OECD/NEA WGFCS Workshop: Safety Assessment of Fuel Cycle Facilities - Regulatory Approaches and Industry Perspectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

Nuclear fuel is produced, processed, and stored mainly in industrial-scale facilities. Uranium ores are processed and refined to produce a pure uranium salt stream, Uranium is converted and enriched, nuclear fuel is fabricated (U fuel and U/Pu fuel for the closed cycle option); and spent fuel is stored and reprocessed in some countries (close cycle option). Facilities dedicated to the research and development of new fuel or new processes are also considered as Fuel Cycle Facilities. The safety assessment of nuclear facilities has often been led by the methodology and techniques initially developed for Nuclear Power Plants. As FCFs cover a wide diversity of installations the various approaches of national regulators, and their technical support organizations, for the Safety Assessment of Fuel Cycle Facilities are also diverse, as are the approaches by their industries in providing safety justifications for their facilities. The objective of the Working Group on Fuel Cycle Safety is to advance the understanding for both regulators and operators of relevant aspects of nuclear fuel cycle safety in member countries. A large amount of experience is available in safety assessment of FCFs, which should be shared to develop ideas in this field. To contribute to this task, the Workshop on 'Safety Assessment of Fuel Cycle Facilities - Regulatory Approaches and Industry Perspectives' was held in Toronto, on 27 - 29 September 2011. The workshop was hosted by Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. The current proceedings provide summary of the results of the workshop with the text of the papers given and presentations made

Code on the safety of civilian nuclear fuel cycle installations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

The 'Code' was promulgated by the National Nuclear Safety Administration (NSSA) on June 17, 1993, which is applicable to civilian nuclear fuel fabrication, processing, storage and reprocessing installations, not including the safety requirements for the use of nuclear fuel in reactors. The contents of the 'Code' involve siting, design, construction, commissioning, operation and decommissioning of fuel cycle installation. The NNSA shall be responsible for the interpretation of this 'Code'

Safety and economic comparison of fusion fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brereton, S.J.; Kazimi, M.S.

1987-08-01

The DT, DD and DHe fusion fuel cycles are compared on the basis of safety and economics. The designs for the comparison employ HT-9 structure and helium coolant; liquid lithium is used as the tritium breeder for the DT fuel cycle. The reactors are pulsed superconducting tokamaks, producing 4000 MW thermal power. The DT and DD designs are developed utilizing a plasma beta of 5%, 10% and 20%, assuming first stability scaling laws; a single value of 10% for beta is used for the DHe design. Modest extrapolations of current day technology are employed, providing a reference point for the relative ranking of the fuel cycles. Technological advances and improved understanding of the physics involved may alter the relative positions from what has been determined here. 92 figs., 59 tabs

Recent development in safety regulation of nuclear fuel cycle activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, S.

2001-01-01

Through the effort of deliberation and legislation over five years, Japanese government structure was reformed this January, with the aim of realizing simple, efficient and transparent administration. Under the reform, the Agency for Nuclear and Industrial Safety (ANIS) was founded in the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to be responsible for safety regulation of energy-related nuclear activities, including nuclear fuel cycle activities, and industrial activities, including explosives, high-pressure gasses and mining. As one of the lessons learned from the JCO criticality accident of September 1999, it was pointed out that the government's inspection function was not enough for fuel fabrication facilities. Accordingly, new statutory regulatory activities were introduced, namely, inspection of observance of safety rules and procedures for all kinds of nuclear operators and periodic inspection of fuel fabrication facilities. In addition, in order to cope with insufficient safety education and training of workers in nuclear facilities, licensees of nuclear facilities are required by law to specify safety education and training for their workers. ANIS is committed to enforce these new regulatory activities effectively and efficiently. In addition, it is going to be prepared, in its capacity as safety regulatory authority, for future development of Japanese fuel cycle activities, including commissioning of JNFL Rokkasho reprocessing plant and possible application for licenses for JNFL MOX fabrication plant and for spent fuel interim storage facilities. (author)

Proceedings of a topical meeting on safety of the nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

The topical meeting on the safety of the nuclear fuel cycle is composed of 17 papers grouped into four sessions which titles are: operational safety in nuclear fuel facilities; safety criteria and regulatory philosophy; plant hazard analysis and mitigation; plant experience and emergency planning

Fuel cycle safety research. Role and development in future

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsumoto, Shiro

2005-01-01

The report stresses important roles played by risk informed methodology in chemical process safety problems as encountered in fuel cycle facility such as a reprocessing plant. Abnormal situation management is a safety issue - The lesson learned from the pesticide manufacturing facility in Bhopal, India. Little attention has been given to understanding the issues regarding performance during normal versus abnormal situation. The first step is in abnormal situation management is to define what really is abnormal. The second step is to ensure that everyone understands the difference between normal and abnormal, and the root causes of abnormal events. The third step is to be aware of current practices that support abnormal situation management, and the procedures, practices, and techniques used to respond to abnormal conditions. Dynamic simulation will become to useful techniques for abnormal situation management as well as probabilistic safety assessment for process facilities including nuclear fuel cycle. (S. Ohno)

Safety analysis of IFR fuel processing in the Argonne National Laboratory Fuel Cycle Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Charak, I; Pedersen, D.R.; Forrester, R.J.; Phipps, R.D.

1993-01-01

The Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) concept developed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) includes on-site processing and recycling of discharged core and blanket fuel materials. The process is being demonstrated in the Fuel Cycle Facility (FCF) at ANL's Idaho site. This paper describes the safety analyses that were performed in support of the FCF program; the resulting safety analysis report was the vehicle used to secure authorization to operate the facility and carry out the program, which is now under way. This work also provided some insights into safety-related issues of a commercial IFR fuel processing facility. These are also discussed

Safety aspects of front-end fuel cycle facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Srinivasan, G.R.

2003-01-01

Safety of fuel cycle facilities (FCFs) other than Nuclear Power Plants is gaining importance all over the nuclear world as one would not like to leave behind any area of nuclear field in the journey toward excellence in the safe conduct of business in the whole of the nuclear industry. Safety should be part of every day activities, procedures, business practices, system and in fact of the people themselves

Chemical process safety at fuel cycle facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayres, D.A.

1997-08-01

This NUREG provides broad guidance on chemical safety issues relevant to fuel cycle facilities. It describes an approach acceptable to the NRC staff, with examples that are not exhaustive, for addressing chemical process safety in the safe storage, handling, and processing of licensed nuclear material. It expounds to license holders and applicants a general philosophy of the role of chemical process safety with respect to NRC-licensed materials; sets forth the basic information needed to properly evaluate chemical process safety; and describes plausible methods of identifying and evaluating chemical hazards and assessing the adequacy of the chemical safety of the proposed equipment and facilities. Examples of equipment and methods commonly used to prevent and/or mitigate the consequences of chemical incidents are discussed in this document

Extended fuel cycle length

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruyere, M.; Vallee, A.; Collette, C.

1986-09-01

Extended fuel cycle length and burnup are currently offered by Framatome and Fragema in order to satisfy the needs of the utilities in terms of fuel cycle cost and of overall systems cost optimization. We intend to point out the consequences of an increased fuel cycle length and burnup on reactor safety, in order to determine whether the bounding safety analyses presented in the Safety Analysis Report are applicable and to evaluate the effect on plant licensing. This paper presents the results of this examination. The first part indicates the consequences of increased fuel cycle length and burnup on the nuclear data used in the bounding accident analyses. In the second part of this paper, the required safety reanalyses are presented and the impact on the safety margins of different fuel management strategies is examined. In addition, systems modifications which can be required are indicated

Outline of results of safety research (in nuclear fuel cycle field in fiscal year 1996)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-12-01

The safety research in Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation in fiscal year 1996 has been carried out based on the basic plan of safety research (from fiscal year 1996 to 2000) which was decided in March, 1996. In this report, on nuclear fuel cycle field, namely all the subjects in the fields of nuclear fuel facilities, environmental radioactivity and waste disposal, and the subjects related to nuclear fuel facilities among the fields of aseismatic and probabilistic safety assessments, the results of research in fiscal year 1996, the first year of the 5-year project, are summarized together with the outline of the basic plan of safety research. The basic policy, objective and system for promotion of the safety research are described. The objectives of the safety research are the advancement of safety technology, the safety of facilities, stable operation techniques, the safety design and the evaluation techniques of next generation facilities, and the support of transferring nuclear fuel cycle to private businesses. The objects of the research are uranium enrichment, fuel fabrication and reprocessing, and waste treatment and storage. 52 investigation papers of the results of the safety research in nuclear fuel cycle field in fiscal year 1996 are collected in this report. (K.I.)

Methodology of fuel cycles long-term safety assessment of SNF/HLW geological disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pritrsky, J.

2008-01-01

Methodology for the long-term safety assessment of nuclear fuel cycles is given in the presented doctoral thesis. The aim of work was to develop a geological repository model for disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high level waste (HLW) using an appropriate software code able to calculate the influence of partitioning and transmutation in advanced fuel cycles. The first step in this process was specifying of indicators which can be used to quantify the radiological impact of each fuel cycle. Indicators such as annual effective dose and radiotoxicity of inventory have been quantitatively analysed to determine the potential risk and radiological consequences associated with production of SNF/HLW. Advanced fuel types bring a number of advantages in comparison to uranium oxide fuel UO 2 used worldwide nowadays in terms of safety improvement due to minor actinides transmutation and non-proliferation aspects as well. Within the scope of work, three different fuel cycles are compared from the point of view of long-term safety of deep geological repository. The first considered fuel cycle is the currently used open fuel cycle (UOX) which uses only U-FA (Uranium Fuel Assembly). The second assessed cycle is a closed fuel cycle (MOX) with MOX-FA (Mixed OXides Fuel Assembly) and the third considered one is a partially closed fuel cycle (IMF) with IMC-FA (Inert Matrix Combined Fuel Assembly). Description and input data of advanced fuel cycles have been gained by participation in the EC project RED-IMPACT. Results were calculated using code AMBER, which is a flexible software tool that allows building dynamic compartmental models to represent the migration and fate of contaminants in a system, for example in the surface and sub-surface environment. Contaminants in solid, liquid and gaseous phases can be considered. AMBER gives the user the flexibility to define any number of compartments; any number of contaminants and associated decays; deterministic, probabilistic and

Methodology of fuel cycles long-term safety assessment of SNF/HLW geological disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pritrsky, J.

2008-02-01

Methodology for the long-term safety assessment of nuclear fuel cycles is given in the presented doctoral thesis. The aim of work was to develop a geological repository model for disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high level waste (HLW) using an appropriate software code able to calculate the influence of partitioning and transmutation in advanced fuel cycles. The first step in this process was specifying of indicators which can be used to quantify the radiological impact of each fuel cycle. Indicators such as annual effective dose and radiotoxicity of inventory have been quantitatively analysed to determine the potential risk and radiological consequences associated with production of SNF/HLW. Advanced fuel types bring a number of advantages in comparison to uranium oxide fuel UO 2 used worldwide nowadays in terms of safety improvement due to minor actinides transmutation and non-proliferation aspects as well. Within the scope of work, three different fuel cycles are compared from the point of view of long-term safety of deep geological repository. The first considered fuel cycle is the currently used open fuel cycle (UOX) which uses only U-FA (Uranium Fuel Assembly). The second assessed cycle is a closed fuel cycle (MOX) with MOX-FA (Mixed OXides Fuel Assembly) and the third considered one is a partially closed fuel cycle (IMF) with IMC-FA (Inert Matrix Combined Fuel Assembly). Description and input data of advanced fuel cycles have been gained by participation in the EC project RED-IMPACT. Results were calculated using code AMBER, which is a flexible software tool that allows building dynamic compartmental models to represent the migration and fate of contaminants in a system, for example in the surface and sub-surface environment. Contaminants in solid, liquid and gaseous phases can be considered. AMBER gives the user the flexibility to define any number of compartments; any number of contaminants and associated decays; deterministic, probabilistic and

The JRC-ITU approach to the safety of advanced nuclear fuel cycles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fanghaenel, T.; Rondinella, V.V.; Somers, J.; Konings, R.; Erdmann, N.; Uffelen, P. van; Glatz, J.P. [European Commission, Joint Research Centre - JRC, Institute for Transuranium Elements - ITU, Postfach 2340, 76125 Karlsruhe (Germany)

2013-07-01

The JRC-ITU safety studies of advanced fuels and cycles adopt two main axes. First the full exploitation of still available and highly relevant knowledge and samples from past fuel preparation and irradiation campaigns (complementing the limited number of ongoing programmes). Secondly, the shift of focus from simple property measurement towards the understanding of basic mechanisms determining property evolution and behaviour of fuel compounds during normal, off-normal and accident conditions. The final objective of the second axis is the determination of predictive tools applicable to systems and conditions different from those from which they were derived. State of the art experimental facilities, extensive networks of partnerships and collaboration with other organizations worldwide, and a developing programme for training and education are essential in this approach. This strategy has been implemented through various programs and projects. The SUPERFACT programme constitutes the main body of existing knowledge on the behavior in-pile of MOX fuel containing minor actinides. It encompassed all steps of a closed fuel cycle. Another international project investigating the safety of a closed cycle is METAPHIX. In this case a U-Pu19-Zr10 metal alloy containing Np, Am and Cm constitutes the fuel. 9 test pins have been prepared and irradiated. In addition to the PIE (Post Irradiation Examination), pyrometallurgical separation of the irradiated fuel has been performed, to demonstrate all the steps of a multiple recycling closed cycle and characterize their safety relevant aspects. Basic studies like thermodynamic fuel properties, fuel-cladding-coolant interactions have also been carried out at JRC-ITU.

Safety study of fire protection for nuclear fuel cycle facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

Insufficiencies in the fire protection system of the nuclear reactor facilities were pointed out when the fire occurred due to the Niigata prefecture-Chuetsu-oki Earthquake in July, 2007. This prompted the revision of the fire protection safety examination guideline for nuclear reactors as well as commercial guidelines. The commercial guidelines have been endorsed by the regulatory body. Now commercial fire protection standards for nuclear facilities such as the design guideline and the management guideline for protecting fire in the Light Water Reactors (LWRs) are available, however, those to apply to the nuclear fuel cycle facilities such as mixed oxide fuel fabrication facility (MFFF) have not been established. For the improvement of fire protection system of the nuclear fuel cycle facilities, the development of a standard for the fire protection, corresponding to the commercial standard for LWRs were required. Thus, Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization (JNES) formulated a fire protection guidelines for nuclear fuel cycle facilities as a standard relevant to the fire protection of the nuclear fuel cycle facilities considering functions specific to the nuclear fuel cycle facilities. In formulating the guidelines, investigation has been conduced on the commercial guidelines for nuclear reactors in Japan and the standards relevant to the fire protection of nuclear facilities in USA and other countries as well as non-nuclear industrial fire protection standards. The guideline consists of two parts; Equipments and Management, as the commercial guidances of the nuclear reactor. In addition, the acquisition of fire evaluation data for a components (an electric cabinet, cable, oil etc.) targeted for spread of fire and the evaluation model of fire source were continued for the fire hazard analysis (FHA). (author)

Status and prospects of safety research about fuel cycle facilities in France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Auchere, H.; Mercier, J.P.

1996-01-01

Although there is a good knowledge of the risks and no major accident occurred in France, as in other OECD countries, it remains useful to complete basic knowledge and to allow the quality of fuel cycle plants safety assessments to be improved further, particularly in countries equipped with a 'complete' nuclear fuel cycle (France, Japan and U.K.). The scope of the current and future IPSN ('Institut de Protection et de Surete Nucleaire': institute for protection and nuclear safety) research deals with the whole fuel cycle. The overview presented here in NUCEF'95 symposium contains a number of specific themes, some of which have already been started. Successful conclusion of the safety researches will allow the IPSN to have a more precise understanding about specific phenomena and notably to replace 'engineer judgements', though they may be based on a lot of experience and competence, by more scientifically established basic data. (J.P.N.)

Safety and Regulatory Issues of the Thorium Fuel Cycle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ade, Brian [ORNL; Worrall, Andrew [ORNL; Powers, Jeffrey [ORNL; Bowman, Steve [ORNL; Flanagan, George [ORNL; Gehin, Jess [ORNL

2014-02-01

Thorium has been widely considered an alternative to uranium fuel because of its relatively large natural abundance and its ability to breed fissile fuel (233U) from natural thorium (232Th). Possible scenarios for using thorium in the nuclear fuel cycle include use in different nuclear reactor types (light water, high temperature gas cooled, fast spectrum sodium, molten salt, etc.), advanced accelerator-driven systems, or even fission-fusion hybrid systems. The most likely near-term application of thorium in the United States is in currently operating light water reactors (LWRs). This use is primarily based on concepts that mix thorium with uranium (UO2 + ThO2), add fertile thorium (ThO2) fuel pins to LWR fuel assemblies, or use mixed plutonium and thorium (PuO2 + ThO2) fuel assemblies. The addition of thorium to currently operating LWRs would result in a number of different phenomenological impacts on the nuclear fuel. Thorium and its irradiation products have nuclear characteristics that are different from those of uranium. In addition, ThO2, alone or mixed with UO2 fuel, leads to different chemical and physical properties of the fuel. These aspects are key to reactor safety-related issues. The primary objectives of this report are to summarize historical, current, and proposed uses of thorium in nuclear reactors; provide some important properties of thorium fuel; perform qualitative and quantitative evaluations of both in-reactor and out-of-reactor safety issues and requirements specific to a thorium-based fuel cycle for current LWR reactor designs; and identify key knowledge gaps and technical issues that need to be addressed for the licensing of thorium LWR fuel in the United States.

Safety culture in a major nuclear fuel cycle facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pushparaja; Abani, M.C.

2002-01-01

Human factor plays an important role in development of safety culture in any nuclear fuel cycle facility. This is more relevant in major nuclear facility such as a reactor or a reprocessing plant. In Indian reprocessing plants, an effective worker's training, education and certification program is in place to sensitize the worker's response to safety and safe work procedures. The methodology followed to self evaluation of safety culture and the benefits in a reprocessing plant is briefly discussed. Various indicators of safety performance and visible signs of a good safety management are also qualitatively analyzed. (author)

Improving fuel cycle design and safety characteristics of a gas cooled fast reactor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Rooijen, W.F.G.

2006-01-01

This research concerns the fuel cycle and safety aspects of a Gas Cooled Fast Reactor, one of the so-called "Generation IV" nuclear reactor designs. The Generation IV Gas Cooled Fast Reactor uses helium as coolant at high temperature. The goal of the GCFR is to obtain a "closed nuclear fuel cycle",

Radiological and environmental safety in front-end fuel cycle facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puranik, V.D.

2011-01-01

The front end nuclear fuel cycle comprises of mining and processing of beach mineral sands along the southern coast of Kerala, Tamilnadu and Orissa, mining and processing of uranium ore in Singhbhum-East in Jharkhand and refining and fuel fabrication at Hyderabad. The Health Physics Units (HPUs)/Environmental Survey Laboratories (ESLs) set up at each site from inception of operation to carry out regular in-plant, personnel monitoring and environmental surveillance to ensure safe working conditions, evaluate radiation exposure of workers, ensure compliance with statutory norms, help in keeping the environmental releases well within the limits and advise appropriate control measures. This paper describes the occupational and environmental radiological safety measures associated with the operations of front end of nuclear fuel cycle. Radiological monitoring in these facilities is important to ensure safe working environment, protection of workers against exposure to radiation and comply with regulatory limits of exposure. The radiation exposure of workers in different units of the front end nuclear fuels cycle facilities operated by IREL, UCIL and NFC and environmental monitoring results are summarised in this paper

Criticality safety evaluation of the fuel cycle facility electrorefiner

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lell, R.M.; Mariani, R.D.; Fujita, E.K.; Benedict, R.W.; Turski, R.B.

1993-01-01

The integral Fast Reactor (IFR) being developed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) combines the advantages of metal-fueled, liquid-metal cooled reactors and a closed-loop fuel cycle. Some of the primary advantages are passive safety for the reactor and resistance to diversion for the heavy metal in the fuel cycle. in addition, the IFR pyroprocess recycles all the long-lived actinide activation products for casting into new fuel pins so that they may be burned in the reactor. A key component in the Fuel Cycle Facility (FCF) recycling process is the electrorefiner (ER) in which the actinides are separated from the fission products. In the process, the metal fuel is electrochemically dissolved into a high-temperature molten salt, and electrorefined uranium or uranium/plutonium products are deposited at cathodes. This report addresses the new and innovative aspects of the criticality analysis ensuing from processing metallic fuel, rather than metal oxide fuel, and from processing the spent fuel in batch operations. in particular, the criticality analysis employed a mechanistic approach as opposed to a probabilistic one. A probabilistic approach was unsuitable because of a lack of operational experience with some of the processes, rendering the estimation of accident event risk factors difficult. The criticality analysis also incorporated the uncertainties in heavy metal content attending the process items by defining normal operations envelopes (NOES) for key process parameters. The goal was to show that reasonable process uncertainties would be demonstrably safe toward criticality for continuous batch operations provided the key process parameters stayed within their NOES. Consequently the NOEs became the point of departure for accident events in the criticality analysis

Probabilistic safety analysis for nuclear fuel cycle facilities, an exemplary application for a fuel fabrication plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gmal, B.; Gaenssmantel, G.; Mayer, G.; Moser, E.F.

2013-01-01

In order to assess the risk of complex technical systems, the application of the Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) in addition to the Deterministic Safety Analysis becomes of increasing interest. Besides nuclear installations this applies to e. g. chemical plants. A PSA is capable of expanding the basis for the risk assessment and of complementing the conventional deterministic analysis, by which means the existing safety standards of that facility can be improved if necessary. In the available paper, the differences between a PSA for a nuclear power plant and a nuclear fuel cycle facility (NFCF) are discussed in shortness and a basic concept for a PSA for a nuclear fuel cycle facility is described. Furthermore, an exemplary PSA for a partial process in a fuel assembly fabrication facility is described. The underlying data are partially taken from an older German facility, other parts are generic. Moreover, a selected set of reported events corresponding to this partial process is taken as auxiliary data. The investigation of this partial process from the fuel fabrication as an example application shows that PSA methods are in principle applicable to nuclear fuel cycle facilities. Here, the focus is on preventing an initiating event, so that the system analysis is directed to the modeling of fault trees for initiating events. The quantitative results of this exemplary study are given as point values for the average occurrence frequencies. They include large uncertainties because of the limited documentation and data basis available, and thus have only methodological character. While quantitative results are given, further detailed information on process components and process flow is strongly required for robust conclusions with respect to the real process. (authors)

IAEA safety requirements for safety assessment of fuel cycle facilities and activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, G.

