonstration of advanced recycling technologies being developed<br />
as part of its R&D portfolio. Later, the GNEP strategy moved to deployment of<br />
full-scale commercial facilities which resulted in a Funding Opportunity Announcement<br />
to industry and funding of four cooperative agreements. 4 Industry provided deployment<br />
plans and conceptual designs for a <strong>nuclear</strong> fuel recycling center and an advanced recycling<br />
appendix e: Status of <strong>Fuel</strong> <strong>cycle</strong> Technologies 235