scholarly journals Overview of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Strategies and the Spent Nuclear Fuel Management Technologies in Taiwan

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 2996
Author(s):  
Tsuey-Lin Tsai ◽  
Yi-Fu Chiou ◽  
Shih-Chin Tsai
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Current Status ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Nuclear Disaster ◽  
Continued Use ◽  
Fukushima Nuclear Disaster

The continued use of nuclear energy has come into question due to the difficulties in managing radioactive waste, and public opposition has increased since the Fukushima nuclear disaster in March 2011. Nonetheless, the novel spent nuclear fuel (SNF) management technologies proposed indicate new pathways toward facilitating the environment and the sustained use of nuclear energy. The reprocessing and recycling of SNF provides an alternative to direct geological disposal. In this article, we examine the current status and strategic alternatives of radioactive waste management in Taiwan.

scholarly journals Elaboration of approach to nuclear energy systems assessment by criterion of sustainable development

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-33
Author(s):  
Vladimir I. Usanov ◽  
Stepan A. Kviatkovskii ◽  
Andrey A. Andrianov
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Energy Systems ◽  
Nuclear Fuel Cycle ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Subject Areas ◽  
Key Events

The paper describes the approach to the assessment of nuclear energy systems based on the integral indicator characterizing the level of their sustainability and results of comparative assessment of several nuclear energy system options incorporating different combinations of nuclear reactors and nuclear fuel cycle facilities. The nuclear energy systems are characterized by achievement of certain key events pertaining to the following six subject areas: economic performance, safety, availability of resources, waste handling, non-proliferation and public support. Achievement of certain key events is examined within the time interval until 2100, while the key events per se are assessed according to their contribution in the achievement of sustainable development goals. It was demonstrated that nuclear energy systems based on the once-through nuclear fuel cycle with thermal reactors and uranium oxide fuel do not score high according to the integral sustainable development indicator even in the case when the issue of isolation of spent nuclear fuel in geological formation is resolved. Gradual replacement of part of thermal reactors with fast reactors and closing the nuclear fuel cycle results in the achievement of evaluated characteristics in many subject areas, which are close to maximum requirements of sustainable development, and in the significant enhancement of the sustainability indicator.

Electrochemical Recovery of Plutonium from Aqueous Carbonate Waste Solutions

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahul Agarwal ◽  
Rama Mohana Rao Dumpala ◽  
Manoj Kumar Sharma ◽  
Donald M Noronha ◽  
Jayashree S Gamare ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Spent Nuclear Fuel

Recovery of Plutonium from aqueous carbonate waste solutions generated during reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel is a key concern for sustainable nuclear energy programmes and remediation of radioactive waste. Reported...

The Role of the Engineered Barrier System in Safety Cases for Geological Radioactive Waste Repositories: An NEA Initiative in Co-operation with the EC

2006 ◽  
Vol 932 ◽  
Author(s):  
David G. Bennett ◽  
Alan J. Hooper ◽  
Sylvie Voinis ◽  
Hiroyuki Umeki
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Energy Agency ◽  
Radioactive Waste Repositories ◽  
Deep Underground ◽  
Safety Cases ◽  
Waste Repositories

Radioactive waste derives from all phases of the nuclear fuel cycle and from the use of radioactive materials in industrial, medical, military and research applications; all such wastes must be managed safely. The most hazardous and long-lived wastes, such as spent nuclear fuel and waste from nuclear fuel reprocessing, must be contained and isolated from humans and the environment for many thousands of years. Many Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) member countries are, therefore, researching plans for the management of long-lived radioactive waste in engineered facilities, or repositories, located deep underground in suitable geological formations.

scholarly journals Feasibility Studies on Pyro-SFR Closed Fuel Cycle and Direct Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel in Line with the Latest National Policy and Strategy of Korea

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Muhammad Minhaj Khan ◽  
Jae Min Lee ◽  
Jae Hak Cheong ◽  
Joo Ho Whang
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Cost Estimation ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Energy Systems ◽  
Economic Feasibility ◽  
Closed Fuel Cycle

With a view to providing supportive information for the decision-making on the direction of the future nuclear energy systems in Korea (i.e., direct disposal or recycling of spent nuclear fuel) to be made around 2020, quantitative studies on the spent nuclear fuel (SNF) including transuranic elements (TRUs) and a series of economic analyses were conducted. At first, the total isotopic inventory of TRUs in the SNF to be generated from all thirty-six units of nuclear power plants in operation or under planning is estimated based on the Korean government’s official plan for nuclear power development. Secondly, the optimized deployment strategies are proposed considering the minimum number of sodium cooled-fast reactors (SFRs) needed to transmute all TRUs. Finally, direct disposal and Pyro-SFR closed nuclear energy systems were compared using equilibrium economic model and considering reduction of TRUs and electricity generation as benefits. Probabilistic economic analysis shows that the assumed total generation cost for direct disposal and Pyro-SFR closed nuclear energy systems resides within the range of 13.60~33.94 mills/kWh and 11.40~25.91 mills/kWh, respectively. Dominant cost elements and the range of SFR overnight cost which guarantees the economic feasibility of the Pyro-SFR closed nuclear energy system over the direct disposal option were also identified through sensitivity analysis and break-even cost estimation.