2013-01-01

The IAEA's Statute authorises the Agency to establish standards of safety for protection of health and minimisation of danger to life and property. In that respect, the IAEA has established a Safety Fundamentals publication which contains ten safety principles for ensuring the protection of workers, the public and the environment from the harmful effects of ionising radiation. A number of these principles require safety assessments to be carried out as a means of evaluating compliance with safety requirements for all nuclear facilities and activities and to determine the measures that need to be taken to ensure safety. The safety assessments are required to be carried out and documented by the organisation responsible for operating the facility or conducting the activity, are to be independently verified and are to be submitted to the regulatory body as part of the licensing or authorisation process. In addition to the principles of the Safety Fundamentals, the IAEA establishes requirements that must be met to ensure the protection of people and the environment and which are governed by the principles in the Safety Fundamentals. The IAEA's Safety Requirements publication 'Safety Assessment for Facilities and Activities', establishes the safety requirements that need to be fulfilled in conducting and maintaining safety assessments for the lifetime of facilities and activities, with specific attention to defence in depth and the requirement for a graded approach to the application of these safety requirements across the wide range of fuel cycle facilities and activities. Requirements for independent verification of the safety assessment that needs to be carried out by the operating organisation, including the requirement for the safety assessment to be periodically reviewed and updated are also covered. For many fuel cycle facilities and activities, environmental impact assessments and non-radiological risk assessments will be required. The

Results on safety research for five years (from fiscal year 1996 to 2000). A field of nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-10-01

This safety research carried out by the Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) for five years ranged from fiscal year 1996 to 2000, was performed according to the safety research basic plan (from fiscal year 1996 to 2000) established on March, 1996 (revised again on May, 2000). This report was arranged on a field on nuclear fuel cycle (all subjects on fields of nuclear fuel facility, environmental radioactivity and radioactive wastes and a subject on nuclear fuel cycle in a field of seismic resistant and probabilistic safety assessment) by combining its research results for five years ranged from 1996 to 2000 fiscal year with general outlines on the safety research basic plan. Here were shown outlines on the safety research basic plan, aims and subjects on safety research at a field of nuclear fuel cycle, a list of survey sheets on safety research result, and survey sheets on safety research results. The survey sheets containing research field, title, organization, researcher name, researching period, names of cooperative organization, using facilities, research outline, research results, established contents, application, and research trends, are ranged to 21 items on nuclear fuel facility, 1 item on seismic resistance, 2 items on probabilistic safety assessment, 8 items on environmental radioactivity, and 20 items on radioactive wastes. (G.K.)

Regulation of chemical safety at fuel cycle facilities by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramsey, Kevin M.

2013-01-01

When the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was established in 1975, its regulations were based on radiation dose limits. Chemical hazards rarely influenced NRC regulations. After the Three Mile Island reactor accident in 1979, the NRC staff was directed to address emergency planning at non-reactor facilities. Several fuel cycle facilities were ordered to submit emergency plans consistent with reactor emergency plans because no other guidance was available. NRC published a notice that it was writing regulations to codify the requirements in the Orders and upgrade the emergency plans to address all hazards, including chemical hazards. The legal authority of NRC to regulate chemical safety was questioned. In 1986, an overfilled uranium hexafluoride cylinder ruptured and killed a worker. The NRC staff was directed to address emergency planning for hazardous chemicals in its regulations. The final rule included a requirement for fuel cycle facilities to certify compliance with legislation requiring local authorities to establish emergency plans for hazardous chemicals. As with emergency planning, NRC's authority to regulate chemical safety during routine operations was limited. NRC established memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with other regulatory agencies to encourage exchange of information between the agencies regarding occupational hazards. In 2000, NRC published new, performance-based, regulations for fuel cycle facilities. The new regulations required an integrated safety analysis (ISA) which used quantitative standards to assess chemical exposures. Some unique chemical exposure cases were addressed while implementing the new regulations. In addition, some gaps remain in the regulation of hazardous chemicals at fuel cycle facilities. The status of ongoing efforts to improve regulation of chemical safety at fuel cycle facilities is discussed. (authors)

Aspects of nuclear safety at power plants and fuel cycle plants in the USSR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kozlov, N.I.; Efimov, E.; Dubovskij, B.G.; Dikarev, V.; Lyubchenko, V.; Kruglov, A.K.

1977-01-01

The paper discusses the problems of organizing inspection monitoring of power plants including the development of some regulations and norms and the interaction between the USSR State Nuclear Safety Organization, scientific and designing organizations and power plants. The principles of computer use to work out advice for operational staff and warning signals and commands for the reactor control and protection system are discussed. Some attention is turned to the importance of using high-speed computers to calculate prompt reactivity values and to determine impurity concentrations in the coolant and margins to permissible operational limits. In particular, reactimeters are considered as signal generators in monitor and protection systems. Some problems of nuclear safety inspection, the issue and inculcation of some regulations and operational documents on nuclear safety, and instrumentation of plants reprocessing or processing fuel elements are presented. Methods of determining the critical parameters of technological units are described, together with the fundamental principles of fuel cycle plant nuclear safety, providing margin coefficients, accounting for deviations from the normal operational process and other problems, as well as methods of keeping the restrictions on nuclear safety requirements at fuel cycle plants. (author)

Nuclear power performance and safety. V.5. Nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-01-01

The International Conference on Nuclear Power Performance and Safety, organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency, was held at the Austria Centre Vienna (ACV) in Vienna, Austria, from 28 September to 2 October 1987. The objective of the Conference was to promote an exchange of worldwide information on the current trends in the performance and safety of nuclear power and its fuel cycle, and to take a forward look at the expectations and objectives for the 1990s. Policy decisions for waste management have already been taken in many countries and the 1990s should be a period of demonstration and implementation of these policies. As ilustrated by data presented from a number of countries, many years of experience in radioactive waste management have been achieved and the technology exists to implement the national plans and policies that have been developed. The establishment of criteria, the development of safety performance methodology and site investigation work are key activities essential to the successful selection, characterization and construction of geological repositories for the final disposal of radioactive waste. Considerable work has been done in these areas over the last ten years and will continue into the 1990s. However, countries that are considering geological disposal for high level waste now recognize the need for relating the technical aspects to public understanding and acceptance of the concept and decision making activities. The real challenge for the 1990s in waste disposal will be successfully to integrate technological activities within a process which responds to institutional and public concern. Volume 5 of the Proceedings comprehends the contributions on waste management in the 1990s. Decontamination and decommissioning, waste management, treatment and disposal, nuclear fuel cycle - present and future. Enrichment services and advanced reactor fuels, improvements in reactor fuel utilization and performance, spent fuel management

Advanced fuel development at AECL: What does the future hold for CANDU fuels/fuel cycles?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kupferschmidt, W.C.H. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River, Ontario (Canada)

2013-07-01

This paper outlines advanced fuel development at AECL. It discusses expanding the limits of fuel utilization, deploy alternate fuel cycles, increase fuel flexibility, employ recycled fuels; increase safety and reliability, decrease environmental impact and develop proliferation resistant fuel and fuel cycle.

Fuel Cycle Safety - Past, Present and Future. Wilmington, North Carolina, USA, 16-18 October 2007. Papers and presentations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-10-01

At the October 2006 meeting of Working Group on Fuel Cycle Safety (WGFCS), participants agreed that several issues associated with the safety of the nuclear fuel cycle merit more detailed attention by regulators and industry. There was general agreement that more information, from a broader audience, would be of benefit both to regulators and the regulated industry. Therefore, this workshop was held in order to collect the views of interested parties from a global perspective. The workshop focused on the following three topics: - Legacy waste concerns (including facilities and waste); - Reprocessing of nuclear fuel and the recycling of nuclear waste; - Ensuring the safety of current and new fuel cycle facilities. The workshop was expected to provide additional insights on these three topics and enabled facility operators and regulators alike an opportunity to maintain and enhance safety in the future. This document brings together the available presentations (slides and papers) given at the meeting

Proceedings of the Topical Meeting on the safety of nuclear fuel cycle intermediate storage facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

The CSNI Working Group on Fuel Cycle Safety held an International Topical Meeting on safety aspects of Intermediate Storage Facilities in Newby Bridge, England, from 28 to 30 October 1997. The main purpose of the meeting was to provide a forum for the exchange of information on the technical issues on the safety of nuclear fuel cycle facilities (intermediate storage). Titles of the papers are: An international view on the safety challenges to interim storage of spent fuel. Interim storage of intermediate and high-level waste in Belgium: a description and safety aspects. Encapsulated intermediate level waste product stores at Sellafield. Safety of interim storage facilities of spent fuel: the international dimension and the IAEA's activities. Reprocessing of irradiated fuel and radwaste conditioning at Belgoprocess site: an overview. Retrieval of wastes from interim storage silos at Sellafield. Outline of the fire and explosion of the bituminization facility and the activities of the investigation committee (STAIJAERI). The fire and explosion incident of the bituminization facility and the lessons learned from the incident. Study on the scenario of the fire incident and related analysis. Study on the scenario of the explosion incident and related analysis. Accident investigation board report on the May 14, 1997 chemical explosion at the plutonium reclamation facility, Hanford site, Richland, Washington. Dry interim storage of spent nuclear fuel elements in Germany. Safe and effective system for the bulk receipt and storage of light water reactor fuel prior to reprocessing. Receiving and storage of glass canisters at vitrified waste storage center of Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. Design and operational experience of dry cask storage systems. Sellafield MOX plant; Plant safety design (BNFL). The assessment of fault studies for intermediate term waste storage facilities within the UK nuclear regulatory regime. Non-active and active commissioning of the thermal oxide

Establishment and prioritization of relevant factors to the safety of fuel cycle facilities non reactor through dynamics archetypes evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sousa, Anna Leticia Barbosa de

2012-01-01

The present work aims to establish and prioritize factors that are important to the safety of nuclear fuel cycle facilities in order to model, analyze and design safety as a physical system, employing systemic models in an innovative way. This work takes into consideration the fact that models that use adaptations of methodologies for nuclear reactors will not properly work due to the specificities of fuel cycle facilities. Based on the fundamentals of the theory of systems, the four levels of system thinking, and the relationship of eight socio technical factors, a mental model has been developed for safety management in the nuclear fuel cycle context. From this conceptual model, safety archetypes were constructed in order to identify and highlight the processes of change and decision making that allow the system to migrate to a state of loss of safety. After that, stock and flow diagrams were created so that their behavior could be assessed by the system's dynamics. The results from the analysis using the model that simulates the dynamic behavior of the variables (socio technical factors) indicated, as expected, that the system's dynamics proved to be an appropriate and efficient tool for modeling fuel cycle safety as an emergent property. (author)

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Objectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

. The four Objectives publications include Nuclear General Objectives, Nuclear Power Objectives, Nuclear Fuel Cycle Objectives, and Radioactive Waste management and Decommissioning Objectives. This publication sets out the objectives that need to be achieved in the area of the nuclear fuel cycle to ensure that the Nuclear Energy Basic Principles are satisfied. Within each of these four Objectives publications, the individual topics that make up each area are addressed. The five topics included in this publication are: resources; fuel engineering and performance; spent fuel management and reprocessing; fuel cycles; and the research reactor nuclear fuel cycle

ITER fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leger, D.; Dinner, P.; Yoshida, H.

1991-01-01

Resulting from the Conceptual Design Activities (1988-1990) by the parties involved in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project, this document summarizes the design requirements and the Conceptual Design Descriptions for each of the principal subsystems and design options of the ITER Fuel Cycle conceptual design. The ITER Fuel Cycle system provides for the handling of all tritiated water and gas mixtures on ITER. The system is subdivided into subsystems for fuelling, primary (torus) vacuum pumping, fuel processing, blanket tritium recovery, and common processes (including isotopic separation, fuel management and storage, and processes for detritiation of solid, liquid, and gaseous wastes). After an introduction describing system function and conceptual design procedure, a summary of the design is presented including a discussion of scope and main parameters, and the fuel design options for fuelling, plasma chamber vacuum pumping, fuel cleanup, blanket tritium recovery, and auxiliary and common processes. Design requirements are defined and design descriptions are given for the various subsystems (fuelling, plasma vacuum pumping, fuel cleanup, blanket tritium recovery, and auxiliary/common processes). The document ends with sections on fuel cycle design integration, fuel cycle building layout, safety considerations, a summary of the research and development programme, costing, and conclusions. Refs, figs and tabs

Fuel cycle management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herbin, H.C.

1977-01-01

The fuel cycle management is more and more dependent on the management of the generation means among the power plants tied to the grid. This is due mainly because of the importance taken by the nuclear power plants within the power system. The main task of the fuel cycle management is to define the refuelling pattern of the new and irradiated fuel assemblies to load in the core as a function of: 1) the differences which exist between the actual conditions of the core and what was expected for the present cycle, 2) the operating constraints and the reactor availability, 3) the technical requirements in safety and the technological limits of the fuel, 4) the economics. Three levels of fuel cycle management can be considered: 1) a long term management: determination of enrichments and expected cycle lengths, 2) a mid term management whose aim corresponds to the evaluation of the batch to load within the core as a function of both: the next cycle length to achieve and the integrated power history of all the cycles up to the present one, 3) a short term management which deals with the updating of the loaded fuel utilisations to take into account the operation perturbations, or with the alteration of the loading pattern of the next batch to respect unexpected conditions. (orig.) [de

Safety-licensing assessment of NASAP reactor concepts and fuel cycle facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lipinski, W.C.; Prohammer, F.G.; van Erp, J.B.; Seefeldt, W.B.

1978-06-01

Assessments are presented of the safety/licensability of reactor concepts based on information supplied by the Nonproliferation Alternative Systems Assessment Program (NASAP) characterization contractors in their updated responses to the data package for NASAP Rolling Report II. The assessment of the LMFBR includes information from a characterization contractor on alternate fuel cycles but does not include information provided by a characterization contractor on plant-related safety issues. The information provided by the characterization contractors was supplemented by assessments provided by the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Regulation of fuel cycle facilities in the UK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ascroft-Hutton, H.W.

2001-01-01

The UK has facilities for the production of uranium hexafluoride, its enrichment, conversion into fuel and for the subsequent reprocessing of irradiated fuel and closure of the fuel cycle. All of these facilities must be licensed under UK legislation. HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate has delegated powers to issue the licence and to attach any conditions it considers necessary in the interests of safety. The fuel cycle facilities in the UK have been licensed since 1971. This paper describes briefly the UK nuclear regulatory framework and the fuel cycle facilities involved. It considers the regulatory practices adopted together with similarities and differences between regulation of fuel cycle facilities and power reactors. The safety issues associated with the fuel cycle are discussed and NII's regulatory strategy for these facilities is set out. (author)

Guidance for the application of an assessment methodology for innovative nuclear energy systems. INPRO manual - Safety of nuclear fuel cycle facilities. Vol. 9 of the final report of phase 1 of the International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-11-01

The International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) was initiated in the year 2000, based on a resolution of the IAEA General Conference (GC(44)/RES/21). The main objectives of INPRO are (1) to help to ensure that nuclear energy is available to contribute in fulfilling energy needs in the 21st century in a sustainable manner, (2) to bring together both technology holders and technology users to consider jointly the international and national actions required to achieve desired innovations in nuclear reactors and fuel cycles; and (3) to create a forum to involve all relevant stakeholders that will have an impact on, draw from, and complement the activities of existing institutions, as well as ongoing initiatives at the national and international level. The INPRO manual is comprised of an overview volume (No. 1), and eight additional volumes covering the areas of economics (Volume 2), infrastructure (Volume 3), waste management (Volume 4), proliferation resistance (Volume 5), physical protection (Volume 6), environment (Volume 7), safety of nuclear reactors (Volume 8), and safety of nuclear fuel cycle facilities (laid out in this report) (Volume 9).This report elaborates on the guidance given in the INPRO report 'Methodology for the assessment of innovative nuclear reactors and fuel cycles', IAEA-TECDOC-1434, and the previous INPRO report 'Guidance for the evaluation for innovative nuclear reactors and fuel cycles', IAEA-TECDOC-1362 (2003), in the area of safety of nuclear reactors. The present version of this manual deals with safety issues related to design and operation of mining, milling, refining, conversion, enrichment, fuel fabrication, fuel storage and fuel reprocessing facilities. The INPRO Manual starts with an introduction in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 sets out the necessary input for an INPRO assessment of the safety of an innovative nuclear fuel cycle facility. This includes information on the design for the plant and the safety

Tritium inventories and tritium safety design principles for the fuel cycle of ITER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cristescu, I.R.; Cristescu, I.; Doerr, L.; Glugla, M.; Murdoch, D.

2007-01-01

Within the tritium plant of ITER a total inventory of about 2-3 kg will be necessary to operate the machine in the DT phase. During plasma operation, tritium will be distributed in the different sub-systems of the fuel cycle. A tool for tritium inventory evaluation within each sub-system of the fuel cycle is important with respect to both the process of licensing ITER and also for operation. It is very likely that measurements of total tritium inventories may not be possible for all sub-systems; however, tritium accounting may be achieved by modelling its hold-up within each sub-system and by validating these models in real-time against the monitored flows and tritium streams between the sub-systems. To get reliable results, an accurate dynamic modelling of the tritium content in each sub-system is necessary. A dynamic model (TRIMO) for tritium inventory calculation reflecting the design of each fuel cycle sub-systems was developed. The amount of tritium needed for ITER operation has a direct impact on the tritium inventories within the fuel cycle sub-systems. As ITER will function in pulses, the main characteristics that influence the rapid tritium recovery from the fuel cycle as necessary for refuelling are discussed. The confinement of tritium within the respective sub-systems of the fuel cycle is one of the most important safety objectives. The design of the deuterium/tritium fuel cycle of ITER includes a multiple barrier concept for the confinement of tritium. The buildings are equipped with a vent detritiation system and re-circulation type room atmosphere detritiation systems, required for tritium confinement barrier during possible tritium spillage events. Complementarily to the atmosphere detritiation systems, in ITER a water detritiation system for tritium recovery from various sources will also be operated

Development of nuclear fuel cycle technologies - bases of long-term provision of fuel and environmental safety of nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solonin, M.I.; Polyakov, A.S.; Zakharkin, B.S.; Smelov, V.S.; Nenarokomov, E.A.; Mukhin, I.V.

2000-01-01

To-day nuclear power is one of the options, however, to-morrow it may become the main source of the energy, thus, providing for the stable economic development for the long time to come. The availability of the large-scale nuclear power in the foreseeable future is governed by not only the safe operation of nuclear power plants (NPP) but also by the environmentally safe management of spent nuclear fuel, radioactive waste conditioning and long-term storage. More emphasis is to be placed to the closing of the fuel cycle in view of substantial quantities of spent nuclear fuel arisings. The once-through fuel cycle that is cost effective at the moment cannot be considered to be environmentally safe even for the middle term since the substantial build-up of spent nuclear fuel containing thousands of tons Pu will require the resolution of the safe management problem in the nearest future and is absolutely unjustified in terms of moral ethics as a transfer of the responsibility to future generations. The minimization of radioactive waste arisings and its radioactivity is only feasible with the closed fuel cycle put into practice and some actinides and long-lived fission radionuclides burnt out. The key issues in providing the environmentally safe fuel cycle are efficient processes of producing fuel for NPP, radionuclide after-burning included, a long-term spent nuclear fuel storage and reprocessing as well as radioactive waste management. The paper deals with the problems inherent in producing fuel for NPP with a view for the closed fuel cycle. Also discussed are options of the fuel cycle, its effectiveness and environmental safety with improvements in technologies of spent nuclear fuel reprocessing and long-lived radionuclide partitioning. (authors)

Development of nuclear fuel cycle technologies - bases of long-term provision of fuel and environmental safety of nuclear power

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Solonin, M I; Polyakov, A S; Zakharkin, B S; Smelov, V S; Nenarokomov, E A; Mukhin, I V [SSC, RF, A.A. Bochvar ALL-Russia Research Institute of Inorganic Materials, Moscow (Russian Federation)

2000-07-01

To-day nuclear power is one of the options, however, to-morrow it may become the main source of the energy, thus, providing for the stable economic development for the long time to come. The availability of the large-scale nuclear power in the foreseeable future is governed by not only the safe operation of nuclear power plants (NPP) but also by the environmentally safe management of spent nuclear fuel, radioactive waste conditioning and long-term storage. More emphasis is to be placed to the closing of the fuel cycle in view of substantial quantities of spent nuclear fuel arisings. The once-through fuel cycle that is cost effective at the moment cannot be considered to be environmentally safe even for the middle term since the substantial build-up of spent nuclear fuel containing thousands of tons Pu will require the resolution of the safe management problem in the nearest future and is absolutely unjustified in terms of moral ethics as a transfer of the responsibility to future generations. The minimization of radioactive waste arisings and its radioactivity is only feasible with the closed fuel cycle put into practice and some actinides and long-lived fission radionuclides burnt out. The key issues in providing the environmentally safe fuel cycle are efficient processes of producing fuel for NPP, radionuclide after-burning included, a long-term spent nuclear fuel storage and reprocessing as well as radioactive waste management. The paper deals with the problems inherent in producing fuel for NPP with a view for the closed fuel cycle. Also discussed are options of the fuel cycle, its effectiveness and environmental safety with improvements in technologies of spent nuclear fuel reprocessing and long-lived radionuclide partitioning. (authors)

Fuel fabrication and reprocessing for nuclear fuel cycle with inherent safety demands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shadrin, Andrey Yurevich; Dvoeglazov, Konstantin Nikolaevich; Ivanov, Valentine Borisovich; Volk, Vladimir Ivanovich; Skupov, Mikhail Vladimirovich; Glushenkov, Alexey Evgenevich [Joint Stock Company ' ' The High Technological Research Institute of Inorganic Materials' ' , Moscow (Russian Federation); Troyanov, Vladimir Mihaylovich; Zherebtsov, Alexander Anatolievich [Innovation and Technology Center of Project ' ' PRORYV' ' , State Atomic Energy Corporation ' ' Rosatom' ' , Moscow (Russian Federation)

2015-06-01

The strategies adopted in Russia for a closed nuclear fuel cycle with fast reactors (FR), selection of fuel type and recycling technologies of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) are discussed. It is shown that one of the possible technological solutions for the closing of a fuel cycle could be the combination of pyroelectrochemical and hydrometallurgical methods of recycling of SNF. This combined scheme allows: recycling of SNF from FR with high burn-up and short cooling time; decreasing the volume of stored SNF and the amount of plutonium in a closed fuel cycle in FR; recycling of any type of SNF from FR; obtaining the high pure end uranium-plutonium-neptunium end-product for fuel refabrication using pellet technology.

Safety of the liquid-metal cooled fast breeder reactor and aspects of its fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kessler, G.; Papp, R.; Huebel, D.

1977-01-01

Design and construction of the sodium-cooled fast reactors KNK-II (20MW(e)) and SNR-300 (300MW(e)) determine the status of safety engineering and safety R and D of LMFBRs in the Federal Republic of Germany. Both prototype fast power reactors have to go through a civil licensing process similar to that applied to present LWRs. A multilevel safety - or defence in depth - approach is applied to the design and construction of fast power reactors. All design data of the fast reactor plant are confirmed by extensive experimental programmes. Design limits of the plant are thoroughly discussed during the licensing process. Important safety R and D programmes have been and are still being performed. A very conservative safety analysis for hypothetical core and other plant accidents is used for present prototype fast reactors. The paper reviews the future trend of development of theoretical methods for accident analysis and the application of experimental results, especially in view of large commercial-type LMFBRs. The safety approach applied to the LMFBR plant is safe operation under normal operating conditions and safe shutdown under off-normal conditions. The consequences of releases of radioactivity to the environment meet the given standards. No chemical reprocessing plant for fast breeder fuel is in operation in the FRG at present; however, R and D work on investigation of all aspects and problem areas of the fast breeder fuel cycle are under way. Systems studies on safety aspects of the fast breeder fuel cycle (transport, reprocessing, fuel fabrication) and its impact on the environment have been performed and the main consequences of these studies are presented in the paper. (author)

Challenge to establishment of nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakajima, Ichiro

2000-01-01

Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Inst. (JNC) has promoted some efforts on introduction of business management cycle system integrated on safety security and business management, planning a safety conservation system with effectiveness concept on risk, and their practice steadily and faithfully. Here were described on some characteristic items on effort of safety promotion since establishment of JNC. And, here were also introduced on outlines of some research actions, at a center of research and development on a high breeding reactor and its relating cycle technology carried out at present by JNC under aiming at establishment of the nuclear fuel recycling, that is to say the nuclear fuel cycle, in Japan to upgrade the nuclear security more and more. (G.K.)

Criticality safety strategy for the Fuel Cycle Facility electrorefiner at Argonne National Laboratory, West

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mariani, R.D.; Benedict, R.W.; Lell, R.M.; Turski, R.B.; Fujita, E.K.

