REPROCESSING | FUEL & FUEL CYCLE
Towards a closed fuel cycle
Fast reactors operating as part of a close fuel cycle could help assure the long-term sustainability of nuclear power. But although reprocessing technologies exist, industrialisation of fast reactors remains some way off. Judith Perera reports
MANAGING USED NUCLEAR FUEL UNTIL its disposal is an important step of the nuclear fuel cycle. Currently around one third of the used fuel accumulating globally is reprocessed, while the rest is stored until a decision can be taken on the end-point strategy — processing or disposal. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says
safe, secure, proliferation resistant and economically efficient nuclear fuel cycles that minimise waste generation and environmental impacts globally contribute to the sustainability of nuclear energy. The challenges are to identify and address technological issues and to maintain a certain flexibility in managing used fuel to accommodate the largest range of options for the future. Progress towards commissioning deep geological
Judith Perera
Contributing Editor, Nuclear Engineering International
disposal facilities has been slow, although several projects are now in an advanced stage of development. Interim storage systems may therefore have to be maintained for longer periods, possibly for more than 100 years, which requires research and development and ageing management programmes to demonstrate its safety case. However, research is also under way in some countries on ways to close the nuclear fuel cycle, whether partially through the use of long-accepted reprocessing technologies (which requires storage of residual high-level wastes), or through fuel recycling with the residual HLW burned in reactors, closing the fuel cycle. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Division of
Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology (NEFW) formulates and implements the IAEA’s activities in the nuclear fuel cycle. The Division’s Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Materials
Section helps member states develop responsible uranium production; improve nuclear fuel performance and safety; manage used fuel through long-term storage, reprocessing and recycling and develop new fuels and fuel cycles for innovative reactors. It also offers support for the safe operation and improvement of fuel fabrication facilities. The Section assists interested member states in
organising research and development programmes by transferring information and sharing experience in fuel R&D, design, manufacturing, in-reactor behaviour and operational experience. The Section promotes technologies and strategies for used fuel management and provides technical guidance on good practices for long-term storage of used fuel. Using projection scenarios and the latest knowledge, the Section helps member states develop fuel cycles and technologies, such as recycling, for advanced and innovative reactors. Advanced and innovative technologies are already implemented in a few countries to reprocess used fuel and recycle its usable materials, such as plutonium and uranium, through the fabrication and utilisation of mixed uranium and plutonium oxide (MOX) fuel. Other more complex reprocessing technologies are being developed in some countries to recycle fertile (minor actinides, such as neptunium, americium, and curium) or long-lived radionuclides (such as caesium and strontium) to make the nuclear fuel cycle more sustainable and reduce the amount and radiotoxicity of the residual waste. These recycling technologies will probably require deployment fast neutron reactors in the long-term. U
Above: Mox fuel is currently being used in Russia’s Belyoarsk 4 BN-800 fast reactor Photo credit: Rosenergoatom
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