Radioactive Waste Management in the Czech Republic

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vitezslav Duda
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Ionising Radiation ◽  
High Level Waste ◽  
The Czech Republic

Radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel are generated in the Czech Republic as a consequence of the peaceful use of nuclear energy and ionising radiation in many industries, particularly in the generation of nuclear energy, health care (therapy, diagnostics), research, and agriculture. The current extent of utilisation of nuclear energy and ionising radiation in the Czech Republic is comparable with that of other developed countries. The Concept of Radioactive Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel Management is a fundamental document formulating government and state authority strategy for the period up to approximately 2025 (affecting policy up to the end of the 21st century), concerning the organizations which generate radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel. The Concept puts forward solutions to provide for the disposal of waste in compliance with requirements for the protection of human health and the environment without excessively transferring any of the current impacts of nuclear energy and ionising radiation utilisation to future generations. The Concept was approved by the government of the Czech Republic in 2002. According to the Concept high level waste and spent nuclear fuel generated at the Dukovany and Temeli´n nuclear power plants will eventually be disposed of in a deep geological repository. Such a repository should commence operation in 2065. Work aimed at selecting potentially suitable sites began in 1992, but the final site has not yet been determined. In compliance with the aforementioned Concept, the Radioactive Waste Repository Authority (RAWRA) is responsible for finding two suitable sites till 2015. The current stage of evaluation covers the whole territory of the Czech Republic and involves complex criteria and requirements. On the basis of current findings RAWRA suggested six potential sites for further investigation at the beginning of the year 2003.

Improving the Utilization of Nuclear Resources

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay F. Kunze ◽  
Gary M. Sandquist ◽  
D. Shannon Sentell
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Operating Cost ◽  
Wholesale Price ◽  
Economic Incentive ◽  
Nuclear Industry ◽  
Uranium Enrichment ◽  
Fuel Assemblies

Currently, less than one percent of the latent nuclear energy in uranium mined from the earth is eventually utilized. Nearly 90% of the uranium is discarded as “tails” from the enrichment process, and less than 7% of the nuclear energy in the fuel assemblies is actually “burned” before the assemblies are discarded for disposal in a permanent repository (i.e. Yucca Mountain). Unfortunately, there is no economic incentive in the commercial nuclear industry to remedy this wasteful utilization because the cost of the fuel assemblies consumed by the current reactor LWR fleet is only about 25% of the overall operating cost. Nuclear fuel cost represents less than 10% of the nominal average wholesale price of electricity. But, current uranium utilization and nuclear fuel economics ignore government expenditures on spent nuclear fuel disposal practices, the costs of storing both the weapons grade plutonium and the depleted uranium from the uranium enrichment operations, and time that would be required to deploy the types of reactors and facilities to effectively close the fuel cycle. This paper analyzes these issues and concludes that there must be no delay in completing needed R&D and beginning deployment of the essential new fast breeder and actinide burning reactors.

scholarly journals The Need for Integrating the Back End of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle in the United States of America

MRS Advances ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (19) ◽  
pp. 991-1003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evaristo J. Bonano ◽  
Elena A. Kalinina ◽  
Peter N. Swift
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Nuclear Fuel ◽  
United States Of America ◽  
Spent Nuclear Fuel ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Nuclear Fuel Cycle ◽  
The United States ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Dry Storage ◽  
The Us

ABSTRACTCurrent practice for commercial spent nuclear fuel management in the United States of America (US) includes storage of spent fuel in both pools and dry storage cask systems at nuclear power plants. Most storage pools are filled to their operational capacity, and management of the approximately 2,200 metric tons of spent fuel newly discharged each year requires transferring older and cooler fuel from pools into dry storage. In the absence of a repository that can accept spent fuel for permanent disposal, projections indicate that the US will have approximately 134,000 metric tons of spent fuel in dry storage by mid-century when the last plants in the current reactor fleet are decommissioned. Current designs for storage systems rely on large dual-purpose (storage and transportation) canisters that are not optimized for disposal. Various options exist in the US for improving integration of management practices across the entire back end of the nuclear fuel cycle.

Current Status of Radioactive Waste Disposal in Russia

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. A. Gupalo ◽  
V. V. Lopatin ◽  
N. F. Lobanov
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
Radioactive Waste Disposal ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Nuclear Materials ◽  
Potential Hazard ◽  
Research Activity ◽  
Closed Fuel Cycle ◽  
The Russian Federation ◽  
Geological Formations

A huge amount of radioactive waste has been accumulated in the Russian Federation (RF) in the course of implementation of the defense and energy programs, industrial and research activity involving the use of nuclear materials. The most justified and technically feasible technology of solidified RW isolation is its disposition in low-permeable geological formations in specially constructed underground facilities. Today in Russia a Closed Fuel Cycle (CFC) has been adopted, at the CFC final stage the spent nuclear materials and radioactive waste have to be isolated from the biosphere for the whole term of their potential hazard. In Russia, in accordance with the regional approach to the decision of Radioactive Waste (RW) disposal problem, several candidate disposal sites have been assigned.

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