1993-01-01

The Integral Fast Reactor being developed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) combines the advantages of metal-fueled, liquid-metal-cooled reactors and a closed fuel cycle. Presently, the Fuel Cycle Facility (FCF) at ANL-West in Idaho Falls, Idaho is being modified to recycle spent metallic fuel from Experimental Breeder Reactor II as part of a demonstration project sponsored by the Department of Energy. A key component of the FCF is the electrorefiner (ER) in which the actinides are separated from the fission products. In the electrorefining process, the metal fuel is anodically dissolved into a high-temperature molten salt and refined uranium or uranium/plutonium products are deposited at cathodes. In this report, the criticality safety strategy for the FCF ER is summarized. FCF ER operations and processes formed the basis for evaluating criticality safety and control during actinide metal fuel refining. In order to show criticality safety for the FCF ER, the reference operating conditions for the ER had to be defined. Normal operating envelopes (NOES) were then defined to bracket the important operating conditions. To keep the operating conditions within their NOES, process controls were identified that can be used to regulate the actinide forms and content within the ER. A series of operational checks were developed for each operation that wig verify the extent or success of an operation. The criticality analysis considered the ER operating conditions at their NOE values as the point of departure for credible and incredible failure modes. As a result of the analysis, FCF ER operations were found to be safe with respect to criticality

Predisposal Management of Radioactive Waste from Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities. Specific Safety Guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-01-01

This Safety Guide provides guidance on the predisposal management of all types of radioactive waste (including spent nuclear fuel declared as waste and high level waste) generated at nuclear fuel cycle facilities. These waste management facilities may be located within larger facilities or may be separate, dedicated waste management facilities (including centralized waste management facilities). The Safety Guide covers all stages in the lifetime of these facilities, including their siting, design, construction, commissioning, operation, and shutdown and decommissioning. It covers all steps carried out in the management of radioactive waste following its generation up to (but not including) disposal, including its processing (pretreatment, treatment and conditioning). Radioactive waste generated both during normal operation and in accident conditions is considered

Proceeding of the Fifth Scientific Presentation on Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Development of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Technology in Third Millennium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suripto, A.; Sastratenaya, A.S.; Sutarno, D.

2000-01-01

The proceeding contains papers presented in the Fifth Scientific Presentation on Nuclear Fuel Element Cycle with theme of Development of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Technology in Third Millennium, held on 22 February in Jakarta, Indonesia. These papers were divided by three groups that are technology of exploration, processing, purification and analysis of nuclear materials; technology of nuclear fuel elements and structures; and technology of waste management, safety and management of nuclear fuel cycle. There are 35 papers indexed individually. (id)

Answering Key Fuel Cycle Questions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piet, S.J.; Dixon, B.W.; Bennett, R.G.; Smith, J.D.; Hill, R.N.

2004-01-01

Given the range of fuel cycle goals and criteria, and the wide range of fuel cycle options, how can the set of options eventually be narrowed in a transparent and justifiable fashion? It is impractical to develop all options. We suggest an approach that starts by considering a range of goals for the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) and then posits seven questions, such as whether Cs and Sr isotopes should be separated from spent fuel and, if so, what should be done with them. For each question, we consider which of the goals may be relevant to eventually providing answers. The AFCI program has both ''outcome'' and ''process'' goals because it must address both waste already accumulating as well as completing the fuel cycle in connection with advanced nuclear power plant concepts. The outcome objectives are waste geologic repository capacity and cost, energy security and sustainability, proliferation resistance, fuel cycle economics, and safety. The process objectives are rea diness to proceed and adaptability and robustness in the face of uncertainties

Recent developments in the nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wunderer, A.

1984-01-01

There is a description of the present situation in each individual area of the nuclear fuel cycle. Further topics are: risk and safety factors and emissions from the fuel cycle, availability and disruptions, waste disposal and the storage of radioactive waste. (UA) [de

Regulatory cross-cutting topics for fuel cycle facilities.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Denman, Matthew R.; Brown, Jason; Goldmann, Andrew Scott; Louie, David

2013-10-01

This report overviews crosscutting regulatory topics for nuclear fuel cycle facilities for use in the Fuel Cycle Research & Development Nuclear Fuel Cycle Evaluation and Screening study. In particular, the regulatory infrastructure and analysis capability is assessed for the following topical areas: Fire Regulations (i.e., how applicable are current Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and/or International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) fire regulations to advance fuel cycle facilities) Consequence Assessment (i.e., how applicable are current radionuclide transportation tools to support risk-informed regulations and Level 2 and/or 3 PRA) While not addressed in detail, the following regulatory topic is also discussed: Integrated Security, Safeguard and Safety Requirement (i.e., how applicable are current Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulations to future fuel cycle facilities which will likely be required to balance the sometimes conflicting Material Accountability, Security, and Safety requirements.)

Importance of the licensing process on the safety culture in the Brazilian nuclear fuel cycle facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Motta, E.S.; Sousa, A.L.B. de; Paiva, R.L.C. de; Mezrahi, A.

2013-01-01

The main objective of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities licensing processes is to ensure the safety of these installations in their entire life cycle (in the installation site selection, designing, construction, pre-operational tests, operational and decommissioning phases). The Brazilian licensing process requires from the operator, among others, before the operating license: (I) a Site Report and a Final Safety Analysis Report, ensuring that all safety related issues are adequately analyzed and understood; (II) a formal structured Management System focused on the installation safety; and (III) dissemination of safety related information to all involved operator employees and subcontractors. Therefore, these requirements reflect in an adequate operator actions and practices, ensuring a working environment with a high level of safety culture. (author)

Importance of the licensing process on the safety culture in the Brazilian nuclear fuel cycle facilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Motta, E.S.; Sousa, A.L.B. de; Paiva, R.L.C. de; Mezrahi, A., E-mail: emotta@cnen.gov.br [Comissao Nacional de Energia Nuclear (CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2013-07-01

The main objective of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities licensing processes is to ensure the safety of these installations in their entire life cycle (in the installation site selection, designing, construction, pre-operational tests, operational and decommissioning phases). The Brazilian licensing process requires from the operator, among others, before the operating license: (I) a Site Report and a Final Safety Analysis Report, ensuring that all safety related issues are adequately analyzed and understood; (II) a formal structured Management System focused on the installation safety; and (III) dissemination of safety related information to all involved operator employees and subcontractors. Therefore, these requirements reflect in an adequate operator actions and practices, ensuring a working environment with a high level of safety culture. (author)

Regulation at nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

This bulletin contains information about activities of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic (UJD). In this leaflet the role of the UJD in regulation at nuclear fuel cycle is presented. The Nuclear Fuel Cycle (NFC) is a complex of activities linked with production of nuclear fuel for nuclear reactors as a source of energy used for production of electricity and heat, and of activities linked with spent nuclear fuel handling. Activities linked with nuclear fuel (NF) production, known as the Front-End of Nuclear Fuel Cycle, include (production of nuclear fuel from uranium as the most frequently used element). After discharging spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from nuclear reactor the activities follow linked with its storage, reprocessing and disposal known as the Back-End of Nuclear Fuel Cycle. Individual activity, which penetrates throughout the NFC, is transport of nuclear materials various forms during NF production and transport of NF and SNF. Nuclear reactors are installed in the Slovak Republic only in commercial nuclear power plants and the NFC is of the open type is imported from abroad and SNF is long-term supposed without reprocessing. The main mission of the area of NFC is supervision over: - assurance of nuclear safety throughout all NFC activities; - observance of provisions of the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons during nuclear material handling; with an aim to prevent leakage of radioactive substances into environment (including deliberated danage of NFC sensitive facilities and misuse of nuclear materials to production of nuclear weapons. The UJD carries out this mission through: - assessment of safety documentation submitted by operators of nuclear installations at which nuclear material, NF and SNF is handled; - inspections concentrated on assurance of compliance of real conditions in NFC, i.e. storage and transport of NF and SNF; storage, transport and disposal of wastes from processing of SNF; with assumptions of the safety

Nuclear and radiological safety nuclear power nuclear fuel cycle and waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-05-01

This catalogue lists all sales publications of the International Atomic Energy Agency dealing with Nuclear and Radiological Safety, Nuclear Power and Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Management and issued during the period of 1995-1996. Most publications are in English. Proceedings of conferences, symposia and panels of experts may contain some papers in languages other than English (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish), but all these papers have abstracts in English

Nuclear power and the nuclear fuel cycle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1976-07-01

The IAEA is organizing a major conference on nuclear power and the nuclear fuel cycle, which is to be held from 2 to 13 May 1977 in Salzburg, Austria. The programme for the conference was published in the preceding issue of the IAEA Bulletin (Vol.18, No. 3/4). Topics to be covered at the conference include: world energy supply and demand, supply of nuclear fuel and fuel cycle services, radioactivity management (including transport), nuclear safety, public acceptance of nuclear power, safeguarding of nuclear materials, and nuclear power prospects in developing countries. The articles in the section that follows are intended to serve as an introduction to the topics to be discussed at the Salzburg Conference. They deal with the demand for uranium and nuclear fuel cycle services, uranium supplies, a computer simulation of regional fuel cycle centres, nuclear safety codes, management of radioactive wastes, and a pioneering research project on factors that determine public attitudes toward nuclear power. It is planned to present additional background articles, including a review of the world nuclear fuel reprocessing situation and developments in the uranium enrichment industry, in future issues of the Bulletin. (author)

A safety assessment of the SEAFP fuel cycle systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Natalizio, A.; Kalyanam, K.; Ciattaglia, S.; Pace, L. di

1995-01-01

CFFTP and ENEA participated in a joint safety assessment of the fuel cycle design developed for the SEAFP fusion power reactor study (SEAFP: Safety and Environmental Assessment of Fusion Power). The assessment considered both conventional (deflagation/detonation) and radioactive hazards associated with the handling of significant quantities of hydrogen isotopes (H, D and T). Accordingly, the assessment focused on systems or equipment where either the flow rate, or inventory, of hydrogen isotopes was large. A systematic and thorough assessment of initiating events that can lead to an accidental release of tritium into the environment was the first step of the analysis process. This review demonstrated that, in all cases, there are at least two lines of defence available for mitigating the consequences of such accidents -i.e., secondary confinement (glove box, second pipe, caisson, etc.) and the building confinement, backed-up by an air detritiation capability. Therefore, large releases of tritium to the environment will occur only at very low frequencies. (orig.)

Developing guidance in the nuclear criticality safety assessment for fuel cycle facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galet, C.; Evo, S.

2012-01-01

In this poster IRSN (Institute for radiation protection and nuclear safety) presents its safety guides whose purpose is to transmit the safety assessment know-how to any 'junior' staff or even to give a view of the safety approach on the overall risks to any staff member. IRSN has written a first version of such a safety guide for fuel cycle facilities and laboratories. It is organized into several chapters: some refer to types of assessments, others concern the types of risks. Currently, this guide contains 13 chapters and each chapter consists of three parts. In parallel to the development of criticality chapter of this guide, the IRSN criticality department has developed a nuclear criticality safety guide. It follows the structure of the three parts fore-mentioned, but it presents a more detailed first part and integrates, in the third part, the experience feedback collected on nuclear facilities. The nuclear criticality safety guide is online on the IRSN's web site

Large-scale fuel cycle centres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smiley, S.H.; Black, K.M.

1977-01-01

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has considered the nuclear energy centre concept for fuel cycle plants in the Nuclear Energy Centre Site Survey 1975 (NECSS-75) Rep. No. NUREG-0001, an important study mandated by the US Congress in the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 which created the NRC. For this study, the NRC defined fuel cycle centres as consisting of fuel reprocessing and mixed-oxide fuel fabrication plants, and optional high-level waste and transuranic waste management facilities. A range of fuel cycle centre sizes corresponded to the fuel throughput of power plants with a total capacity of 50,000-300,000MW(e). The types of fuel cycle facilities located at the fuel cycle centre permit the assessment of the role of fuel cycle centres in enhancing the safeguard of strategic special nuclear materials - plutonium and mixed oxides. Siting fuel cycle centres presents a smaller problem than siting reactors. A single reprocessing plant of the scale projected for use in the USA (1500-2000t/a) can reprocess fuel from reactors producing 50,000-65,000MW(e). Only two or three fuel cycle centres of the upper limit size considered in the NECSS-75 would be required in the USA by the year 2000. The NECSS-75 fuel cycle centre evaluation showed that large-scale fuel cycle centres present no real technical siting difficulties from a radiological effluent and safety standpoint. Some construction economies may be achievable with fuel cycle centres, which offer opportunities to improve waste-management systems. Combined centres consisting of reactors and fuel reprocessing and mixed-oxide fuel fabrication plants were also studied in the NECSS. Such centres can eliminate shipment not only of Pu but also mixed-oxide fuel. Increased fuel cycle costs result from implementation of combined centres unless the fuel reprocessing plants are commercial-sized. Development of Pu-burning reactors could reduce any economic penalties of combined centres. The need for effective fissile

Significant incidents in nuclear fuel cycle facilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-03-01

In contrast to nuclear power plants, events in nuclear fuel cycle facilities are not well documented. The INES database covers all the nuclear fuel cycle facilities; however, it was developed in the early 1990s and does not contain information on events prior to that. The purpose of the present report is to collect significant events and analyze them in order to give a safety related overview of nuclear fuel cycle facilities. Significant incidents were selected using the following criteria: release of radioactive material or exposure to radiation; degradation of items important to safety; and deficiencies in design, quality assurance, etc. which include criticality incidents, fire, explosion, radioactive release and contamination. This report includes an explanation, where possible, of root causes, lessons learned and action taken. 4 refs, 4 tabs.

Significant incidents in nuclear fuel cycle facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-03-01

In contrast to nuclear power plants, events in nuclear fuel cycle facilities are not well documented. The INES database covers all the nuclear fuel cycle facilities; however, it was developed in the early 1990s and does not contain information on events prior to that. The purpose of the present report is to collect significant events and analyze them in order to give a safety related overview of nuclear fuel cycle facilities. Significant incidents were selected using the following criteria: release of radioactive material or exposure to radiation; degradation of items important to safety; and deficiencies in design, quality assurance, etc. which include criticality incidents, fire, explosion, radioactive release and contamination. This report includes an explanation, where possible, of root causes, lessons learned and action taken. 4 refs, 4 tabs

Safety assessment of human and organizational factors in French fuel cycle facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menuet, Lise; Beauquier, Sophie

2013-01-01

According to the French law, each nuclear facility has to provide a safety demonstration every ten years. The assessment of this demonstration supports the decision of the French Safety Authority regarding the authorisation of operating for the ten years to come. In addition, transversal topics, which are linked with safety performance, such as safety management, management of competencies, maintenance's policy are periodically evaluated. One aspect of these assessments relates to Human and Organizational Factors (HOF) and their contribution to safety. Our communication will describe the assessment of the HOF-related part, performed by the Institute for Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety Institute (IRSN) the Technical Support Organisation of the French Safety Authority). It will focus on the methodological framework, the tools which are developed and used for assessing the integration of HOF in safety demonstration, and the main difficulties of this kind of assessment. Each situation will be illustrated by concrete examples coming from safety assessments concerning fuel cycle's plants: Areva's plants dedicated to uranium conversion, uranium enrichment, fuel manufacturing, spent fuel reprocessing, treatment facilities and CEA's laboratories dedicated to research and development and to interim spent fuel storage. The methodological framework for assessing HOF currently implements three main steps which will be precisely described: - checking that the nuclear plant has made an exhaustive analysis of the risks linked with HOF. Regarding to HOF, the Licensee safety demonstration is based on the description of the main human activities which are considered as hazardous regarding safety. These activities are accomplished with a human contribution and they require a safe realisation. - assessing the human, organisational and technical barriers that the nuclear plant have planed in order to make the operations safe, to avoid, prevent or detect an

Large-scale fuel cycle centers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smiley, S.H.; Black, K.M.

1977-01-01

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has considered the nuclear energy center concept for fuel cycle plants in the Nuclear Energy Center Site Survey - 1975 (NECSS-75) -- an important study mandated by the U.S. Congress in the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 which created the NRC. For the study, NRC defined fuel cycle centers to consist of fuel reprocessing and mixed oxide fuel fabrication plants, and optional high-level waste and transuranic waste management facilities. A range of fuel cycle center sizes corresponded to the fuel throughput of power plants with a total capacity of 50,000 - 300,000 MWe. The types of fuel cycle facilities located at the fuel cycle center permit the assessment of the role of fuel cycle centers in enhancing safeguarding of strategic special nuclear materials -- plutonium and mixed oxides. Siting of fuel cycle centers presents a considerably smaller problem than the siting of reactors. A single reprocessing plant of the scale projected for use in the United States (1500-2000 MT/yr) can reprocess the fuel from reactors producing 50,000-65,000 MWe. Only two or three fuel cycle centers of the upper limit size considered in the NECSS-75 would be required in the United States by the year 2000 . The NECSS-75 fuel cycle center evaluations showed that large scale fuel cycle centers present no real technical difficulties in siting from a radiological effluent and safety standpoint. Some construction economies may be attainable with fuel cycle centers; such centers offer opportunities for improved waste management systems. Combined centers consisting of reactors and fuel reprocessing and mixed oxide fuel fabrication plants were also studied in the NECSS. Such centers can eliminate not only shipment of plutonium, but also mixed oxide fuel. Increased fuel cycle costs result from implementation of combined centers unless the fuel reprocessing plants are commercial-sized. Development of plutonium-burning reactors could reduce any

Insight from a Critical Review on the Safety Analysis of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facility for Domestic Regulatory System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Soon Joon; Chung, Young Wook; Jeong, Seung Young

2010-01-01

Korea has 20 nuclear power plants in operation, and 10,761 ton of spent fuel deposited in plant sites. The capacity of reservoir for spent fuel in plant sites is to begin to be full in 2016. The light water reactors of 16 units generate around 320 ton/year and the heavy water reactors of 4 units around 380 ton/year in Korea. And the electricity generated by nuclear power plants is planned to increase up to 59% share by 2030. Spent fuel classified as high level radioactive waste in law is characterized by high level radiation, high heat generation, and high radiological toxicity. In the contrary, it is also a very useful domestic energy source. Thus, the safe management of spent fuel is very important confronting job in nuclear industry. Advanced fuel cycle (AFC) using pyro-process is an innovative technology, by which environmental load is drastically relieved because the extracted long-lived fission products are burn in fast breeder reactors. Domestic nuclear industry also has a perspective road map for the construction of AFC facilities. However, there is not a sufficiently detailed licensing regulatory system yet. Moreover, there is no systematic frame for the safety evaluation. This paper reviews the safety analysis system of foreign fuel cycle facilities. Critical review leads to the insight for setting-up safety analysis system of domestic AFC facilities

Advanced fuel cycles for WWER-1000 reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Semchenkov, Y. M.; Pavlovichev, A. M.; Pavlov, V. I.; Spirkin, E. I.; Styrin, Y. A.; Kosourov, E. K.

2007-01-01

Main stages of Russian uranium fuel development regarding improvement of safety and economics of fuel load operation are presented. Intervals of possible changes in fuel cycle duration have been demonstrated for the use of current and perspective fuel. Examples of equilibrium fuel load patterns have been demonstrated and main core neutronics parameters have been presented. Problems on the use of axial blankets with reduced enrichment in WWER-1000 fuel assemblies are considered. Some results are presented regarding core neutronic characteristics of WWER-1000 at the use of regenerated uranium and uranium-plutonium fuel. Examples of equilibrium fuel cycles for the core partially loaded with MOX fuel from weapon-grade plutonium are also considered (Authors)

Technical Issues in the development of high burnup and long cycle fuel pellets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Dong Joo; Yang, Jae Ho; Oh, Jang Soo; Kim, Keon Sik; Rhee, Young Woo; Kim, Jong Hun; Nam, Ik Hui [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2012-10-15

Over the last half century, a nuclear fuel cycle, a fuel discharged burnup and a uranium enrichment of the LWR (Light Water Reactor) fuel have continuously increased. It was the efforts to reduce the LWR fuel cycle cost, and to make reactor operation more efficiently. Improved fuel and reactor performance contribute further to the reduction and management efficiency of spent fuels. The primary incentive for operating nuclear reactor fuel to higher burnup and longer cycle is the economic benefits. The fuel cycle costs could be reduced by extending fuel discharged burnup and fuel cycle length. The higher discharged burnup can increase the energy production per unit fuel mass or fuel assembly. The longer fuel cycle can increase reactor operation flexibility and reduce the fuel changing operation and the spent fuel management burden. The margin to storage capacity limits would be also increased because high burnup and long cycle fuel reduces the mass of spent fuels. However, increment of fuel burnup and cycle length might result in the acceleration of material aging consisting fuel assembly. Then, the safety and integrity of nuclear fuel will be degraded. Therefore, to simultaneously enhance the safety and economics of the LWR fuel through the fuel burnup and cycle extension, it is indispensable to develop the innovative nuclear fuel material concepts and technologies which can overcome degradation of fuel safety. New fuel research project to extend fuel discharged burnup and cycle length has been launched in KAERI. Main subject is to develop innovative LWR fuel pellets which can provide required fuel performance and safety at extended fuel burnup and cycle length. In order to achieve the mission, we need to know that what the impediments are and how to break through current limit of fuel pellet properties. In this study, the technical issues related to fuel pellets at high burnup were surveyed and summarized. We have collected the technical issues in the literatures

Technical Issues in the development of high burnup and long cycle fuel pellets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Dong Joo; Yang, Jae Ho; Oh, Jang Soo; Kim, Keon Sik; Rhee, Young Woo; Kim, Jong Hun; Nam, Ik Hui

2012-01-01

Over the last half century, a nuclear fuel cycle, a fuel discharged burnup and a uranium enrichment of the LWR (Light Water Reactor) fuel have continuously increased. It was the efforts to reduce the LWR fuel cycle cost, and to make reactor operation more efficiently. Improved fuel and reactor performance contribute further to the reduction and management efficiency of spent fuels. The primary incentive for operating nuclear reactor fuel to higher burnup and longer cycle is the economic benefits. The fuel cycle costs could be reduced by extending fuel discharged burnup and fuel cycle length. The higher discharged burnup can increase the energy production per unit fuel mass or fuel assembly. The longer fuel cycle can increase reactor operation flexibility and reduce the fuel changing operation and the spent fuel management burden. The margin to storage capacity limits would be also increased because high burnup and long cycle fuel reduces the mass of spent fuels. However, increment of fuel burnup and cycle length might result in the acceleration of material aging consisting fuel assembly. Then, the safety and integrity of nuclear fuel will be degraded. Therefore, to simultaneously enhance the safety and economics of the LWR fuel through the fuel burnup and cycle extension, it is indispensable to develop the innovative nuclear fuel material concepts and technologies which can overcome degradation of fuel safety. New fuel research project to extend fuel discharged burnup and cycle length has been launched in KAERI. Main subject is to develop innovative LWR fuel pellets which can provide required fuel performance and safety at extended fuel burnup and cycle length. In order to achieve the mission, we need to know that what the impediments are and how to break through current limit of fuel pellet properties. In this study, the technical issues related to fuel pellets at high burnup were surveyed and summarized. We have collected the technical issues in the literatures

Fuel cycle centres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hagen, M.

