Transfer of Plutonium-Uranium Extraction Plant and N Reactor irradiated fuel for storage at the 105-KE and 105-KW fuel storage basins, Hanford Site, Richland Washington

PHWRs use natural uranium as fuel and consequently the burn-up coefficient is relatively small compared to PWRs or other existing power reactors. The small burn-up coefficient results in a high volume of irradiated fuel to be disposed, with a high concentration of plutonium and minor actinides. In Romania the irradiated fuel from the existing CANDU 6 spent fuel pool is currently transferred in the Dry Intermediate Fuel Storage Facility existing at the NPP site. Partitioning and Transmutation (P&T) techniques could contribute to reduce the radioactive inventory and its associated radio-toxicity. The use for this purpose of ADS and FBR was more studied, but HWR were not. Therefore, the paper presents different theoretical possibilities to transmute/burn the Plutonium and minor actinides in two different PHWRs — CANDU and ACR, using WIMSD code. Different types of MOX alternative fuel, with variable initial Pu content are analyzed. The results present the reactivity effects along with the isotopes concentration in spent alternative fuel and determine the optimal solution for the fuel type/composition. Thus is indicated the most suitable PHWR type of reactor for possible Plutonium and minor actinides transmutation. The simulations showed that Pu content for an irradiation period of 200 days decreases from the initial value up to 11% in a CANDU reactor and 29% in an ACR. Thus ACR can reduce the plutonium inventory from MOX fuel and could be a transmutation solution. From the economic/technical point of view this analysis also provides input for a study yet to be conducted.

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Determination of uranium metal concentration in irradiated fuel storage basin sludge using selective dissolution

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry ◽

10.1007/s10967-013-2884-1 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 299 (3) ◽

pp. 1871-1882 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

C. H. Delegard ◽

S. I. Sinkov ◽

J. W. Chenault ◽

A. J. Schmidt ◽

T. L. Welsh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Metal Concentration ◽

Selective Dissolution ◽

Uranium Metal ◽

Fuel Storage ◽

Storage Basin ◽

Irradiated Fuel

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Determination of uranium in process stream solutions from uranium extraction plant employing energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry ◽

10.1007/s10967-011-1477-0 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 294 (3) ◽

pp. 371-376 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Y. Balaji Rao ◽

B. V. V. Ramana ◽

P. Gayathri Raghavan ◽

R. B. Yadav

Keyword(s):

Energy Dispersive ◽

Fluorescence Spectrometry ◽

Process Stream ◽

Extraction Plant ◽

X Ray ◽

Uranium Extraction

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Characterization of past and present solid waste streams from the Plutonium-Uranium Extraction Plant

10.2172/10167001 ◽

1993 ◽

Author(s):

J.A. Pottmeyer ◽

M.I. Weyns ◽

D.S. Lorenzo ◽

E.J. Vejvoda ◽

D.R. Duncan

Keyword(s):

Solid Waste ◽

Waste Streams ◽

Extraction Plant ◽

Uranium Extraction

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Idaho Chemical Processing Plant and Plutonium-Uranium Extraction Plant phaseout/deactivation study

10.2172/10119366 ◽

1994 ◽

Author(s):

M.W. Patterson ◽

R.J. Thompson

Keyword(s):

Processing Plant ◽

Chemical Processing ◽

Extraction Plant ◽

Uranium Extraction

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Receipt and Storage Issues at the TMI-2 Irradiated Fuel Storage Installation

10th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering, Volume 4 ◽

10.1115/icone10-22649 ◽

2002 ◽

Author(s):

Allan B. Christensen ◽

Kenneth Custer ◽

Rick Gardner ◽

James Kaylor ◽

James Stalnaker

Keyword(s):

Hydrogen Generation ◽

Reactor Fuel ◽

Storage Facility ◽

Spent Fuel ◽

Dry Storage ◽

Fuel Storage ◽

Environmental Laboratory ◽

Interim Storage ◽

And Storage ◽

Irradiated Fuel

In less than a year, up to 12 canisters of TMI-2 reactor fuel debris were loaded into each of 28 Dry Storage Containers (DSCs), and placed into interim storage at an Irradiated Spent Fuel Storage Facility (ISFSI) at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). Draining and drying the canisters, loading and welding the DSCs, shipping the DSCs 25 miles, and storing in the ISFSI initially required up to 3 weeks per DSC. Significant time efficiencies were achieved during the early stages, reducing the time to less than one week per DSC. These efficiencies were achieved mostly in canister draining and drying and DSC lid welding, and despite several occurrences that had to be resolved before continuing work. The ISFSI has been operated without issue since, with the exception that license basis monitoring has indicated an unusual pattern of season- and position-dependent hydrogen generation. This paper discusses some of the innovations and storage experiences for the first ISFSI designed for the storage of severely defected fuel.

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