1977-01-01

The concept of co-locating and integrating fuel cycle facilities at one site is discussed. This concept offers considerable advantages, especially in minimizing the amount of radioactive material to be transported on public roads. Safeguards and physical protection as relating to such an integrated system of facilities are analysed in detail, also industrial and commercial questions. An overall risk-benefit evaluation turns out to be in favour of fuel cycle centres. These centres seem to be specifically attractive with regard to the back end of the fuel cycle, including on-site disposal of radioactive wastes. The respective German approach is presented as an example. Special emphasis is given to the site selection procedures in this case. Time scale and cost for the implementation of this concept are important factors to be looked at. Since participation of governmental institutions in these centres seems to be indispensable their respective roles as compared to industry must be clearly defined. The idea of adjusting fuel cycle centres to regional rather than national use might be an attractive option, depending on the specific parameters in the region, though results of existing multinational ventures are inconclusive in this respect. Major difficulties might be expected e.g. because of different national safety regulations and standards as well as commercial conditions among partner countries. Public acceptance in the host country seems to be another stumbling block for the realization of this type of multinational facilities

A Post Closure Safety Assessment for Radioactive Wastes from Advanced nuclear fuel Cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Chul Hyung; Hwang, Yong Soo

2010-01-01

KAERI has developed the KIEP-21 (Korean, Innovative, Environmentally Friendly, and Proliferation Resistant System for the 21st Century). It is an advanced nuclear fuel cycle option with a pyro-process and a GEN-IV SFR. A pyro-process consists of two distinctive processes, an electrolytic reduction process and an electro-refining and winning process. When the pyro-process is applied, it generates five streams of wastes. To compare pyro-process advantage over the direct disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF), the PWR SNF of the 45,000 MWD burn-up has been assumed. A safety assessment model for pyro-process wastes and representative results are presented in this report

Fuel cycle cost comparisons with oxide and silicide fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matos, J E; Freese, K E [RERTR Program, Argonne National Laboratory (United States)

1983-09-01

This paper addresses fuel cycle cost comparisons for a generic 10 MW reactor with HEU aluminide fuel and with LEU oxide and silicide fuels in several fuel element geometries. The intention of this study is to provide a consistent assessment of various design options from a cost point of view. The status of the development and demonstration of the oxide and silicide fuels are presented in several papers in these proceedings. Routine utilization of these fuels with the uranium densities considered here requires that they are successfully demonstrated and licensed. Thermal-hydraulic safety margins, shutdown margins, mixed cores, and transient analyses are not addressed here, but analyses of these safety issues are in progress for a limited number of the most promising design options. Fuel cycle cost benefits could result if a number of reactors were to utilize fuel elements with the same number or different numbers of the same standard fuel plate. Data is presented to quantify these potential cost benefits. This analysis shows that there are a number of fuel element designs using LEU oxide or silicide fuels that have either the same or lower total fuel cycle costs than the HEU design. Use of these fuels with the uranium densities considered requires that they are successfully demonstrated and licensed. All safety criteria for the reactor with these fuel element designs need to be satisfied as well. With LEU oxide fuel, 31 g U/cm{sup 3} 1 and 0.76 mm--thick fuel meat, elements with 18-22 plates 320-391 g {sup 235}U) result in the same or lower total costs than with the HEU element 23 plates, 280 g {sup 235}U). Higher LEU loadings (more plates per element) are needed for larger excess reactivity requirements. However, there is little cost advantage to using more than 20 of these plates per element. Increasing the fuel meat thickness from 0.76 mm to 1.0 mm with 3.1 g U/cm{sup 3} in the design with 20 plates per element could result in significant cost reductions if the

French views on the nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chavardes, D.

1986-01-01

Fuel cycle activities are viewed in France as a very important and indissociable part of our nuclear program. Supply of material and services are firmly assured for domestic needs and overcapacities provide opportunities for industry to compete on the international market. A permanent and consistent R and D effort is continuously undertaken, aiming to apply new advanced technologies improving safety, economy and reliability of fuel cycle installations

Comparison of the Environment, Health, And Safety Characteristics of Advanced Thorium- Uranium and Uranium-Plutonium Fuel Cycles

Science.gov (United States)

Ault, Timothy M.

The environment, health, and safety properties of thorium-uranium-based (''thorium'') fuel cycles are estimated and compared to those of analogous uranium-plutonium-based (''uranium'') fuel cycle options. A structured assessment methodology for assessing and comparing fuel cycle is refined and applied to several reference fuel cycle options. Resource recovery as a measure of environmental sustainability for thorium is explored in depth in terms of resource availability, chemical processing requirements, and radiological impacts. A review of available experience and recent practices indicates that near-term thorium recovery will occur as a by-product of mining for other commodities, particularly titanium. The characterization of actively-mined global titanium, uranium, rare earth element, and iron deposits reveals that by-product thorium recovery would be sufficient to satisfy even the most intensive nuclear demand for thorium at least six times over. Chemical flowsheet analysis indicates that the consumption of strong acids and bases associated with thorium resource recovery is 3-4 times larger than for uranium recovery, with the comparison of other chemical types being less distinct. Radiologically, thorium recovery imparts about one order of magnitude larger of a collective occupational dose than uranium recovery. Moving to the entire fuel cycle, four fuel cycle options are compared: a limited-recycle (''modified-open'') uranium fuel cycle, a modified-open thorium fuel cycle, a full-recycle (''closed'') uranium fuel cycle, and a closed thorium fuel cycle. A combination of existing data and calculations using SCALE are used to develop material balances for the four fuel cycle options. The fuel cycle options are compared on the bases of resource sustainability, waste management (both low- and high-level waste, including used nuclear fuel), and occupational radiological impacts. At steady-state, occupational doses somewhat favor the closed thorium option while low

Candu reactors with thorium fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hopwood, J.M.; Fehrenbach, P.; Duffey, R.; Kuran, S.; Ivanco, M.; Dyck, G.R.; Chan, P.S.W.; Tyagi, A.K.; Mancuso, C.

2006-01-01

Over the last decade and a half AECL has established a strong record of delivering CANDU 6 nuclear power plants on time and at budget. Inherently flexible features of the CANDU type reactors, such as on-power fuelling, high neutron economy, fuel channel based heat transport system, simple fuel bundle configuration, two independent shut down systems, a cool moderator and a defence-in-depth based safety philosophy provides an evolutionary path to further improvements in design. The immediate milestone on this path is the Advanced CANDU ReactorTM** (ACRTM**), in the form of the ACR-1000TM**. This effort is being followed by the Super Critical Water Reactor (SCWR) design that will allow water-cooled reactors to attain high efficiencies by increasing the coolant temperature above 550 0 C. Adaptability of the CANDU design to different fuel cycles is another technology advantage that offers an additional avenue for design evolution. Thorium is one of the potential fuels for future reactors due to relative abundance, neutronics advantage as a fertile material in thermal reactors and proliferation resistance. The Thorium fuel cycle is also of interest to China, India, and Turkey due to local abundance that can ensure sustainable energy independence over the long term. AECL has performed an assessment of both CANDU 6 and ACR-1000 designs to identify systems, components, safety features and operational processes that may need to be modified to replace the NU or SEU fuel cycles with one based on Thorium. The paper reviews some of these requirements and the associated practical design solutions. These modifications can either be incorporated into the design prior to construction or, for currently operational reactors, during a refurbishment outage. In parallel with reactor modifications, various Thorium fuel cycles, either based on mixed bundles (homogeneous) or mixed channels (heterogeneous) have been assessed for technical and economic viability. Potential applications of a

Fuel cycles with high fuel burn-up: analysis of reactivity coefficients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kryuchkov, E.F.; Shmelev, A.N.; Ternovykh, M.J.; Tikhomirov, G.V.; Jinhong, L.; Saito, M.

2003-01-01

Fuel cycles of light-water reactors (LWR) with high fuel burn-up (above 100 MWd/kg), as a rule, involve large amounts of fissionable materials. It leads to forming the neutron spectrum harder than that in traditional LWR. Change of neutron spectrum and significant amount of non-traditional isotopes (for example, 237 Np, 238 Pu, 231 Pa, 232 U) in such fuel compositions can alter substantially reactivity coefficients as compared with traditional uranium-based fuel. The present work addresses the fuel cycles with high fuel burn-up which are based on Th-Pa-U and U-Np-Pu fuel compositions. Numerical analyses are carried out to determine effective neutron multiplication factor and void reactivity coefficient (VRC) for different values of fuel burn-up and different lattice parameters. The algorithm is proposed for analysis of isotopes contribution to these coefficients. Various ways are considered to upgrade safety of nuclear fuel cycles with high fuel burn-up. So, the results obtained in this study have demonstrated that: -1) Non-traditional fuel compositions developed for achievement of high fuel burn-up in LWR can possess positive values of reactivity coefficients that is unacceptable from the reactor operation safety point of view; -2) The lattice pitch of traditional LWR is not optimal for non-traditional fuel compositions, the increased value of the lattice pitch leads to larger value of initial reactivity margin and provides negative VRC within sufficiently broad range of coolant density; -3) Fuel burn-up has an insignificant effect on VRC dependence on coolant density, so, the measures undertaken to suppress positive VRC of fresh fuel will be effective for partially burnt-up fuel compositions also and; -4) Increase of LWR core height and introduction of additional moderators into the fuel lattice can be used as the ways to reach negative VRC values for full range of possible coolant density variations

Aims of failed fuel detection and substantiation of radiation safety at implementation of new kinds of nuclear fuel and fuel cycles on NPP with WWER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miglo, V.; Luzanova, L.

2011-01-01

Limiting of number of leaking fuel rods in a core during reactor operation in the analyses which are carried out for a substantiation of radiating safety for NPP with WWER as well as problems and possibilities of FFD at implementation of new kinds of fuel and fuel cycles are the main topics discussed in this paper. Available experience of designing of the NPP with WWER shows, that for ensuring of implementation of the RS criteria regarding limiting radioactive emissions from the NPP and doses of an irradiation of the population living near to NPP, it is required to regulate more rigidly number of failed fuel rods in comparison with requirements of Rules of nuclear safety NP-082-07. The reason of it is necessity to consider a technical condition of all safety barriers on a path of radioactive FP extension in a complex, first and foremost of uncontrolled leakage of the primary coolant to the NPP premises and efficiency of filters of ventilating systems, and also spike-effect on activity of isotopes of iodine after a power unit shutdown for fuel reloading and openings of a cover of a reactor. Depending on the project of NPP, parameters of fuel loading, a place of placing of the NPP and other factors the limit level of activity of isotopes of iodine in the primary coolant will be reached at various number of leaking fuel rods which can be unequal for various power units and the NPP with WWER, constructed on one design. The quantity of leaking fuel rods at which the design limit on FP-activity in the primary coolant of operating reactor is reached, can be essential below an operational limit on number of failed fuel rods established by Rules of nuclear safety. However the reached quality of fabrication of the WWER fuel rods providing their high reliability (the probability of fuel rod failure in the course of one operation year is not higher than 10 -5 ) as well as due to the levels of the WWER fuel rod depressurization actually attainable in the normal conditions of

The regulatory process, nuclear safety research and the fuel cycle in the United Kingdom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watson, P.

1996-01-01

The main legislation governing the safety of nuclear installations in the United Kingdom is the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA) and the associated relevant statutory provisions of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (as amended). The HSWA sought to simplify and unify all industrial safety legislation and set in place the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) and its executive arm, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Safety Division (NSD) regulates the nuclear activities on such sites through HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII). Under the Nuclear Installations Act (NIA) no corporate body may use any site for the purpose of installing or operating any reactor, other than such a reactor comprised in a means of transport, or other prescribed installation unless the operator has been granted a nuclear site licence by the Health and Safety Executive. Nuclear fuel cycle facilities are examples of such prescribed installations. (J.P.N.)

Safeguards operations in the integral fast reactor fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goff, K.M.; Benedict, R.W.; Brumbach, S.B.; Dickerman, C.E.; Tompot, R.W.

1994-01-01

Argonne National Laboratory is currently demonstrating the fuel cycle for the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR), an advanced reactor concept that takes advantage of the properties of metallic fuel and liquid metal cooling to offer significant improvements in reactor safety, operation, fuel-cycle economics, environmental protection, and safeguards. The IFR fuel cycle employs a pyrometallurgical process using molten salts and liquid metals to recover actinides from spent fuel. The safeguards aspects of the fuel cycle demonstration must be approved by the United States Department of Energy, but a further goal of the program is to develop a safeguards system that could gain acceptance from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and International Atomic Energy Agency. This fuel cycle is described with emphasis on aspects that differ from aqueous reprocessing and on its improved safeguardability due to decreased attractiveness and diversion potential of all process streams, including the fuel product

Romanian nuclear fuel cycle development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rapeanu, S.N.; Comsa, Olivia

1998-01-01

Romanian decision to introduce nuclear power was based on the evaluation of electricity demand and supply as well as a domestic resources assessment. The option was the introduction of CANDU-PHWR through a license agreement with AECL Canada. The major factors in this choice have been the need of diversifying the energy resources, the improvement the national industry and the independence of foreign suppliers. Romanian Nuclear Power Program envisaged a large national participation in Cernavoda NPP completion, in the development of nuclear fuel cycle facilities and horizontal industry, in R and D and human resources. As consequence, important support was being given to development of industries involved in Nuclear Fuel Cycle and manufacturing of equipment and nuclear materials based on technology transfer, implementation of advanced design execution standards, QA procedures and current nuclear safety requirements at international level. Unit 1 of the first Romanian nuclear power plant, Cernavoda NPP with a final profile 5x700 Mw e, is now in operation and its production represents 10% of all national electricity production. There were also developed all stages of FRONT END of Nuclear Fuel Cycle as well as programs for spent fuel and waste management. Industrial facilities for uranian production, U 3 O 8 concentrate, UO 2 powder and CANDU fuel bundles, as well as heavy water plant, supply the required fuel and heavy water for Cernavoda NPP. The paper presents the Romanian activities in Nuclear Fuel Cycle and waste management fields. (authors)

Nuclear fuel cycle under progressing preparation of its systemisation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2001-01-01

Trends of nuclear development in Japan show more remarkable advancements in 2000, such as new addition of nuclear power plant, nuclear fuel cycling business, and so on. Based on an instruction of the criticality accident in JCO formed on September, 1999, government made efforts on revision of the law on regulation of nuclear reactor and so forth and establishment of a law on protection of nuclear accident as sooner, to enforce nuclear safety management and nuclear accident protective countermeasure. On the other hand, the nuclear industry field develops some new actions such as establishment of Nuclear Safety Network (NSnet)', mutual evaluation of nuclear-relative works (pier review), and so forth. And, on the high level radioactive wastes disposal of the most important subject remained in nuclear development, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan' of its main business body was established on October, 1999 together with establishment of the new law, to begin a business for embodiment of the last disposal aiming at 2030s to 2040s. On the same October, the Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited. concluded a safety agreement on premise of full-dress transportation of the used fuels to the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant in Aomori prefecture with local government, to begin their transportation from every electric company since its year end. Here were described on development of the nuclear fuel cycling business in Japan, establishment of nuclear fuel cycling, disposal on the high level radioactive wastes, R and D on geological disposal of the high level radioactive wastes, establishment on cycle back-end of nuclear fuels, and full-dressing of nuclear fuel cycling. (G.K.)

Fuel management options to extend the IRIS reactor cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrovic, B.; Franceschini, F.

2004-01-01

To optimize plant operation, reduce scheduled maintenance outage, and increase capacity factor, IRIS is designed to enable extended cycles of up to four years. However, due to the enrichment licensing limitation (less than 5% enriched uranium oxide) there is a tradeoff between the achievable cycle length and fuel utilization, i.e., the average fuel discharge burnup. The longest individual cycle may be achieved with the single-batch straight burn, but at the expense of a lower burnup. Considering the IRIS basic performance requirements, a cycle length in the range of three to four years is deemed desirable. This paper examines different fuel management options, i.e., the influence of the required cycle length on the corresponding reloading strategy, including a two-batch and a three-batch reloading. A reference two-batch core design has been developed for the first cycle, as well as for the transition cycles leading to equilibrium. Main core performance parameters are evaluated. This core design provides the framework for the safety analyses needed to prepare the IRIS safety evaluations. Alternate designs are also considered.(author)

Coupling fuel cycles with repositories: how repository institutional choices may impact fuel cycle design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forsberg, C.; Miller, W.F.

2013-01-01

The historical repository siting strategy in the United States has been a top-down approach driven by federal government decision making but it has been a failure. This policy has led to dispatching fuel cycle facilities in different states. The U.S. government is now considering an alternative repository siting strategy based on voluntary agreements with state governments. If that occurs, state governments become key decision makers. They have different priorities. Those priorities may change the characteristics of the repository and the fuel cycle. State government priorities, when considering hosting a repository, are safety, financial incentives and jobs. It follows that states will demand that a repository be the center of the back end of the fuel cycle as a condition of hosting it. For example, states will push for collocation of transportation services, safeguards training, and navy/private SNF (Spent Nuclear Fuel) inspection at the repository site. Such activities would more than double local employment relative to what was planned for the Yucca Mountain-type repository. States may demand (1) the right to take future title of the SNF so if recycle became economic the reprocessing plant would be built at the repository site and (2) the right of a certain fraction of the repository capacity for foreign SNF. That would open the future option of leasing of fuel to foreign utilities with disposal of the SNF in the repository but with the state-government condition that the front-end fuel-cycle enrichment and fuel fabrication facilities be located in that state

IFR fuel cycle--pyroprocess development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laidler, J.J.; Miller, W.E.; Johnson, T.R.; Ackerman, J.P.; Battles, J.E.

1992-01-01

The Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) fuel cycle is based on the use of a metallic fuel alloy, with nominal composition U-2OPu-lOZr. In its present state of development, this fuel system offers excellent high-burnup capabilities. Test fuel has been carried to burnups in excess of 20 atom % in EBR-II irradiations, and to peak burnups over 15 atom % in FFTF. The metallic fuel possesses physical characteristics, in particular very high thermal conductivity, that facilitate a high degree of passive inherent safety in the IFR design. The fuel has been shown to provide very large margins to failure in overpower transient events. Rapid overpower transient tests carried out in the TREAT reactor have shown the capability to withstand up to 400% overpower conditions before failing. An operational transient test conducted in EBR-II at a power ramp rate of 0.1% per second reached its termination point of 130% of normal power without any fuel failures. The IFR metallic fuel also exhibits superior compatibility with the liquid sodium coolant. Equally as important as the performance advantages offered by the use of metallic fuel is the fact that this fuel system permits the use of an innovative reprocessing method, known as ''pyroprocessing,'' featuring fused-salt electrorefining of the spent fuel. Development of the IFR pyroprocess has been underway at the Argonne National Laboratory for over five years, and great progress has been made toward establishing a commercially-viable process. Pyroprocessing offers a simple, compact means for closure of the fuel cycle, with anticipated significant savings in fuel cycle costs

TAPS safety evaluation criteria for reload fueling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahendra Nath; Veeraraghavan, N.

1976-01-01

To improve operating performance of Tarapur reactors, several proposals are under consideration such as core expansion, change-over to an improved fuel design with lower heat rating, extension of fuel cycle lengths etc., which have a bearing on overall plant operating characteristics and reactor safety. For evaluating safety implications of the various proposals, it is necessary to formulate safety evaluation criteria for reload fuelling. Salient features of these criteria are discussed. (author)

Nuclear fuel cycle risk assessment: survey and computer compilation of risk-related literature. [Once-through Cycle and Plutonium Recycle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yates, K.R.; Schreiber, A.M.; Rudolph, A.W.

1982-10-01

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has initiated the Fuel Cycle Risk Assessment Program to provide risk assessment methods for assistance in the regulatory process for nuclear fuel cycle facilities other than reactors. Both the once-through cycle and plutonium recycle are being considered. A previous report generated by this program defines and describes fuel cycle facilities, or elements, considered in the program. This report, the second from the program, describes the survey and computer compilation of fuel cycle risk-related literature. Sources of available information on the design, safety, and risk associated with the defined set of fuel cycle elements were searched and documents obtained were catalogued and characterized with respect to fuel cycle elements and specific risk/safety information. Both US and foreign surveys were conducted. Battelle's computer-based BASIS information management system was used to facilitate the establishment of the literature compilation. A complete listing of the literature compilation and several useful indexes are included. Future updates of the literature compilation will be published periodically. 760 annotated citations are included.

HTGR fuel and fuel cycle technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lotts, A.L.; Coobs, J.H.

1976-08-01

The status of fuel and fuel cycle technology for high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs) is reviewed. The all-ceramic core of the HTGRs permits high temperatures compared with other reactors. Core outlet temperatures of 740 0 C are now available for the steam cycle. For advanced HTGRs such as are required for direct-cycle power generation and for high-temperature process heat, coolant temperatures as high as 1000 0 C may be expected. The paper discusses the variations of HTGR fuel designs that meet the performance requirements and the requirements of the isotopes to be used in the fuel cycle. Also discussed are the fuel cycle possibilities, which include the low-enrichment cycle, the Th- 233 U cycle, and plutonium utilization in either cycle. The status of fuel and fuel cycle development is summarized

Commercialization of nuclear fuel cycle business

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yakabe, Hideo

1998-01-01

Japan depends on foreign countries almost for establishing nuclear fuel cycle. Accordingly, uranium enrichment, spent fuel reprocessing and the safe treatment and disposal of radioactive waste in Japan is important for securing energy. By these means, the stable supply of enriched uranium, the rise of utilization efficiency of uranium and making nuclear power into home-produced energy can be realized. Also this contributes to the protection of earth resources and the preservation of environment. Japan Nuclear Fuel Co., Ltd. operates four business commercially in Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture, aiming at the completion of nuclear fuel cycle by the technologies developed by Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation and the introduction of technologies from foreign countries. The conditions of location of nuclear fuel cycle facilities and the course of the location in Rokkasho are described. In the site of about 740 hectares area, uranium enrichment, burying of low level radioactive waste, fuel reprocessing and high level waste control have been carried out, and three businesses except reprocessing already began the operation. The state of operation of these businesses is reported. Hereafter, efforts will be exerted to the securing of safety through trouble-free operation and cost reduction. (K.I.)

Fuel cycles with high fuel burn-up: analysis of reactivity coefficients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kryuchkov, E.F.; Shmelev, A.N.; Ternovykh, M.J.; Tikhomirov, G.V.; Jinhong, L. [Moscow Engineering Physics Institute (State University) (Russian Federation); Saito, M. [Tokyo Institute of Technology (Japan)

2003-07-01

Fuel cycles of light-water reactors (LWR) with high fuel burn-up (above 100 MWd/kg), as a rule, involve large amounts of fissionable materials. It leads to forming the neutron spectrum harder than that in traditional LWR. Change of neutron spectrum and significant amount of non-traditional isotopes (for example, {sup 237}Np, {sup 238}Pu, {sup 231}Pa, {sup 232}U) in such fuel compositions can alter substantially reactivity coefficients as compared with traditional uranium-based fuel. The present work addresses the fuel cycles with high fuel burn-up which are based on Th-Pa-U and U-Np-Pu fuel compositions. Numerical analyses are carried out to determine effective neutron multiplication factor and void reactivity coefficient (VRC) for different values of fuel burn-up and different lattice parameters. The algorithm is proposed for analysis of isotopes contribution to these coefficients. Various ways are considered to upgrade safety of nuclear fuel cycles with high fuel burn-up. So, the results obtained in this study have demonstrated that: -1) Non-traditional fuel compositions developed for achievement of high fuel burn-up in LWR can possess positive values of reactivity coefficients that is unacceptable from the reactor operation safety point of view; -2) The lattice pitch of traditional LWR is not optimal for non-traditional fuel compositions, the increased value of the lattice pitch leads to larger value of initial reactivity margin and provides negative VRC within sufficiently broad range of coolant density; -3) Fuel burn-up has an insignificant effect on VRC dependence on coolant density, so, the measures undertaken to suppress positive VRC of fresh fuel will be effective for partially burnt-up fuel compositions also and; -4) Increase of LWR core height and introduction of additional moderators into the fuel lattice can be used as the ways to reach negative VRC values for full range of possible coolant density variations.

Radiation protection and environmental surveillance programme in and around Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities in India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tripathi, R.M.

2018-01-01

Radiation safety is an integral part of the operation of the Indian nuclear fuel cycle facilities and safety culture has been inculcated in all the spheres of its operation. Nuclear fuel cycle comprises of mineral exploration, mining, ore processing, fuel fabrication, power plants, reprocessing, waste management and accelerator facilities. Health Physics Division of BARC is entrusted with the responsibility of radiation protection and environmental surveillance in all the nuclear fuel cycle facilities

Assessment of safety culture from the INB organization: A case study for nuclear fuel cycle industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goncalves, J.S.; Barreto, A.C.

2002-01-01

The present article describes strategies, methodologies and first results on the Safety Culture Self-assessment Project under way at INB since August 2001. As a Brazilian Government company in charge of the nuclear fuel cycle activities,. the main purposes of the Project is to evaluate the present status of its safety culture and to propose actions to ensure continuous safety improvement at management level of its industrial processes. The proposed safety culture assessment describes INB's various production sites taking into account the different aspects of their activities, such as regional, social and technical issues. The survey was performed in March/2002 very good attendance (about 80%) the employees. The first global survey results are presented in item 4. (author)

Improving Fuel Cycle Design and Safety Characteristics of a Gas Cooled Fast Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rooijen, W.F.G. van

2006-01-01

The Gas Cooled Fast Reactor (GCFR)is one of the Generation IV reactor concepts. This concept specifically targets sustainability of nuclear power generation. In nuclear reactors fertile material is converted to fissile fuel. If the neutrons inducing fission are highly energetic, the opportunity exists to convert more than one fertile nucleus per fission, thereby effectively breeding new nuclear fuel. Reactors operating on this principle are called ‘Fast Breeder Reactor’. Since natural uranium contains 99.3%of the fertile isotope 238 U, breeding increases the energy harvested from the nuclear fuel. If nuclear energy is to play an important role as a source of energy in the future, fast breeder reactors are essential for breeding nuclear fuel. Fast neutrons are also more efficient to destruct heavy (Minor Actinide, MA) isotopes, such as Np, Am and Cm isotopes, which dominate the long-term radioactivity of nuclear waste. So the waste life-time can be shortened if the MA nuclei are destroyed. An important prerequisite of sustainable nuclear energy is the closed fuel cycle, where only fission products are discharged to a final repository, and all Heavy Metal (HM) are recycled. The reactor should breed just enough fissile material to allow refueling of the same reactor, adding only fertile material to the recycled material. Other key design choices are highly efficient power conversion using a direct cycle gas turbine, and better safety through the use of helium, a chemically inert coolant which cannot have phase changes in the reactor core. Because the envisaged core temperatures and operating conditions are similar to thermal-spectrum High Temperature Reactor (HTR) concepts, the research for this thesis initially focused on a design based on existing HTR fuel technology: coated particle fuel, assembled into fuel assemblies. It was found that such a fuel concept could not meet the Generation IV criteria set for GCFR: self-breeding is difficult, the temperature

Reload safety evaluation report for kori nuclear power plant unit 2 cycle 9

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Beom Jin; Kim, Si Yong; Kim, Oh Hwan; Nam, Kee Il; Um, Gil Sup; Ban, Chang Hwan; Choi, Dong Uk; Yoon, Kyung Ho

1992-04-01

The Kori Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2 (Kori-2) is anticipated to be refuelled with 16x16 Korean Fuel Assemblies (KOFA), which are based on the KAERI design starting from Cycle 8. This report presents a reload safety evaluation for Kori-2, Cycle 9 and demonstrates that the reactor core being composed of various fuel assembly types as described below will not adversely affect the safety of the public and the plant. The evaluation of Kori-2, Cycle 9 was accomplished utilizing the methodology described in 'Reload Transition Safety Report for KORI 2' (Ref. /1-1/). The reload core for Kori-2, Cycle 9 is entirely comprised of 16x16 KOFA. In the Kori-2 licensing documentation to KEPCO the reference safety evaluation was provided for the operation of a reactor core fully loaded with KOFA as well as associated proposed changes to the Kori-2 Technical Specifications. The reload for Kori-2, Cycle 9 also introduces UO 2 /Gd 2 O 3 containing fuel rods. The use of fuel rods with Gd 2 O 3 poisoning of the fuel has been approved as a part of the above mentioned licensing documentation. All of the accidents comprising the licensing bases which could potentially be affected by the fuel reload have been reviewed for the Cycle 9 core design described herein. (Author)

Proceedings of the Third Scientific Presentation on Nuclear Fuel Cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-02-01

The proceeding contains papers presented in the Third Scientific Presentation on nuclear Fuel Element Cycle held on 4-5 Nov 1997 in Jakarta, Indonesia. These papers were divided by three groups that are technology of exploration, processing, purification and analysis of nuclear materials; technology of nuclear fuel elements and structures; and technology of waste management, safety and nuclear fuel cycle. There are 38 papers indexed individually. (ID)

Sodium fast reactors with closed fuel cycle

CERN Document Server

Raj, Baldev; Vasudeva Rao, PR 0

2015-01-01

Sodium Fast Reactors with Closed Fuel Cycle delivers a detailed discussion of an important technology that is being harnessed for commercial energy production in many parts of the world. Presenting the state of the art of sodium-cooled fast reactors with closed fuel cycles, this book:Offers in-depth coverage of reactor physics, materials, design, safety analysis, validations, engineering, construction, and commissioning aspectsFeatures a special chapter on allied sciences to highlight advanced reactor core materials, specialized manufacturing technologies, chemical sensors, in-service inspecti

CSNI Technical Opinion Papers No. 15 - Ageing management of nuclear fuel cycle facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nocture, Pierre; Daubard, Jean-Paul; Lhomme, Veronique; Martineau, Dominique; Blundell, Neil; Conte, Dorothee; Dobson, Martin; Gmal, Bernhard; Hiltz, Thomas; Ueda, Yoshinori

2012-01-01

Managing the ageing of fuel cycle facilities (FCFs) means, as for other nuclear installations, ensuring the availability of required safety functions throughout their service life while taking into account the changes that occur with time and use. This technical opinion paper identifies a set of good practices by benchmarking strategies and good practices on coping with physical ageing and obsolescence from the facility design stage until decommissioning. It should be of particular interest to nuclear safety regulators, fuel cycle facilities operators and fuel cycle researchers [fr

Current state of nuclear fuel cycles in nuclear engineering and trends in their development according to the environmental safety requirements

Science.gov (United States)

Vislov, I. S.; Pischulin, V. P.; Kladiev, S. N.; Slobodyan, S. M.

2016-08-01

The state and trends in the development of nuclear fuel cycles in nuclear engineering, taking into account the ecological aspects of using nuclear power plants, are considered. An analysis of advantages and disadvantages of nuclear engineering, compared with thermal engineering based on organic fuel types, was carried out. Spent nuclear fuel (SNF) reprocessing is an important task in the nuclear industry, since fuel unloaded from modern reactors of any type contains a large amount of radioactive elements that are harmful to the environment. On the other hand, the newly generated isotopes of uranium and plutonium should be reused to fabricate new nuclear fuel. The spent nuclear fuel also includes other types of fission products. Conditions for SNF handling are determined by ecological and economic factors. When choosing a certain handling method, one should assess these factors at all stages of its implementation. There are two main methods of SNF handling: open nuclear fuel cycle, with spent nuclear fuel assemblies (NFAs) that are held in storage facilities with their consequent disposal, and closed nuclear fuel cycle, with separation of uranium and plutonium, their purification from fission products, and use for producing new fuel batches. The development of effective closed fuel cycles using mixed uranium-plutonium fuel can provide a successful development of the nuclear industry only under the conditions of implementation of novel effective technological treatment processes that meet strict requirements of environmental safety and reliability of process equipment being applied. The diversity of technological processes is determined by different types of NFA devices and construction materials being used, as well as by the composition that depends on nuclear fuel components and operational conditions for assemblies in the nuclear power reactor. This work provides an overview of technological processes of SNF treatment and methods of handling of nuclear fuel

Several remarks on the fuel cycle economy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roman Kubin; Rudolf Vespalec

2007-01-01

Present paper deals with some aspects influencing significantly cost of nuclear fuel and possibilities of its usage in optimal fuel cycle technology. Our discussion is focused on the phase of fuel procurement that means financial parts of the contract as well as its technical Appendices. Typically the fuel fabrication price is taken as the main economy indicator; nevertheless also many other financial and technical features of the contract must be taken into account in order to reach the best price of electricity sold into public energy grid. Our experience from several international tenders shows that the consistent complex of commercial and technical parameters of the contract is necessary to achieve optimal economic results and prepare proper conditions for advanced fuel cycle technology. Among those essential characteristics are payment conditions and schedule and extent of vendor's services and assistance to the operator. Very important role play also technical parameters, as safety and operational limits, influencing loading pattern quality and operating flexibility. Obviously also a level of operator's fuel cycle technology is a crucial point that is necessary for usage of technical quality of the fuel at the power plant. The final electricity price, produced by the plant, and uranium consumption are the only objective criteria to evaluate economic level of the fuel contract and the fuel cycle at all (Authors)

Nuclear fuel cycle risk assessment: survey and computer compilation of risk-related literature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yates, K.R.; Schreiber, A.M.; Rudolph, A.W.

1982-10-01

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has initiated the Fuel Cycle Risk Assessment Program to provide risk assessment methods for assistance in the regulatory process for nuclear fuel cycle facilities other than reactors. Both the once-through cycle and plutonium recycle are being considered. A previous report generated by this program defines and describes fuel cycle facilities, or elements, considered in the program. This report, the second from the program, describes the survey and computer compilation of fuel cycle risk-related literature. Sources of available information on the design, safety, and risk associated with the defined set of fuel cycle elements were searched and documents obtained were catalogued and characterized with respect to fuel cycle elements and specific risk/safety information. Both US and foreign surveys were conducted. Battelle's computer-based BASIS information management system was used to facilitate the establishment of the literature compilation. A complete listing of the literature compilation and several useful indexes are included. Future updates of the literature compilation will be published periodically. 760 annotated citations are included

Physics characteristics of CANDU cores with advanced fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garvey, P.M.

1985-01-01

The current generation of CANDU reactors, of which some 20 GWE are either in operations or under construction worldwide, have been designed specifically for the natural uranium fuel cycle. The CANDU concept, due to its D 2 O coolant and moderator, on-power refuelling and low absorption structural materials, makes the most effective utilization of mined uranium of all currently commercialized reactors. An economic fuel cycle cost is also achieved through the use of natural uranium and a simple fuel bundle design. Total unit energy costs are achieved that allow this reactor concept to effectively compete with other reactor types and other forms of energy production. There are, however, other fuel cycles that could be introduced into this reactor type. These include the slightly enriched uranium fuel cycle, fuel cycles in which plutonium is recycled with uranium, and the thorium cycle in which U-233 is recycled. There is also a special range of fuel cycles that could utilize the spent fuel from LWR's. Two specific variants are a fuel cycle that only utilizes the spent uranium, and a fuel cycle in which both the uranium and plutonium are recycled into a CANDU. For the main part these fuel cycles are characterized by a higher initial enrichment, and hence discharge burnup, than the natural uranium cycle. For these fuel cycles the main design features of both the reactor and fuel bundle would be retained. Recently a detailed study of the use in a CANDU of mixed plutonium and uranium oxide fuel from an LWR has been undertaken by AECL. This study illustrates many of the generic technical issues associated with the use of Advanced Fuel Cycles. This paper will report the main findings of this evaluation, including the power distribution in the reactor and fuel bundle, the choice of fuel management scheme, and the impact on the control and safety characteristics of the reactor. These studies have not identified any aspects that significantly impact upon the introduction of

Industrial Maturity of FR Fuel Cycle Processes and Technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruezière, Jérôme

2013-01-01

FR fuel cycle processes and technologies have already been proven industrially for Oxide Fuel, and to a lesser extent for metal fuel. In addition, both used oxide fuel reprocessing and fresh oxide fuel manufacturing benefit from similar industrial experience currently deployed for LWR. Alternative fuel type will have to generate very significant benefit in reactor ( safety, cost, … ) to justify corresponding development and industrialization costs

Safety and regulatory aspects of front end facilities of nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, Kirity Bhushan; Jha, S.K.; Bhasin, Vivek; Behere, P.G.

2017-01-01

Nuclear Fuels Group of BARC consists of various divisions with diverse activities but impeccable safety records. This has been made possible with strict safety culture among trained personnel across all divisions. The major activities of this group encompass the front end fuel fabrication facilities for thermal and fast reactors and post irradiation examination of fuel and structural materials. The group has been responsible for delivering departmental targets, as and when required, fulfilling all safety and security requirements. The present article covers the safety and regulatory aspects of this group with special emphasis on group safety management by the administrative/organizational control, the procedure followed for regulatory review and control which are carried out and the laid down procedures for identifying, classifying and reporting of safety related incidents. (author)

Moving towards sustainable thorium fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hyland, B.; Hamilton, H.

2011-01-01

The CANDU reactor has an unsurpassed degree of fuel-cycle flexibility as a consequence of its fuel-channel design, excellent neutron economy, on-power refueling, and simple fuel bundle design. These features facilitate the introduction and full exploitation of thorium fuel cycles in CANDU reactors in an evolutionary fashion. Thoria (ThO 2 ) based fuel offers both fuel performance and safety advantages over urania (UO 2 ) based fuel, due its higher thermal conductivity which results in lower fuel-operating temperatures at similar linear element powers. Thoria fuel has demonstrated lower fission gas release than UO 2 under similar operating powers during test irradiations. In addition, thoria has a higher melting point than urania and is far less reactive in hypothetical accident scenarios owing to the fact that it has only one oxidation state. This paper examines one possible strategy for the introduction of thorium fuel cycles into CANDU reactors. In the short term, the initial fissile material would be provided in a heterogeneous bundle of low-enriched uranium and thorium. The medium term scenario uses homogeneous Pu/Th bundles in the CANDU reactor, further increasing the energy derived from the thorium. In the long term, the full energy potential from thorium would be realized through the recycle of the U-233 in the used fuel. With U-233 recycle in CANDU reactors, plutonium would then only be required to top up the fissile content to achieve the desired burnup. (author)

Factors which could limit the nuclear fuel cycle development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pecqueur, M.; Barre, B.

1977-01-01

The nuclear fuel cycle is a most important industry for the energy future of the world. It has also a leading part as regards the physical continuity of energy supply of the countries engaged in the nuclear field. The development of this industry is subject to the economic or political constraints involved by the availability of raw materials, technologies or production means. The various limiting factors which could affect the different stages of the fuel cycle are linked with the technical, economic and financial aspects, with the impact on the environment, nuclear safety, risks of non-pacific uses and proliferation of arms. Interesting to note is also the correlation between the fuel cycle development and the problems of energy independence and security of nuclear programs. As a conclusion, the nuclear fuel cycle industry is confronted to difficulties due to its extremely rapid growth (doubling time 5 years) which only few heavy industries have encountered for long periods. It is more over submitted to the political and safety constraints always linked with nuclear matters. The task is therefore a difficult one. But the objective is worth-while since it is a condition to the development of nuclear industry [fr

Light water reactors with a denatured thorium fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-05-01

Discussed in this paper is the performance of denatured thorium fuel cycles in PWR plants of conventional design, such as those currently in operation or under construction. Although some improvement in U 3 O 8 utilization is anticipated in PWRs optimized explicitly for the denatured thorium fuel cycle, this paper is limited to a discussion of the performance of denatured thorium fuels in conventional PWRs and consequently the data presented is representative of the use of thorium fuel in existing PWRs or those presently under construction. In subsequent sections of this paper, the design of the PWR, its performance on the denatured thorium fuel cycle, safety, accident and environmental considerations, and technological status and R and D requirements are discussed

CANDU-6 fuel optimization for advanced cycles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

St-Aubin, Emmanuel, E-mail: emmanuel.st-aubin@polymtl.ca; Marleau, Guy, E-mail: guy.marleau@polymtl.ca

2015-11-15

Highlights: • New fuel selection process proposed for advanced CANDU cycles. • Full core time-average CANDU modeling with independent refueling and burnup zones. • New time-average fuel optimization method used for discrete on-power refueling. • Performance metrics evaluated for thorium-uranium and thorium-DUPIC cycles. - Abstract: We implement a selection process based on DRAGON and DONJON simulations to identify interesting thorium fuel cycles driven by low-enriched uranium or DUPIC dioxide fuels for CANDU-6 reactors. We also develop a fuel management optimization method based on the physics of discrete on-power refueling and the time-average approach to maximize the economical advantages of the candidates that have been pre-selected using a corrected infinite lattice model. Credible instantaneous states are also defined using a channel age model and simulated to quantify the hot spots amplitude and the departure from criticality with fixed reactivity devices. For the most promising fuels identified using coarse models, optimized 2D cell and 3D reactivity device supercell DRAGON models are then used to generate accurate reactor databases at low computational cost. The application of the selection process to different cycles demonstrates the efficiency of our procedure in identifying the most interesting fuel compositions and refueling options for a CANDU reactor. The results show that using our optimization method one can obtain fuels that achieve a high average exit burnup while respecting the reference cycle safety limits.

Nuclear power fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Havelka, S.; Jakesova, L.

1982-01-01

Economic problems are discussed of the fuel cycle (cost of the individual parts of the fuel cycle and the share of the fuel cycle in the price of 1 kWh), the technological problems of the fuel cycle (uranium ore mining and processing, uranium isotope enrichment, the manufacture of fuel elements, the building of long-term storage sites for spent fuel, spent fuel reprocessing, liquid and gaseous waste processing), and the ecologic aspects of the fuel cycle. (H.S.)

Proceeding of the Fourth Scientific Presentation on Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Technology of Nuclear Fuel Cycle facing the Challenge of Energy Need on the 21-st Century

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suripto, A.; Sajuti, D.; Aiman, S.; Yuwono, I.; Fathurrachman; Suwarno, H.; Suwardi; Amini, S.; Widjaksana

1999-03-01

The proceeding contains papers presented in the Fourth Scientific Presentation on Nuclear Fuel Element Cycle with theme of Technology of Nuclear Fuel Cycle facing the Challenge of Energy Need on the 21 s t Century, held on 1-2 December in Jakarta, Indonesia. These papers were divided by three groups that are technology of exploration, processing, purification and analysis of nuclear materials; technology of nuclear fuel elements and structures; and technology of waste management, safety and management of nuclear fuel cycle. There are 36 papers indexed individually. (ID)

Overview of Nuclear Fuel-Cycle Policy and the Role of the Nuclear Safety Commission in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higashi, K.; Nishinosono, S.

2008-01-01

Since the first generation of electricity by the Japan Power Demonstration Reactor in 1963, Japan has been extensively developing nuclear technologies solely for peaceful purposes. The country now operates 55 nuclear power plants consisted of BWRs and PWRs. Although Japan is one of the largest consumers of energy in the world, the country has very limited domestic energy resources. Therefore, Japan considers the nuclear power generation very important as plutonium and uranium recovered from spent fuels can be used in new nuclear fuels as quasi-domestic energy resource. For recycle use of nuclear fuels, the establishment of nuclear fuel recycling technologies including reprocessing technologies is essential. Since 1977, Japan has been recovering plutonium and uranium by a small scale reprocessing plant built by French technology. Recently, 800 ton/year scale commercial reprocessing plant is under construction. After overcoming the current technical problem in the vitrification facility, the commercial plant is expected to be in full operation soon. Concerning the disposal of radioactive wastes, which arises from nuclear utilization, sallow land disposal has already been implemented and medium depth (50 to 100 m) disposal plan is in progress. For high-level waste, possible candidate sites for disposal are being sought. In this paper, the statuses of nuclear power plants and of nuclear fuel cycle facilities in Japan are summarized. As safety is essential for these nuclear installations, safety regulations in Japan are briefly presented from the viewpoint of Nuclear Safety Commission. Furthermore, as the most significant recent safety issue in Japan, the impacts of the large near-site earthquake hit Kashiwazaki-Kariwa NPP last July are reported.(author)

Fuel cycles of WWER-1000 based on assemblies with increased fuel mass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kosourov, E.; Pavlovichev, A.; Shcherenko, A.

2011-01-01

Modern WWER-1000 fuel cycles are based on FAs with the fuel column height of 3680 mm, diameters of the fuel pellet and its central hole of 7.6 and 1.2 mm respectively. The highest possible fuel enrichment has reached its license limit that is 4.95 %. Research in the field of modernization, safety justification and licensing of equipment for fuel manufacture, storage and transportation are required for further fuel enrichment increase (above 5 %). So in the nearest future an improvement of technical and economic characteristics of fuel cycles is possible if assembly fuel mass is increased. The available technology of the cladding thinning makes it possible. If the fuel rod outer diameter is constant and the clad inner diameter is increased to 7.93 mm, the diameter of the fuel pellet can be increased to 7.8 mm. So the suppression of the pellet central hole allows increasing assembly fuel weight by about 8 %. In this paper we analyze how technical and economic characteristics of WWER-1000 fuel cycle change when an advanced FA is applied instead of standard one. Comparison is made between FAs with equal time interval between refueling. This method of comparison makes it possible to eliminate the parameters that constitute the operation component of electricity generation cost, taking into account only the following technical and economic characteristics: 1)cycle length; 2) average burnup of spent FAs; 3) specific natural uranium consumption; 4)specific quantity of separative work units; 5) specific enriched uranium consumption; 6) specific assembly consumption. Collected data allow estimating the efficiency of assembly fuel weight increase and verifying fuel cycle characteristics that may be obtained in the advanced FAs. (authors)

User requirements in the area of safety of innovative nuclear reactors and fuel cycle installations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuczera, B.; Juhn, P.E.; Fukuda, K.; )

2002-01-01

Full text: Against the background of already existing IAEA and INSAC publications in the area of safety, in the framework of the International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) a set of user requirements for the safety of future nuclear installations has been established. Five top-level requirements are expected to apply to any type of innovative design. They should foster an increased level of safety that is transparent to and fully accepted by the general public. The approach to future reactor safety includes two complementary strategies: increased emphasis on inherent safety characteristics and enhancement of defense in depth. As compared to existing plants, the effectiveness of preventing measures should be highly enhanced, resulting in fewer mitigation measures. The targets and possible approaches of each of the five levels of defense developed for innovative reactor designs are outlined in the paper

HTGR fuel and fuel cycle technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lotts, A.L.; Homan, F.J.; Balthesen, E.; Turner, R.F.

1977-01-01

Significant advances have occurred in the development of HTGR fuel and fuel cycle. These accomplishments permit a wide choice of fuel designs, reactor concepts, and fuel cycles. Fuels capable of providing helium outlet temperatures of 750 0 C are available, and fuels capable of 1000 0 C outlet temperatures may be expected from extension of present technology. Fuels have been developed for two basic HTGR designs, one using a spherical (pebble bed) element and the other a prismatic element. Within each concept a number of variations of geometry, fuel composition, and structural materials are permitted. Potential fuel cycles include both low-enriched and high-enriched Th- 235 U, recycle Th- 233 U, and Th-Pu or U-Pu cycles. This flexibility offered by the HTGR is of great practical benefit considering the rapidly changing economics of power production. The inflation of ore prices has increased optimum conversion ratios, and increased the necessity of fuel recycle at an early date. Fuel element makeup is very similar for prismatic and spherical designs. Both use spherical fissile and fertile particles coated with combinations of pyrolytic carbon and silicon carbide. Both use carbonaceous binder materials, and graphite as the structural material. Weak-acid resin (WAR) UO 2 -UC 2 fissile fuels and sol-gel-derived ThO 2 fertile fuels have been selected for the Th- 233 U cycle in the prismatic design. Sol-gel-derived UO 2 UC 2 is the reference fissile fuel for the low-enriched pebble bed design. Both the United States and Federal Republic of Germany are developing technology for fuel cycle operations including fabrication, reprocessing, refabrication, and waste handling. Feasibility of basic processes has been established and designs developed for full-scale equipment. Fuel and fuel cycle technology provide the basis for a broad range of applications of the HTGR. Extension of the fuels to higher operating temperatures and development and commercial demonstration of fuel

Regeneration and localization of radioactive waste in the nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Egorov, N.N.; Kudryavtsev, E.G.; Nikipelov, B.V.; Polyakov, A.S.; Zakharkin, B.S.; Mamaev, L.A.

1993-01-01

Normal functioning of the nuclear-power industry is only possible with a closed fuel cycle, including regeneration of the spent fuel from atomic power plants, the production and recycling of the secondary fuel, and localization of the radioactive waste. Despite the diversity of contemporary attitudes toward the structure of the nuclear fuel cycle around the world, the closure of the fuel cycle has been fundamental to the atomic-power industry in the USSR since the very beginning, and has taken on even greater significance in Russia today. From the beginning, the idea of a closed fuel cycle has been based essentially on one fundamental criterion: the concept of expanded productivity on the basis of fuel regeneration, i.e., the economic factor. Important as economic factors are, safety issues have taken on great significance in recent years: not only power-station reactors but all the ancillary stages of the fuel cycle must meet fundamentally new reliability, safety, and environmental hazards. The RT-1 plant is a versatile operation, regenerating spent fuel from VVER-440, BN-350, and BN-600 reactors, nuclear icebreakers and submarines, research reactors, and other power units. The plant can reprocess 400 ton/year of basic VVER-440 fuel. World-class modern processes have been introduced at the plant, meeting the necessary quality standards: zonal planning, remote operation to eliminate direct contact of the staff with radioactive material, extensive monitoring and control systems, multistage gas-purification systems, and new waste-treatment methods

The nuclear fuel cycle light and shadow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giraud, A.

1977-01-01

The nuclear fuel cycle industry has a far reaching effect on future world energy developments. The growth in turnover of this industry follows a known patterm; by 1985 this turnover will have reached a figure of 2 billion dollars. Furthermore, the fuel cycle plays a determining role in ensuring the physical continuity of energy supplies for countries already engaged in the nuclear domain. Finally, the development of this industry is subject to economic and political constraints which imply the availability of raw materials, technological know-how, and production facilities. Various factors which could have an adverse influence on the cycle: technical, economic, or financial difficulties, environmental impact, nuclear safety, theft or diversion of nuclear materials, nuclear weapon, proliferation risks, are described, and the interaction between the development of the cycle, energy independance, and the fulfillment of nuclear energy programs is emphasized. It is concluded that the nuclear fuel cycle industry is confronted with difficulties due to its extremely rapid growth rate (doubling every 5 years); it is a long time since such a growth rate has been experienced by any heavy industry. The task which lays before us is difficult, but the fruit is worth the toil, as it is the fuel cycle which will govern the growth of the nuclear industry [fr

Radiological safety experience in nuclear fuel cycle operations at Bhabha Atomic Research Center, Trombay, Mumbai, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pushparaja; Gopalakrishnan, R.K.; Subramaniam, G.

2000-01-01

Activities at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, cover nuclear fuel cycle operations based on natural uranium as the fuel. The facilities include: plant for purification and production of nuclear grade uranium metal, fuel fabrication, research reactor operation, fuel reprocessing and radioactive waste management in each stage. Comprehensive radiation protection programmes for assessment and monitoring of radiological impact of these operations, both in occupational and public environment, have been operating in BARC since beginning. These programmes, based on the 1990 ICRP Recommendations as prescribed by national regulatory body, the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), are being successfully implemented by the Health, Safety and Environment Group, BARC. Radiation Hazards Control Units attached to the nuclear fuel cycle facilities provide radiation safety surveillance to the various operations. The radiation monitoring programme consists of measurement and control of external exposures by thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs), hand-held and installed instruments, and internal exposures by bioassay and direct whole body counting using shadow shield counter for beta gamma emitters and phoswich detector based system for plutonium. In addition, an environmental monitoring programme is in place to assess public exposures resulting from the operation of these facilities. The programme involves analysis of various matrices in the environment such as bay water, salt, fish, sediment and computation of resulting public exposures. Based on the operating experience in these plants, improved educating and training programmes for plant operators, have been designed. This, together with the application of new technologies have brought down individual as well as average doses of occupational workers. The environmental releases remain a small fraction of the authorised limits. The operating health physics experience in some of these facilities is discussed in this paper

The Nuclear Fuel Cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-08-01

This brochure describes the nuclear fuel cycle, which is an industrial process involving various activities to produce electricity from uranium in nuclear power reactors. The cycle starts with the mining of uranium and ends with the disposal of nuclear waste. The raw material for today's nuclear fuel is uranium. It must be processed through a series of steps to produce an efficient fuel for generating electricity. Used fuel also needs to be taken care of for reuse and disposal. The nuclear fuel cycle includes the 'front end', i.e. preparation of the fuel, the 'service period' in which fuel is used during reactor operation to generate electricity, and the 'back end', i.e. the safe management of spent nuclear fuel including reprocessing and reuse and disposal. If spent fuel is not reprocessed, the fuel cycle is referred to as an 'open' or 'once-through' fuel cycle; if spent fuel is reprocessed, and partly reused, it is referred to as a 'closed' nuclear fuel cycle.

Spent fuel transport in fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Labrousse, M.

1977-01-01

The transport of radioactive substances is a minor part of the fuel cycle because the quantities of matter involved are very small. However the length and complexity of the cycle, the weight of the packing, the respective distances between stations, enrichment plants and reprocessing plants are such that the problem is not negligible. In addition these transports have considerable psychological importance. The most interesting is spent fuel transport which requires exceptionally efficient packaging, especially where thermal and mechanical resistance are concerned. To meet the safety criteria necessary for the protection of both public and users it was decided to use the maximum capacity consistent with rail transport and to avoid coolant fluids under pressure. Since no single type of packing is suitable for all existing stations an effort has been made to standardise handling accessories, and future trands are towards maximum automation. A discussion on the various technical solutions available for the construction of these packing systems is followed by a description of those used for the two types of packaging ordered by COGEMA [fr

Comparative techniques for nuclear fuel cycle waste management systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pelto, P.J.; Voss, J.W.

1979-09-01

A safety assessment approach for the evaluation of predisposal waste management systems is described and applied to selected facilities in the light water reactor (LWR) once-through fuel cycle and a potential coprocessed UO 2 -PuO 2 fuel cycle. This approach includes a scoping analysis on pretreatment waste streams and a more detailed analysis on proposed waste management processes. The primary evaluation parameters used in this study include radiation exposures to the public from radionuclide releases from normal operations and potential accidents, occupational radiation exposure from normal operations, and capital and operating costs. On an overall basis, the waste management aspects of the two fuel cycles examined are quite similar. On an individual facility basis, the fuel coprocessing plant has the largest waste management impact

Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle Cost Estimates for Advanced Fuel Cycle Studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harrison, Thomas

2013-01-01

Presentation Outline: • Why Do I Need a Cost Basis?; • History of the Advanced Fuel Cycle Cost Basis; • Description of the Cost Basis; • Current Work; • Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle Applications; • Sample Fuel Cycle Cost Estimate Analysis; • Future Work

Future trends of light-water reactor fuel-cycle costs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tamiya, S.; Otomo, T.; Meguro, T.

1977-01-01

In past cost estimates, the main fuel-cycle components were mining and milling, uranium enrichment and fuel fabrication, and the reprocessing charge deemed to be recovered by plutonium credit. Since the oil crisis, all costs of fuel-cycle components have increased as well as construction costs of power stations. Recent analysis shows that costs in the back-end of the fuel cycle are much higher than those anticipated several years ago, although their contribution to the nuclear electricity generating cost would be small. This situation has now changed but there are still many uncertainties, i.e. regulatory requirements for reprocessing plants concerning safety, safeguards, environmental protection and high-level waste management. Thus it is more difficult to estimate overall investments and, therefore, the costs of the back-end of the fuel-cycle sector. This paper reviews the future trend of nuclear fuel-cycle costs of LWRs, based on recent analysis; and those factors which affect fuel-cycle costs are discussed. To reduce the uncertainties of the cost estimates as soon as possible, international discussion is necessary on items such as the treatment and disposal of high-level radioactive wastes, siting reprocessing plants, physical protection of plutonium, and the effects of plutonium on the environment. (author)

HTGR fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-08-01

In the spring of 1987, the HTGR fuel cycle project has been existing for ten years, and for this reason a status seminar has been held on May 12, 1987 in the Juelich Nuclear Research Center, that gathered the participants in this project for a discussion on the state of the art in HTGR fuel element development, graphite development, and waste management. The papers present an overview of work performed so far and an outlook on future tasks and goals, and on taking stock one can say that the project has been very successful so far: The HTGR fuel element now available meets highest requirements and forms the basis of today's HTGR safety philosophy; research work on graphite behaviour in a high-temperature reactor has led to complete knowledge of the temperature or neutron-induced effects, and with the concept of direct ultimate waste disposal, the waste management problem has found a feasible solution. (orig./GL) [de

Evolutionary approaches for the safety evaluation of the nuclear fuel cycle facilities: lessons learnt from french experiences and assessment of future challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greneche, D.

2007-01-01

This paper is aimed at presenting the recent work carried out in France on the evolution of the safety of the nuclear fuel cycle facilities (FCF). 5 main categories of FCF have been dealt with in this article: uranium conversion, uranium enrichment, fresh fuel fabrication (including Mox fuel), spent fuel storage, and spent fuel reprocessing. The specific of FCF are reviewed and it appears that FCF have generally a safety advantage over reactors: the relatively slow evolution of physico-chemical phenomena causing severe accident conditions. Generally speaking, nuclear safety is ensured through the combination of actions taken at 4 levels: design, implementation, operation and inspection. It must be underlined that the French safety analysis process is primarily based on a deterministic approach (itself based on the fundamental principle of defense-in-depth), supplemented if necessary with probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) to detect potential weak points in a nuclear facility. All this process is well implemented in reactors but in the case of FCF it is generally limited to the deterministic approach. It is showed that the approaches and general principles implemented in the safety analysis of reactors apply well to FCF but the probabilistic analysis of safety remains nevertheless little practiced in FCF for which they still require significant developments. (A.C.)

11-th International conference Nuclear power safety and nuclear education - 2009. Abstracts. Part 1. Session: Safety of nuclear technology; Innovative nuclear systems and fuel cycle; Nuclear knowledge management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

The book includes abstracts of the 11-th International conference Nuclear power safety and nuclear education - 2009 (29 Sep - 2 Oct, 2009, Obninsk). Problems of safety of nuclear technology are discussed, innovative nuclear systems and fuel cycles are treated. Abstracts on professional education for nuclear power and industry are presented. Nuclear knowledge management are discussed

The nuclear fuel cycle in the 21st century

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todreas, Neil E.

2004-01-01

As we enter the 21st century and contemplate the deployment of Generation III+ machines and the development of Generation IV systems, the fuel cycle within which these reactors are to operate has become a predominant consideration. The four challenges to nuclear development of the 21st century of economics, safety, sustainability through spent fuel management and efficient fuel utilization, and proliferation resistance increasingly involve the front and back ends of the fuel cycle equally if not more than the design of the reactor which has reached a far higher level of maturity. It is tempting to accept the closed cycle with its promise of effective waste management as inevitable. The central questions, however, are the characteristics of the desired closed cycle, the relative advantages of thermal versus fast spectrum closed cycles, the character and pace of the transition to a closed cycle, and finally the most central question as to whether the closed cycle is indeed more desirable a choice than is an open cycle. The desired closed fuel cycle for the long term around which this paper is based is full actinide recycle with natural uranium feed and only fission products discharged to an ultimate waste repository. It is concluded that a major international research and development program to achieve this fuel cycle is important to pursue. However, the need to decide for the closed cycle and deploy it is not pressing for the next several decades. (author)

Safety of and regulations for nuclear fuel cycle facilities. Report of a technical committee meeting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-05-01

In order to compile information on the nature of the safety concerns and current status of the regulations concerning nuclear fuel cycle facilities in Member States, an IAEA Technical Committee meeting on this topic was convened from 8 to 12 May 2000 in Vienna. The present publication contains the results of this meeting. The contributions of the participants in Annex 3 exemplify the work done in some Member States to develop an adequate regulatory framework to oversee the safe operation of these facilities

Effect of long-term storage of LWR spent fuel on Pu-thermal fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurosawa, Masayoshi; Naito, Yoshitaka; Suyama, Kenya; Itahara, Kuniyuki; Suzuki, Katsuo; Hamada, Koji

1998-01-01

According to the Long-term Program for Research, Development and Utilization of Nuclear Energy (June, 1994) in Japan, the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant will be operated shortly after the year 2000, and the planning of the construction of the second commercial plant will be decided around 2010. Also, it is described that spent fuel storage has a positive meaning as an energy resource for the future utilization of Pu. Considering the balance between the increase of spent fuels and the domestic reprocessing capacity in Japan, it can be expected that the long-term storage of UO 2 spent fuels will be required. Then, we studied the effect of long-term storage of spent fuels on Pu-thermal fuel cycle. The burnup calculation were performed on the typical Japanese PWR fuel, and the burnup and criticality calculations were carried out on the Pu-thermal cores with MOX fuel. Based on the results, we evaluate the influence of extending the spent fuel storage term on the criticality safety, shielding design of the reprocessing plant and the core life time of the MOX core, etc. As the result of this work on long-term storage of LWR spent fuels, it becomes clear that there are few demerits regarding the lifetime of a MOX reactor core, and that there are many merits regarding the safety aspects of the fuel cycle facilities. Furthermore, long-term storage is meaningful as energy storage for effective utilization of Pu to be improved by technological innovation in future, and it will allow for sufficient time for the important policymaking of nuclear fuel cycle establishment in Japan. (author)

Denatured fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Till, C.E.

1979-01-01

This paper traces the history of the denatured fuel concept and discusses the characteristics of fuel cycles based on the concept. The proliferation resistance of denatured fuel cycles, the reactor types they involve, and the limitations they place on energy generation potential are discussed. The paper concludes with some remarks on the outlook for such cycles

Fuel cycle and waste newsletter, Vol. 3, No. 3, December 2007

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-12-01

This issue of the Fuel Cycle and Waste Newsletter reports on the IAEA's International Conference on Research Reactors which focused on sharing the latest scientific, technical and safety information related to research reactors including projects on design, construction and commissioning of new research facilities. This issue further covers reports of some of the activities performed by the Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology including information on upgrading radioactive waste management facilities, aqueous homogeneous reactors for isotope production, activities of the contact experts group in 2007, current activities related to HEU minimization, repatriation of radioactive sources in Nigeria, the 2007 TWGNFCO (Nuclear Fuel Cycle Options and Spent Fuel Management) meeting, the stakeholder involvement in decommissioning (draft technical report in preparation), initial activities of the International Decommissioning Network (IDN), spent fuel publications, the thorium fuel cycle, the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Simulation System (NFCSS). Finally, it presents a bibliography of recent publications of IAEA's Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology as well as a list of Meetings in 2008

Development on nuclear fuel cycle business in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Usami, Kogo

2002-01-01

The Japan Nuclear Fuel Co., Ltd. (JNF) develops five businesses on nuclear fuel cycle such as uranium concentration, storage and administration of high level radioactive wastes, disposition of low level radioactive wastes, used fuel reprocessing, MOX fuel, at Rokkasho-mura in Aomori prefecture. Here were introduced on outline, construction and operation in reprocessing and MOX fuel works, outline, present state and future subjects on technical development of uranium concentration, outline and safety of disposition center on low level radioactive wastes, and storage and administration of high level radioactive wastes. (G.K.)

Closing the fuel cycle: A superior option for India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balu, K.; Purushotham, D.S.C.; Kakodkar, A.

1999-01-01

The closed fuel cycle option with reprocessing and recycle of uranium and plutonium (U and Pu) for power generation allows better utilization of the uranium resources. On its part, plutonium is a unique energy source. During the initial years of nuclear fuel cycle activities, reprocessing and recycle of uranium and plutonium for power generation was perceived by many countries to be among the best of long term strategies for the management of spent fuel. But, over the years, some of the countries have taken a position that once-through fuel cycle is both economical and proliferation-resistant. However, such perceptions do vary as a function of economic growth and energy security of a given country. This paper deals with techno-economic perspectives of reprocessing and recycling in the Indian nuclear power programme. Experience of developing Mixed Oxide UO 2 -PuO 2 (MOX) fuel and its actual use in a power reactor (BWR) is presented. The paper further deals with the use of MOX in PHWRs in the future and current thinking, in the Indian context, in respect of advanced fuel cycles for the future. From environmental safety considerations, the separation of long-lived isotopes and minor actinides from high level waste (HLW) would enhance the acceptability of reprocessing and recycle option. The separated actinides are suitable for recycling with MOX fuel. However, the advanced fuel cycles with such recycling of Uranium and transuranium elements call for additional sophisticated fuel cycle activities which are yet to be mastered. India is interested in both uranium and thorium fuel cycles. This paper describes the current status of the Indian nuclear power scenario with reference to the program on reactors, reprocessing and radioactive waste management, plutonium recycle options, thorium-U233 fuel cycle studies and investigations on partitioning of actinides from Purex HLW as relevant to PHWR spent fuels. (author)

Seismic design considerations of nuclear fuel cycle facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-10-01

An Advisory Group Meeting (AGM) on Seismic Technologies of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities was convened in Vienna from 12 to 14 November 1997. The main objective of the meeting was the investigation of the present status of seismic technologies in nuclear fuel cycle facilities in Member States as a starting point for understanding of the most important directions and trends of national initiatives, including research and development, in the area of seismic safety. The AGM gave priority to the establishment of a consistent programme for seismic assessment of nuclear fuel cycle facilities worldwide. A consultants meeting subsequently met in Vienna from 16 to 19 March 1999. At this meeting the necessity of a dedicated programme was further supported and a technical background to the initiative was provided. This publication provides recommendations both for the seismic design of new plants and for re-evaluation projects of nuclear fuel cycle facilities. After a short introduction of the general IAEA approach, some key contributions from Member State participants are presented. Each of them was indexed separately

Transuranic material recovery in the Integral Fast Reactor fuel cycle demonstration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benedict, R.W.; Goff, K.M.

1993-01-01

The Integral Fast Reactor is an innovative liquid metal reactor concept that is being developed by Argonne National Laboratory. It takes advantage of the properties of metallic fuel and liquid metal cooling to offer significant improvements in reactor safety, operation, fuel cycle economics, environmental protection, and safeguards. The plans for demonstrating the IFR fuel cycle, including its waste processing options, by processing irradiated fuel from the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II fuel in its associated Fuel Cycle Facility have been developed for the first refining series. This series has been designed to provide the data needed for the further development of the IFR program. An important piece of the data needed is the recovery of TRU material during the reprocessing and waste operations

Determination of source term for Krsko NPP extended fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nemec, T.; Persic, A.; Zagar, T.; Zefran, B.

2004-01-01

The activity and composition of the potential radioactive releases (source term) is important in the decision making about off-site emergency measures in case of a release into environment. Power uprate of Krsko NPP during modernization in 2000 as well as changing of the fuel type and the core design have influenced the source term value. In 2003 a project of 'Jozef Stefan' Institute and Slovenian nuclear safety administration determined a plantspecific source term for new conditions of fuel type and burnup for extended fuel cycle. Calculations of activity and isotopic composition of the core have been performed with ORIGEN-ARP program. Results showed that the core activity for extended 15 months fuel cycle is slightly lower than for the 12 months cycles, mainly due to larger share of fresh fuel. (author)

Advanced breeder cycle uses metallic fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Y.I.

1991-01-01

Scientists from Argonne National Laboratory have been developing a concept called the Integral fast Reactor (IFR). This fast breeder reactor could effectively increase Uranium resources a hundred fold making nuclear power essentially an inexhaustible energy source. The IFR is outlined. In the IFR, the inherent properties of liquid metal cooling are combined with a new metallic fuel which is allowed to swell and gives an improved burnup level and a radically different refining process to allow breakthroughs in passive safety, fuel cycle economics and waste management. (author)

RU fuel development program for an advanced fuel cycle in Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suk, Hochum; Sim, Kiseob; Kim, Bongghi; Inch, W.W.; Page, R.

1998-01-01

Korea is a unique country, having both PWR and CANDU reactors. Korea can therefore exploit the natural synergism between the two reactor types to minimize overall waste production, and maximize energy derived from the fuel, by ultimately burning the spent fuel from its PWR reactors in CANDU reactors. As one of the possible fuel cycles, Recovered Uranium (RU) fuel offers a very attractive alternative to the use of Natural Uranium (NU) and slightly enriched uranium (SEU) in CANDU reactors. Potential benefits can be derived from a number of stages in the fuel cycle: no enrichment required, therefore no enrichment tails, direct conversion to UO 2 , lower sensitivity to 234 U and 236U absorption in the CANDU reactor, and expected lower cost relative to NU and SEU. These benefits all fit well with the PWR-CANDU fuel cycle synergy. RU arising from the conventional reprocessing of European and Japanese oxide spent fuel by 2000 is projected to be approaching 25,000 te. The use of RU fuel in a CANDU 6 reactor should result in no serious radiological difficulties and no requirements for special precautions and should not require any new technologies for the fuel fabrication and handling. The use of the CANDU Flexible Fueling (CANFLEX) bundle as the carrier for RU will be fully compatible with the reactor design, current safety and operational requirements, and there will be improved fuel performance compared with the CANDU 37-element NU fuel bundle. Compared with the 37-element NU bundle, the RU fuel has significantly improved fuel cycle economics derived from increased burnups, a large reduction in both fuel requirements and spent fuel, arisings, and the potential lower cost for RU material. There is the potential for annual fuel cost savings in the range of one-third to two-thirds, with enhanced operating margins using RU in the CANFLEX bundle design. These benefits provide the rationale for justifying R and D efforts on the use of RU fuel for advanced fuel cycles in CANDU

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Evaluation and Screening Findings on Partitioning and Transmutation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wigeland, R.A.; Taiwo, T.A.; Gehin, J.C.; Jubin, R.; Todosow, M.

2015-01-01

A Nuclear Fuel Cycle Evaluation and Screening (E and S) study has recently been completed in the United States. The study considered the entire fuel cycle, included considerations for both once-through and recycle fuel cycle options, evaluated a set of 40 fuel cycles that allowed a comprehensive assessment of fuel cycle performance, identified a relatively small number of promising fuel cycle options that have the potential for achieving substantial improvements compared to the current nuclear fuel cycle in the United States, and allowed the identification of research and development (R and D) activities needed to support the development of the promising fuel cycle options. Nine high-level criteria (Nuclear Waste Management, Proliferation Risk, Nuclear Material Security Risk, Safety, Environmental Impact, Resource Utilisation, Development and Deployment Risk, Institutional Issues, and Financial Risk and Economics) and associated metrics were used in the study to compare the performance of nuclear fuel cycle options to that of the current fuel cycle practiced in the United States. The study also evaluated a number of fuel cycle characteristics that may have the potential to impact future R and D directions. These included for example: 1) The fuel resources used, i. e., uranium and/or thorium. 2) Impact of extremely high burnup fuels. 3) Minor actinide recycle. 4) The impact of losses during separations (partitioning). 5) Critical versus subcritical (externally-driven) systems for material irradiation. 6) Impact of spectrum of irradiation system, i.e., fast, thermal or intermediate. 7) Waste generation reduction, all of which were quantified in the study. The E and S study has implemented a framework that can be used now and in the future to objectively inform on the potential of alternative nuclear fuel cycles, providing decision-makers and others with perspective on fuel cycle capabilities. (authors)

Nuclear fuel cycle system analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ko, W. I.; Kwon, E. H.; Kim, S. G.; Park, B. H.; Song, K. C.; Song, D. Y.; Lee, H. H.; Chang, H. L.; Jeong, C. J.

2012-04-01

The nuclear fuel cycle system analysis method has been designed and established for an integrated nuclear fuel cycle system assessment by analyzing various methodologies. The economics, PR(Proliferation Resistance) and environmental impact evaluation of the fuel cycle system were performed using improved DB, and finally the best fuel cycle option which is applicable in Korea was derived. In addition, this research is helped to increase the national credibility and transparency for PR with developing and fulfilling PR enhancement program. The detailed contents of the work are as follows: 1)Establish and improve the DB for nuclear fuel cycle system analysis 2)Development of the analysis model for nuclear fuel cycle 3)Preliminary study for nuclear fuel cycle analysis 4)Development of overall evaluation model of nuclear fuel cycle system 5)Overall evaluation of nuclear fuel cycle system 6)Evaluate the PR for nuclear fuel cycle system and derive the enhancement method 7)Derive and fulfill of nuclear transparency enhancement method The optimum fuel cycle option which is economical and applicable to domestic situation was derived in this research. It would be a basis for establishment of the long-term strategy for nuclear fuel cycle. This work contributes for guaranteeing the technical, economical validity of the optimal fuel cycle option. Deriving and fulfillment of the method for enhancing nuclear transparency will also contribute to renewing the ROK-U.S Atomic Energy Agreement in 2014

Criticality control during conditioning of spent nuclear fuel in the Fuel Cycle Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lell, R.M.; Khalil, H.S.

1994-01-01

Spent nuclear fuel may be unacceptable for direct repository storage because of composition, enrichment, form, physical condition, or the presence of undesirable materials such as sodium. Fuel types which are not acceptable for direct storage must be processed or conditioned to produce physical forms which can safely be stored in a repository. One possible approach to conditioning is the pyroprocess implemented in the Fuel Cycle Facility (FCF) at Argonne National Laboratory-West. Conditioning of binary (U-Zr) and ternary (U-Pu-Zr) metallic fuels from the EBR-2 reactor is used to demonstrate the process. Criticality safety considerations limit batch sizes during the conditioning steps and provide one constraint on the final form of conditioned material. Criticality safety during conditioning is assured by the integration of criticality safety analysis, equipment design, process development, a measurement program, accountability procedures, and a computerized Mass Tracking System. Criticality issues related to storage and shipment of conditioned material have been examined

Nuclear-fuel-cycle risk assessment: descriptions of representative non-reactor facilities. Sections 1-14

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schneider, K.J.

1982-09-01

The Fuel Cycle Risk Assessment Program was initiated to provide risk assessment methods for assistance in the regulatory process for nuclear fuel cycle facilities other than reactors. This report, the first from the program, defines and describes fuel cycle elements that are being considered in the program. One type of facility (and in some cases two) is described that is representative of each element of the fuel cycle. The descriptions are based on real industrial-scale facilities that are current state-of-the-art, or on conceptual facilities where none now exist. Each representative fuel cycle facility is assumed to be located on the appropriate one of four hypothetical but representative sites described. The fuel cycles considered are for Light Water Reactors with once-through flow of spent fuel, and with plutonium and uranium recycle. Representative facilities for the following fuel cycle elements are described for uranium (or uranium plus plutonium where appropriate): mining, milling, conversion, enrichment, fuel fabrication, mixed-oxide fuel refabrication, fuel reprocessing, spent fuel storage, high-level waste storage, transuranic waste storage, spent fuel and high-level and transuranic waste disposal, low-level and intermediate-level waste disposal, and transportation. For each representative facility the description includes: mainline process, effluent processing and waste management, facility and hardware description, safety-related information and potential alternative concepts for that fuel cycle element. The emphasis of the descriptive material is on safety-related information. This includes: operating and maintenance requirements, input/output of major materials, identification and inventories of hazardous materials (particularly radioactive materials), unit operations involved, potential accident driving forces, containment and shielding, and degree of hands-on operation.

Nuclear-fuel-cycle risk assessment: descriptions of representative non-reactor facilities. Sections 1-14

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, K.J.

1982-09-01

The Fuel Cycle Risk Assessment Program was initiated to provide risk assessment methods for assistance in the regulatory process for nuclear fuel cycle facilities other than reactors. This report, the first from the program, defines and describes fuel cycle elements that are being considered in the program. One type of facility (and in some cases two) is described that is representative of each element of the fuel cycle. The descriptions are based on real industrial-scale facilities that are current state-of-the-art, or on conceptual facilities where none now exist. Each representative fuel cycle facility is assumed to be located on the appropriate one of four hypothetical but representative sites described. The fuel cycles considered are for Light Water Reactors with once-through flow of spent fuel, and with plutonium and uranium recycle. Representative facilities for the following fuel cycle elements are described for uranium (or uranium plus plutonium where appropriate): mining, milling, conversion, enrichment, fuel fabrication, mixed-oxide fuel refabrication, fuel reprocessing, spent fuel storage, high-level waste storage, transuranic waste storage, spent fuel and high-level and transuranic waste disposal, low-level and intermediate-level waste disposal, and transportation. For each representative facility the description includes: mainline process, effluent processing and waste management, facility and hardware description, safety-related information and potential alternative concepts for that fuel cycle element. The emphasis of the descriptive material is on safety-related information. This includes: operating and maintenance requirements, input/output of major materials, identification and inventories of hazardous materials (particularly radioactive materials), unit operations involved, potential accident driving forces, containment and shielding, and degree of hands-on operation

International symposium on nuclear fuel cycle and reactor strategy: Adjusting to new realities. Key issue papers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-06-01

The key issue papers review the following issues: global energy outlook; present status and environmental implications of the different fuel cycles; future fuel cycle and reactor strategies; safety, health and environmental implications of the different fuel cycles; non-proliferation and safeguards aspects; international cooperation. Refs, figs, tabs.

International symposium on nuclear fuel cycle and reactor strategy: Adjusting to new realities. Key issue papers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-06-01

The key issue papers review the following issues: global energy outlook; present status and environmental implications of the different fuel cycles; future fuel cycle and reactor strategies; safety, health and environmental implications of the different fuel cycles; non-proliferation and safeguards aspects; international cooperation. Refs, figs, tabs

Analysis of fuel cycle strategies and U.S. transition scenarios

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wigeland, Roald; Taiwo, Temitope A.

2016-10-17

The nuclear fuel cycle Evaluation and Screening (E&S) study that was completed in October 2014 [1] enabled the identification of four fuel cycle groups that are considered most promising based on a set of nine evaluation criteria: (a) six benefit criteria of Nuclear Waste Management, Proliferation Risk, Nuclear Material Security Risk, Safety, Environmental Impact, Resource Utilization, and (b) three challenge criteria of Development and Deployment Risk, Institutional Issues, Financial Risk and Economics. The E&S study was conducted at a level of analysis that is "technology- neutral," that is, without consideration of specific technologies, but using the fundamental physics characteristics of each part of the fuel cycle. The study focused on the fuel cycle performance benefits at the fuel cycle equilibrium state, with only limited consideration of transition and deployment impacts. Common characteristics of the four most promising fuel cycle options include continuous recycle of all U/Pu or U/TRU, the use of fast-spectrum reactors, and no use of uranium enrichment once fuel cycle equilibrium has been established. The high-level wastes are mainly from processing of irradiated fuel, and there would be no disposal of any spent fuel. Building on the findings of the E&S study, additional studies have been conducted in the last two years following the information exchange meeting, the 13th IEMPT, which was held in Seoul, the Republic of Korea in 2014. Insights are presented from the recent studies on the benefits and challenges of recycling minor actinides, and transition considerations to some of the most promising fuel cycle options.

Experimental research on safety assurance of advanced WWER fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krainov, Ju.; Kukushkin, Ju.

2002-01-01

The paper presents the results of experimental investigations on substantiation of implementation of a modernized butt joint for the WWER-440 reactor, carried out in the critical test facility 'P' in the RRC 'Kurchatov Institute'. The comparison results of the calculation and experimental data obtained in the physical startup of Volgodonsk NPP-1 with the WWER-1000 are also given. In the implementation of four-year fuel cycle in the WWER-440 with the average enrichment of fuel makeup 3.82% it was solved to conduct experimental research of power distribution in the vicinity of control rod butt junction. Moreover, it was assumed that adequate actions should be applied to eliminate inadmissible power jumps, if necessary. It is not available to measure their values in NPP conditions. Therefore, the power distribution near the butt joint was studied in a 19-rod bank installed in the critical test facility 'P' first for the normal design of the joint when surrounding fuel assemblies enrichment goes up. Then a set of calculation and tests was fulfilled to optimize a butt junction design. On the base of this research the composition of a butt junction was advanced by placing Hf plates into the junction. The effectiveness of modernized butt joint design was experimentally confirmed. In Volgodonsk NPP-1 with WWER-1000 the four-year fuel cycle is being implemented. During the physical startup of the reactor the measurements of the reactivity effects and coefficients were measured at the minimum controlled flux level, and the parameters of a number of critical states were recorded. The data obtained were compared with the calculation. The validity of the certified code package for forecasting the neutronic characteristics of WWER-1000 cores in the implementation of a four year fuel cycle has been supported (Authors)

Financing of the nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wyart, P.

1975-01-01

Fuels account for only a modest share of the cost of nuclear energy: approximatively one-fourth whereas the capital financing charges exceed one-half. But it is necessary to take account of the combined effect of the magnitude of the needs in coming years and of the resulting acceleration due to the coming on stream of increasingly numerous nuclear power plants and to take account of the characteristics of the fuel cycle which is especially long because of technical requirements and the necessity to establish safety stocks [fr

CANDU fuel-cycle vision

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boczar, P.G.

1999-01-01

The fuel-cycle path chosen by a particular country will depend on a range of local and global factors. The CANDU reactor provides the fuel-cycle flexibility to enable any country to optimize its fuel-cycle strategy to suit its own needs. AECL has developed the CANFLEX fuel bundle as the near-term carrier of advanced fuel cycles. A demonstration irradiation of 24 CANFLEX bundles in the Point Lepreau power station, and a full-scale critical heat flux (CHF) test in water are planned in 1998, before commercial implementation of CANFLEX fuelling. CANFLEX fuel provides a reduction in peak linear element ratings, and a significant enhancement in thermalhydraulic performance. Whereas natural uranium fuel provides many advantages, the use of slightly enriched uranium (SEU) in CANDU reactors offers even lower fuel-cycle costs and other benefits, such as uprating capability through flattening the channel power distribution across the core. Recycled uranium (RU) from reprocessing spent PWR fuel is a subset of SEU that has significant economic promise. AECL views the use of SEU/RU in the CANFLEX bundle as the first logical step from natural uranium. High neutron economy enables the use of low-fissile fuel in CANDU reactors, which opens up a spectrum of unique fuel-cycle opportunities that exploit the synergism between CANDU reactors and LWRs. At one end of this spectrum is the use of materials from conventional reprocessing: CANDU reactors can utilize the RU directly without re-enrichment, the plutonium as conventional Mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel, and the actinide waste mixed with plutonium in an inert-matrix carrier. At the other end of the spectrum is the DUPIC cycle, employing only thermal-mechanical processes to convert spent LWR fuel into CANDU fuel, with no purposeful separation of isotopes from the fuel, and possessing a high degree of proliferation resistance. Between these two extremes are other advanced recycling options that offer particular advantages in exploiting the

CANDU fuel-cycle vision

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boczar, P.G

1998-05-01

The fuel-cycle path chosen by a particular country will depend on a range of local and global factors. The CANDU reactor provides the fuel-cycle flexibility to enable any country to optimize its fuel-cycle strategy to suit its own needs. AECL has developed the CANFLEX fuel bundle as the near-term carrier of advanced fuel cycles. A demonstration irradiation of 24 CANFLEX bundles in the Point Lepreau power station, and a full-scale critical heat flux (CHF) test in water are planned in 1998, before commercial implementation of CANFLEX fuelling. CANFLEX fuel provides a reduction in peak linear element ratings, and a significant enhancement in thermalhydraulic performance. Whereas natural uranium fuel provides many advantages, the use of slightly enriched uranium (SEU) in CANDU reactors offers even lower fuel-cycle costs and other benefits, such as uprating capability through flattening the channel power distribution across the core. Recycled uranium (RU) from reprocessing spent PWR fuel is a subset of SEU that has significant economic promise. AECL views the use of SEU/RU in the CANFLEX bundle as the first logical step from natural uranium. High neutron economy enables the use of low-fissile fuel in CANDU reactors, which opens up a spectrum of unique fuel-cycle opportunities that exploit the synergism between CANDU reactors and LWRs. At one end of this spectrum is the use of materials from conventional reprocessing: CANDU reactors can utilize the RU directly without reenrichment, the plutonium as conventional mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel, and the actinide waste mixed with plutonium in an inert-matrix carrier. At the other end of the spectrum is the DUPIC cycle, employing only thermal-mechanical processes to convert spent LWR fuel into CANDU fuel, with no purposeful separation of isotopes from the fuel, and possessing a high degree of proliferation resistance. Between these two extremes are other advanced recycling options that offer particular advantages in exploiting the

Radiological and environmental surveillance in front-end fuel cycle facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, A.H.; Sahoo, S.K.; Tripathi, R.M.

2004-01-01

This paper describes the occupational and environmental radiological safety measures associated with the operations of front end nuclear fuel cycle. Radiological monitoring in the facilities is important to ensure safe working environment, protection of workers against exposure to radiation and comply with regulatory limits of exposure. The radiation exposure of workers in different units of the front end nuclear fuels cycle facilities operated by IREL, UCIL and NFC and environmental monitoring results are summarised

Multiple recycle of REMIX fuel at VVER-1000 operation in closed fuel cycle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alekseev, P. N.; Bobrov, E. A., E-mail: evgeniybobrov89@rambler.ru; Chibinyaev, A. V.; Teplov, P. S.; Dudnikov, A. A. [National Research Center Kurchatov Institute (Russian Federation)

2015-12-15

The basic features of loading the VVER-1000 core with a new variant of REMIX fuel (REgenerated MIXture of U–Pu oxides) are considered during its multiple recycle in a closed nuclear fuel cycle. The fuel composition is produced on the basis of the uranium–plutonium regenerate extracted at processing the spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from a VVER-1000, depleted uranium, and the fissionable material: {sup 235}U as a part of highly enriched uranium (HEU) from warheads superfluous for defense purposes or {sup 233}U accumulated in thorium blankets of fusion (electronuclear) neutron sources or fast reactors. Production of such a fuel assumes no use of natural uranium in addition. When converting a part of the VVER-1000 reactors to the closed fuel cycle based on the REMIX technology, the consumption of natural uranium decreases considerably, and there is no substantial degradation of the isotopic composition of plutonium or change in the reactor-safety characteristics at the passage from recycle to recycle.

Thorium nuclear fuel cycle technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eom, Tae Yoon; Do, Jae Bum; Choi, Yoon Dong; Park, Kyoung Kyum; Choi, In Kyu; Lee, Jae Won; Song, Woong Sup; Kim, Heong Woo

1998-03-01

Since thorium produces relatively small amount of TRU elements after irradiation in the reactor, it is considered one of possible media to mix with the elements to be transmuted. Both solid and molten-salt thorium fuel cycles were investigated. Transmutation concepts being studied involved fast breeder reactor, accelerator-driven subcritical reactor, and energy amplifier with thorium. Long-lived radionuclides, especially TRU elements, could be separated from spent fuel by a pyrochemical process which is evaluated to be proliferation resistance. Pyrochemical processes of IFR, MSRE and ATW were reviewed and evaluated in detail, regarding technological feasibility, compatibility of thorium with TRU, proliferation resistance, their economy and safety. (author). 26 refs., 22 figs

BWR fuel cycle optimization using neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortiz-Servin, Juan Jose; Castillo, Jose Alejandro; Pelta, David Alejandro

2011-01-01

Highlights: → OCONN a new system to optimize all nuclear fuel management steps in a coupled way. → OCON is based on an artificial recurrent neural network to find the best combination of partial solutions to each fuel management step. → OCONN works with a fuel lattices' stock, a fuel reloads' stock and a control rod patterns' stock, previously obtained with different heuristic techniques. → Results show OCONN is able to find good combinations according the global objective function. - Abstract: In nuclear fuel management activities for BWRs, four combinatorial optimization problems are solved: fuel lattice design, axial fuel bundle design, fuel reload design and control rod patterns design. Traditionally, these problems have been solved in separated ways due to their complexity and the required computational resources. In the specialized literature there are some attempts to solve fuel reloads and control rod patterns design or fuel lattice and axial fuel bundle design in a coupled way. In this paper, the system OCONN to solve all of these problems in a coupled way is shown. This system is based on an artificial recurrent neural network to find the best combination of partial solutions to each problem, in order to maximize a global objective function. The new system works with a fuel lattices' stock, a fuel reloads' stock and a control rod patterns' stock, previously obtained with different heuristic techniques. The system was tested to design an equilibrium cycle with a cycle length of 18 months. Results show that the new system is able to find good combinations. Cycle length is reached and safety parameters are fulfilled.

Reload safety evaluation report for ulchin nuclear power plant unit 2, cycle 4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Chan Oh; Park, Yong Soo; Kim, Hong Jin; Kim, Il Kon; Oh, Dong Seok; Yoon, Han Yong; Choi, Han Rim; Choi, Dong Uk; Lee, Chung Chan; Zee, Sung Kyun

1992-09-01

This report presents a reload safety evaluation for Ulchin-2, Cycle 4 and demonstrates that the core being composed of various fuel types as described in the report will not adversely affect the safety of the public and the plant. All of the accidents comprising the licensing bases which could potentially be affected by the fuel reload have been reviewed for the Cycle 4 core and results are described in the report. (Author)

Reload safety evaluation report for Kori nuclear power plant unit 1, cycle 13

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Chan Oh; Moon, Bok Ja; Cho, Byeong Ho; Nam, Kee Il; Kim, Oh Hwan; Chang, Doo Soo; Yoon, Han Young; Kim, Du Ill; Ban, Chang Hwan; Choi, Dong Uk

1993-03-01

This report presents the reload safety evaluation for Kori-1, Cycle 13 and demonstrates that the reactor core being composed of various fuel assembly types applied in this evaluation will not adversely affect the safety of the public and the plant. All of the accidents comprising the licensing bases which could potentially be affected by the reload fuel assemblies have been reviewed for the Cycle 13 core and results are described in this report. (Author)

Reload safety evaluation report for Ulchin nuclear power plant unit 1 cycle 5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Chan Oh; Kim, Yong Rae; Son, Sang Rin; Oh, Dong Seok; Kim, Hong Jin; Yoon, Kyung Ho; Yoon, Han Young; Choi, Han Rim; Choi, Dong Uk

1992-12-01

This report presents the reload safety evaluation for Ulchin 1, Cycle 5 and demonstrates that the reactor core being composed of various fuel assembly types applied in this evaluation will not adversely affect the safety of the public and the plant. All of the accidents comprising the licensing bases which could potentially be affected by the reload fuel assemblies have been reviewed for the Cycle 5 core and results are described in this report. (Author)

Fuel cycle cost uncertainty from nuclear fuel cycle comparison

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, J.; McNelis, D.; Yim, M.S.

2013-01-01

This paper examined the uncertainty in fuel cycle cost (FCC) calculation by considering both model and parameter uncertainty. Four different fuel cycle options were compared in the analysis including the once-through cycle (OT), the DUPIC cycle, the MOX cycle and a closed fuel cycle with fast reactors (FR). The model uncertainty was addressed by using three different FCC modeling approaches with and without the time value of money consideration. The relative ratios of FCC in comparison to OT did not change much by using different modeling approaches. This observation was consistent with the results of the sensitivity study for the discount rate. Two different sets of data with uncertainty range of unit costs were used to address the parameter uncertainty of the FCC calculation. The sensitivity study showed that the dominating contributor to the total variance of FCC is the uranium price. In general, the FCC of OT was found to be the lowest followed by FR, MOX, and DUPIC. But depending on the uranium price, the FR cycle was found to have lower FCC over OT. The reprocessing cost was also found to have a major impact on FCC

Thorium fuel cycle management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zajac, R.; Darilek, P.; Breza, J.; Necas, V.

2010-01-01

In this presentation author deals with the thorium fuel cycle management. Description of the thorium fuels and thorium fuel cycle benefits and challenges as well as thorium fuel calculations performed by the computer code HELIOS are presented.

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Information System. A directory of nuclear fuel cycle facilities. 2009 ed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-04-01

The Nuclear Fuel Cycle Information System (NFCIS) is an international directory of civilian nuclear fuel cycle facilities, published online as part of the Integrated Nuclear Fuel Cycle Information System (iNFCIS: http://www-nfcis.iaea.org/). This is the fourth hardcopy publication in almost 30 years and it represents a snapshot of the NFCIS database as of the end of 2008. Together with the attached CD-ROM, it provides information on 650 civilian nuclear fuel cycle facilities in 53 countries, thus helping to improve the transparency of global nuclear fuel cycle activities

Fuel reprocessing: safety analysis of extraction cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dinh, B.; Mauborgne, B.; Baron, P.; Mercier, J.P.

1991-01-01

An essential part of the safety analysis related to the extraction cycles of reprocessing plants, is the analysis of their behaviour during steady-state and transient operations, by means of simulation codes. These codes are based on the chemical properties of the main species involved (distribution coefficient and kinetics) and the hydrodynamics inside the contactors (mixer-settlers and pulsed columns). These codes have been consolidated by comparison of calculations with experimental results. The safety analysis is essentially performed in two steps. The first step is a parametric sensitivity analysis of the chemical flowsheet operated: the effect of a misadjustment (flowrate of feed, solvent, etc) is evaluated by successive steady-state calculations. These calculations help the identification of the sensitive parameters for the risk of plutonium accumulation, while indicating the permissible level of misadjustment. These calculations also serve to identify the parameters which should be measured during plant operation. The second step is the study of transient regimes, for the most sensitive parameters related to plutonium accumulation risk. The aim is to confirm the conclusions of the first step and to check that the characteristic process parameters chosen effectively allow, the early and reliable detection of any drift towards a plutonium accumulating regime. The procedures to drive the process backwards to a specified convenient steady-state regime from a drifting-state are also verified. The identification of the sensitive parameters, the process status parameters and the process transient analysis, allow a good control of process operation. This procedure, applied to the first purification cycle of COGEMA's UP3-A La Hague plant has demonstrated the total safety of facility operations

Nuclear-fuel-cycle education: Module 1. Nuclear fuel cycle overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eckhoff, N.D.

1981-07-01

This educational module is an overview of the nuclear-fule-cycle. The overview covers nuclear energy resources, the present and future US nuclear industry, the industry view of nuclear power, the International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Evaluation program, the Union of Concerned Scientists view of the nuclear-fuel-cycle, an analysis of this viewpoint, resource requirements for a model light water reactor, and world nuclear power considerations

Effect of DUPIC cycle on CANDU reactor safety parameters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohamed, Nader M. A. [Atomic Energy Authority, ETRR-2, Cairo (Egypt); Badawi, Alya [Dept. of Nuclear and Radiation Engineering, Alexandria University, Alexandria (Egypt)

2016-10-15

Although, the direct use of spent pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel in CANda Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) reactors (DUPIC) cycle is still under investigation, DUPIC cycle is a promising method for uranium utilization improvement, for reduction of high level nuclear waste, and for high degree of proliferation resistance. This paper focuses on the effect of DUPIC cycle on CANDU reactor safety parameters. MCNP6 was used for lattice cell simulation of a typical 3,411 MWth PWR fueled by UO{sub 2} enriched to 4.5w/o U-235 to calculate the spent fuel inventories after a burnup of 51.7 MWd/kgU. The code was also used to simulate the lattice cell of CANDU-6 reactor fueled with spent fuel after its fabrication into the standard 37-element fuel bundle. It is assumed a 5-year cooling time between the spent fuel discharges from the PWR to the loading into the CANDU-6. The simulation was carried out to calculate the burnup and the effect of DUPIC fuel on: (1) the power distribution amongst the fuel elements of the bundle; (2) the coolant void reactivity; and (3) the reactor point-kinetics parameters.

Reload safety evaluation report for Ulchin nuclear power plant unit 2, cycle 6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, Jin Gon; Park, Jin Ha; Kim, Oh Hwan; Oh, Dong Seok; Kim, Du Ill; Choi, Han Rim; Ku, Dong Uk; Bae, Hoo Gun

1994-07-01

This report presents a reload safety evaluation for Ulchin-2, cycle 6 and demonstrates that the core being composed of various fuel types as described in the report will not adversely affect the safety of the public and the plant. All of the accidents comprising the licensing bases which could potentially be affected by the fuel reload have been reviewed for the cycle 6 core and results are described in the report. (Author) 1 ref., 3 figs., 7 tabs

Development of a Code for the Long Term Radiological Safety Assessment of Radioactive Wastes from Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities in Republic of Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Yong Soo

2010-01-01

For the purpose of evaluating annual individual doses from a potential repository disposing of radioactive wastes from the operation of the prospective advanced nuclear fuel cycle facilities in Korea, the new safety assessment code based on the Goldsim has been developed. It was designed to compare the environmental impacts from many fuel cycle options such as direct disposal, wet and dry recycling. The code based on the compartment theory can be applied to assess both normal and what if scenarios

Future fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Archinoff, G.H.

1980-01-01

A fuel cycle must offer both financial and resource savings if it is to be considered for introduction into Ontario's nuclear system. The most promising alternative CANDU fuel cycles are examined in the context of both of these factors over a wide range of installed capacity growth rates and economic assumptions, in order to determine which fuel cycle, or cycles, should be introduced, and when. It is concluded that the optimum path for the long term begins with the prompt introduction of the low-enriched-uranium fuel cycle. For a wide range of conditions, this cycle remains the optimum throughout the very long term. Conditions of rapid nuclear growth and very high uranium price escalation rates warrant the supersedure of the low-enriched-uranium cycle by either a plutonium-topped thorium cycle or plutonium recycle, beginning between 2010 and 2025. It is also found that the uranium resource position is sound in terms of both known resources and production capability. Moreover, introduction of the low-enriched-uranium fuel cycle and 1250 MWe reactor units will assure the economic viability of nuclear power until at least 2020, even if uranium prices increase at a rate of 3.5% above inflation. The interrelationship between these two conclusions lies in the tremendous incentive for exploration which will occur if the real uranium price escalation rate is high. From a competitive viewpoint, nuclear power can withstand increases in the price of uranium. However, such increases will likely further expand the resource base, making nuclear an even more reliable energy source. (auth)

A review on future trends of LWR fuel cycle costs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tamiya, S.; Otomo, T.; Meguro, T.

1977-01-01

In the cost estimations in the past, the main components of fuel cycle were mining and milling, uranium enrichment and fuel fabrication, and reprocessing charge deemed to be recovered by plutonium credit. Since the oil crisis, every component of fuel cycle cost has gone up in recent years as well as the construction cost of a power station. Recent analysis shows that the costs in the back end of fuel cycle are much higher than those anticipated several years ago, although their contribution to the electricity generating cost by nuclear would be small. The situation of the back end of the fuel cycle has been quite changed in recent years, and there are still many uncertainties in this field, that is, regulatory requirements for reprocessing plant such as safety, safeguards, environmental protection and high level waste management. So, it makes it more difficult to estimate the investment in this sector of fuel cycle, therefore, to estimate the cost of this sector. The institutional problems must be cleared in relation to the ultimate disposal of high level waste, too. Co-location of some parts of fuel cycle facilities may also affect on the fuel cycle costs. In this paper a review is made of the future trend of nuclear fuel cycle cost of LWR based on the recent analysis. Those factors which affect the fuel cycle costs are also discussed. In order to reduce the uncertainties of the cost estimations as soon as possible, the necessity is emphasized to discuss internationally such items as the treatment and disposal of high level radioactive wastes, siting issues of a reprocessing plant, physical protection of plutonium and the effects of plutonium on the environment

The nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, P.M.S.

1987-01-01

This chapter explains the distinction between fissile and fertile materials, examines briefly the processes involved in fuel manufacture and management, describes the alternative nuclear fuel cycles and considers their advantages and disadvantages. Fuel management is usually divided into three stages; the front end stage of production and fabrication, the back end stage which deals with the fuel after it is removed from the reactor (including reprocessing and waste treatment) and the stage in between when the fuel is actually in the reactor. These stages are illustrated and explained in detail. The plutonium fuel cycle and thorium-uranium-233 fuel cycle are explained. The differences between fuels for thermal reactors and fast reactors are explained. (U.K.)

Comparative assessment of nuclear fuel cycles. Light-water reactor once-through, classical fast breeder reactor, and symbiotic fast breeder reactor cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hardie, R.W.; Barrett, R.J.; Freiwald, J.G.

1980-06-01

The object of the Alternative Nuclear Fuel Cycle Study is to perform comparative assessments of nuclear power systems. There are two important features of this study. First, this evaluation attempts to encompass the complete, integrated fuel cycle from mining of uranium ore to disposal of waste rather than isolated components. Second, it compares several aspects of each cycle - energy use, economics, technological status, proliferation, public safety, and commercial potential - instead of concentrating on one or two assessment areas. This report presents assessment results for three fuel cycles. These are the light-water reactor once-through cycle, the fast breeder reactor on the classical plutonium cycle, and the fast breeder reactor on a symbiotic cycle using plutonium and 233 U as fissile fuels. The report also contains a description of the methodology used in this assessment. Subsequent reports will present results for additional fuel cycles

LIFE vs. LWR: End of the Fuel Cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farmer, J.C.; Blink, J.A.; Shaw, H.F.

2008-01-01

The worldwide energy consumption in 2003 was 421 quadrillion Btu (Quads), and included 162 quads for oil, 99 quads for natural gas, 100 quads for coal, 27 quads for nuclear energy, and 33 quads for renewable sources. The projected worldwide energy consumption for 2030 is 722 quads, corresponding to an increase of 71% over the consumption in 2003. The projected consumption for 2030 includes 239 quads for oil, 190 quads for natural gas, 196 quads for coal, 35 quads for nuclear energy, and 62 quads for renewable sources (International Energy Outlook, DOE/EIA-0484, Table D1 (2006) p. 133]. The current fleet of light water reactors (LRWs) provides about 20% of current U.S. electricity, and about 16% of current world electricity. The demand for electricity is expected to grow steeply in this century, as the developing world increases its standard of living. With the increasing price for oil and gasoline within the United States, as well as fear that our CO2 production may be driving intolerable global warming, there is growing pressure to move away from oil, natural gas, and coal towards nuclear energy. Although there is a clear need for nuclear energy, issues facing waste disposal have not been adequately dealt with, either domestically or internationally. Better technological approaches, with better public acceptance, are needed. Nuclear power has been criticized on both safety and waste disposal bases. The safety issues are based on the potential for plant damage and environmental effects due to either nuclear criticality excursions or loss of cooling. Redundant safety systems are used to reduce the probability and consequences of these risks for LWRs. LIFE engines are inherently subcritical, reducing the need for systems to control the fission reactivity. LIFE engines also have a fuel type that tolerates much higher temperatures than LWR fuel, and has two safety systems to remove decay heat in the event of loss of coolant or loss of coolant flow. These features of

WNA's worldwide overview on front-end nuclear fuel cycle growth and health, safety and environmental issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Saint-Pierre, Sylvain; Kidd, Steve

2011-01-01

This paper presents the WNA's worldwide nuclear industry overview on the anticipated growth of the front-end nuclear fuel cycle from uranium mining to conversion and enrichment, and on the related key health, safety, and environmental (HSE) issues and challenges. It also puts an emphasis on uranium mining in new producing countries with insufficiently developed regulatory regimes that pose greater HSE concerns. It introduces the new WNA policy on uranium mining: Sustaining Global Best Practices in Uranium Mining and Processing-Principles for Managing Radiation, Health and Safety and the Environment, which is an outgrowth of an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) cooperation project that closely involved industry and governmental experts in uranium mining from around the world. Copyright © 2010 Health Physics Society

Economics analysis of fuel cycle cost of fusion–fission hybrid reactors based on different fuel cycle strategies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zu, Tiejun, E-mail: tiejun@mail.xjtu.edu.cn; Wu, Hongchun; Zheng, Youqi; Cao, Liangzhi

2015-01-15

Highlights: • Economics analysis of fuel cycle cost of FFHRs is carried out. • The mass flows of different fuel cycle strategies are established based on the equilibrium fuel cycle model. • The levelized fuel cycle costs of different fuel cycle strategies are calculated, and compared with current once-through fuel cycle. - Abstract: The economics analysis of fuel cycle cost of fusion–fission hybrid reactors has been performed to compare four fuel cycle strategies: light water cooled blanket burning natural uranium (Strategy A) or spent nuclear fuel (Strategy B), sodium cooled blanket burning transuranics (Strategy C) or minor actinides (Strategy D). The levelized fuel cycle costs (LFCC) which does not include the capital cost, operation and maintenance cost have been calculated based on the equilibrium mass flows. The current once-through (OT) cycle strategy has also been analyzed to serve as the reference fuel cycle for comparisons. It is found that Strategy A and Strategy B have lower LFCCs than OT cycle; although the LFCC of Strategy C is higher than that of OT cycle when the uranium price is at its nominal value, it would become comparable to that of OT cycle when the uranium price reaches its historical peak value level; Strategy D shows the highest LFCC, because it needs to reprocess huge mass of spent nuclear fuel; LFCC is sensitive to the discharge burnup of the nuclear fuel.

Simulated first operating campaign for the Integral Fast Reactor fuel cycle demonstration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goff, K.M.; Mariani, R.D.; Benedict, R.W.; Park, K.H.; Ackerman, J.P.

1993-01-01

This report discusses the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) which is an innovative liquid-metal-cooled reactor concept that is being developed by Argonne National Laboratory. It takes advantage of the properties of metallic fuel and liquid-metal cooling to offer significant improvements in reactor safety, operation, fuel cycle-economics, environmental protection, and safeguards. Over the next few years, the IFR fuel cycle will be demonstrated at Argonne-West in Idaho. Spent fuel from the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) win be processed in its associated Fuel Cycle Facility (FCF) using a pyrochemical method that employs molten salts and liquid metals in an electrorefining operation. As part of the preparation for the fuel cycle demonstration, a computer code, PYRO, was developed at Argonne to model the electrorefining operation using thermodynamic and empirical data. This code has been used extensively to evaluate various operating strategies for the fuel cycle demonstration. The modeled results from the first operating campaign are presented. This campaign is capable of processing more than enough material to refuel completely the EBR-II core

Comparison of different back end fuel cycle concepts and evaluation of their feasibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baetke, K.; Baumgaertel, G.; Bechthold, W.; Becker, R.; Closs, K.D.; Dippel, T.; Engelmann, H.J.; Fischer, P.M.; Fischer, U.; Haug, H.O.

1980-09-01

The study represents a comparison between the two alternative back end fuel cycle concepts, i.e., the 'integrated back end fuel cycle concept', (reprocessing, recycling of uranium and plutonium) and the 'spent fuel disposal concept', under aspects of technical feasibility, radiation accidents, radiological impact, and energy policy as well as with respect of the proliferation hazards issuing from each of these concepts. An overall comparison of the two back end fuel cycle concepts and the two fuel cycles, respectively, is not yet feasible at the present time, pending clarification of a number of problems of detail. For this reason, the Study also indicates the research activities that must still be carried out on spent fuel disposal in the next few years, in order to allow the comparison of the two back end fuel cycle alternatives to be carried out with respect to safety, as demanded by the heads of government of the Federal Republic and the Federal States for the mid-eighties. (orig./HP) [de

Analysis and consideration for the US criteria of nuclear fuel cycle facilities to resist natural disasters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen Hong

2013-01-01

Natural disasters pose a threat to the safety of nuclear facilities. Fukushima nuclear accident tells us that nuclear safety in siting, design and construction shall be strengthened in case of external events caused by natural disasters. This paper first analyzes the DOE criteria of nuclear fuel cycle facilities to resist natural disasters. Then to develop our national criteria for natural disaster resistance of nuclear fuel cycle facilities is suggested, so as to ensure the safety of these facilities. (authors)

Verifiable Fuel Cycle Simulation Model (VISION): A Tool for Analyzing Nuclear Fuel Cycle Futures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobson, Jacob J.; Piet, Steven J.; Matthern, Gretchen E.; Shropshire, David E.; Jeffers, Robert F.; Yacout, A.M.; Schweitzer, Tyler

2010-01-01

The nuclear fuel cycle consists of a set of complex components that are intended to work together. To support the nuclear renaissance, it is necessary to understand the impacts of changes and timing of events in any part of the fuel cycle system such as how the system would respond to each technological change, a series of which moves the fuel cycle from where it is to a postulated future state. The system analysis working group of the United States research program on advanced fuel cycles (formerly called the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative) is developing a dynamic simulation model, VISION, to capture the relationships, timing, and changes in and among the fuel cycle components to help develop an understanding of how the overall fuel cycle works. This paper is an overview of the philosophy and development strategy behind VISION. The paper includes some descriptions of the model components and some examples of how to use VISION. For example, VISION users can now change yearly the selection of separation or reactor technologies, the performance characteristics of those technologies, and/or the routing of material among separation and reactor types - with the model still operating on a PC in <5 min.

Fuel cycle performance indices in a high-converting LWR core design with once-through thorium fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Myung-Hyun; Kim, Kwan-Hee; Kim, Young-il

2004-01-01

A design concept of pressure-tube type light water cooled reactor (HCPLWR) core was proposed as a thermal high-conversion reactor using a thorium based once-through cycle strategy. In a previous work, fuel cycle economics and nuclear safety were confirmed. In this work, HCPLWR was evaluated in the aspects of proliferation resistance and transmutation capability. Evaluation was done as a direct comparison of indices with PWR, CANDU and Radkowsky Thorium Fuel (RTF). Conversion ratio was measured by fissile inventory ratio and fissile gain. Proliferation resistance of plutonium composition from spent seed and blanket fuels was measured by bare critical mass, spontaneous neutron source rate, and thermal heat generation rate. For the evaluation of long-lived minor actinide transmutation was measured by a new parameter, effective fission half-life. Two-dimensional calculation for the assembly-wise unit module showed each parameter values. Even though conversion capability of HCPLWR was higher than one of RTF, it was concluded that current HCPLWR design was not favorable than RTF. Design optimization is required for the future work. (author)

Economic comparison of fusion fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brereton, S.J.; Kazimi, M.S.

1987-01-01

The economics of the DT, DD, and DHe fusion fuel cycles are evaluated by comparison on a consistent basis. The designs for the comparison employ HT-9 structure and helium coolant; liquid lithium is used as the tritium breeding material for the DT fuel cycle. The reactors are pulsed, superconducting tokamaks, producing 1200 MW of electric power. The DT and DD designs scan a range of values of plasma beta, assuming first stability scaling laws. The results indicate that on a purely economic basis, the DT fuel cycle is superior to both of the advanced fuel cycles. Geometric factors, materials limitations, and plasma beta were seen to have an impact on the Cost of Electricity (COE). The economics for the DD fuel cycle are more strongly affected by these parameters than is the DT fuel cycle. Fuel costs are a major factor in determining the COE for the DHe fuel cycle. Based on costs directly attributable to the fuel cycle, the DT fuel cycle appears most attractive. Technological advances, improved understanding of physics, or strides in advanced energy conversion schemes may result in altering the economic ranking of the fuel cycles indicated here. 7 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs

The plutonium fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pigford, T.H.; Ang, K.P.

1975-01-01

The quantities of plutonium and other fuel actinides have been calculated for equilibrium fuel cycles for 1000-MW water reactors fueled with slightly enriched uranium, water reactors fueled with plutonium and natural uranium, fast-breder reactors, gas-cooled reactors fueled with thorium and highly enriched uranium, and gas-cooled reactors fueled with thorium, plutonium and recycled uranium. The radioactivity quantities of plutonium, americium and curium processed yearly in these fuel cycles are greatest for the water reactors fueled with natural uranium and recycled plutonium. The total amount of actinides processed is calculated for the predicted future growth of the U.S. nuclear power industry. For the same total installed nuclear power capacity, the introduction of the plutonium breeder has little effect upon the total amount of plutonium in this century. The estimated amount of plutonium in the low-level process wastes in the plutonium fuel cycles is comparable to the amount of plutonium in the high-level fission product wastes. The amount of plutonium processed in the nuclear fuel cycles can be considerably reduced by using gas-cooled reactors to consume plutonium produced in uranium-fueled water reactors. These, and other reactors dedicated for plutonium utilization, could be co-located with facilities for fuel reprocessing ad fuel fabrication to eliminate the off-site transport of separated plutonium. (author)

Fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hawley, N.J.

1983-05-01

AECL publications, from the open literature, on fuels and fuel cycles used in CANDU reactors are listed in this bibliography. The accompanying index is by subject. The bibliography will be brought up to date periodically

Nuclear-fuel-cycle costs. Consolidated Fuel-Reprocessing Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burch, W.D.; Haire, M.J.; Rainey, R.H.

1981-01-01

The costs for the back-end of the nuclear fuel cycle, which were developed as part of the Nonproliferation Alternative Systems Assessment Program (NASAP), are presented. Total fuel-cycle costs are given for the pressurized-water reactor once-through and fuel-recycle systems, and for the liquid-metal fast-breeder-reactor system. These calculations show that fuel-cycle costs are a small part of the total power costs. For breeder reactors, fuel-cycle costs are about half that of the present once-through system. The total power cost of the breeder-reactor system is greater than that of light-water reactor at today's prices for uranium and enrichment

Energy and Nuclear Fuel Cycle in the Asia Pacific

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soentono, S.

1998-01-01

Asia in the Asia Pacific region will face a scarcity of energy supply and an environmental pollution in the near future. On the other hand, development demands an increasing standard of living for a large number of, and still growing, population. Nuclear energy utilization is to be one of the logical alterative to overcome those problems. From the economical point of view, Asia has been ready to introduce the nuclear energy utilization. Asia should establish the cooperation in all aspects such as in politics, economics and human resources through multilateral agreement between countries to enable the introduction successfully. Although the beginning of the introduction, the selection of the reactor types and the nuclear fuel cycle utilized are limited, but eventually the nuclear fuel cycle chosen should be the one of a better material usage as well as non proliferation proof. The fuel reprocessing and spent fuel storage may become the main technological and political issues. The radioactive waste management technology however should not be a problem for a country starting the nuclear energy utilization, but a sound convincing waste management programme is indispensable to obtained public acceptance. The operating nuclear power countries can play important roles in various aspects such as problem solving in waste management, disseminating nuclear safety experiences, conducting education and training, developing the advanced nuclear fuel cycle for better utilization of nuclear fuels, and enhancing as well as strengthening the non-proliferation. It has to be remembered that cooperation in human resources necessitates the important of maintaining and improving the safety culture, which has been already practiced during the last 4 decades by nuclear community

Review of the IAEA nuclear fuel cycle and material section activities connected with nuclear fuel including WWER fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sokolov, F.

2001-01-01

Program activities on Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Materials cover the areas of: 1) raw materials (B.1.01); 2) fuel performance and technology (B.1.02); 3) pent fuel (B.1.03); 4) fuel cycle issues and information system (B.1.04); 5) support to technical cooperation activities (B.1.05). The IAEA activities in fuel performance and technology in 2001 include organization of the fuel experts meetings and completion of the Co-ordinate Research Projects (CRP). The special attention is given to the advanced post-irradiation examination techniques for water reactor fuel and fuel behavior under transients and LOCA conditions. An international research program on modeling of activity transfer in primary circuit of NPP is finalized in 2001. A new CRP on fuel modeling at extended burnup (FUMEX II) has planed to be carried out during the period 2002-2006. In the area of spent fuel management the implementation of burnup credit (BUC) in spent fuel management systems has motivated to be used in criticality safety applications, based on economic consideration. An overview of spent fuel storage policy accounting new fuel features as higher enrichment and final burnup, usage of MOX fuel and prolongation of the term of spent fuel storage is also given

Status and prospects of safety research of fuel cycle facilities in France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Auchere, H.; Mercier, J.P.

1996-01-01

The following themes of research are discussed: prolonged loss of cooling in concentrated fission product solution storage tanks; dewatering of a spent fuel storage pond; explosion risks in nuclear fuel cycle laboratories and plants; dissemination of radioactive materials in case of fire in fuel manufacturing plants and in spent fuel analysis laboratories; contamination transfer; phenomenology of liquid uranium hexafluoride vaporization into the atmosphere; ways and means of intervention in the event of liquid ClF 3 leakage; offsite explosion; seismic research. (K.A.)

Proceeding of the Fifth Scientific Presentation on Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Development of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Technology in Third Millennium; Presentasi Ilmiah Daur Bahan Bakar Nuklir V: Pengembangan Teknologi Daur Bahan Bakar Nuklir Dalam Menyongsong Milenium Ketiga

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suripto, A; Sastratenaya, A S; Sutarno, D [National Atomic Energy Agency, Serpong (Indonesia); and others

2000-03-08

The proceeding contains papers presented in the Fifth Scientific Presentation on Nuclear Fuel Element Cycle with theme of Development of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Technology in Third Millennium, held on 22 February in Jakarta, Indonesia. These papers were divided by three groups that are technology of exploration, processing, purification and analysis of nuclear materials; technology of nuclear fuel elements and structures; and technology of waste management, safety and management of nuclear fuel cycle. There are 35 papers indexed individually. (id)

Fuel and fuel cycles with high burnup for WWER reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chernushev, V.; Sokolov, F.

2002-01-01

The paper discusses the status and trends in development of nuclear fuel and fuel cycles for WWER reactors. Parameters and main stages of implementation of new fuel cycles will be presented. At present, these new fuel cycles are offered to NPPs. Development of new fuel and fuel cycles based on the following principles: profiling fuel enrichment in a cross section of fuel assemblies; increase of average fuel enrichment in fuel assemblies; use of refuelling schemes with lower neutron leakage ('in-in-out'); use of integrated fuel gadolinium-based burnable absorber (for a five-year fuel cycle); increase of fuel burnup in fuel assemblies; improving the neutron balance by using structural materials with low neutron absorption; use of zirconium alloy claddings which are highly resistant to irradiation and corrosion. The paper also presents the results of fuel operation. (author)

Development of multilateral comparative evaluation method for fuel cycle system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tamaki, Hitoshi; Ikushima, Takeshi; Nomura, Yasushi; Nakajima, Kiyoshi.

1998-03-01

In the near future, Japanese nuclear fuel cycle system will be promoted by national nuclear energy policy, and it''s options i.e. once through, thermal cycle and fast breeder cycle must be selected by multilateral comparative evaluation method from various aspects of safety, society, economy, and e.t.c. Therefore such a problem can be recognized as a social problem of decision making and applied for AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) that can multilaterally and comparatively evaluate the problem. On comparative evaluation, much information are needed for decision making, therefore two kinds of databases having these information have been constructed. And then, the multilateral comparative evaluation method consisting of two kinds of databases and AHP for optimum selection of fuel cycle system option have been developed. (author)

Enhanced CANDU6: Reactor and fuel cycle options - Natural uranium and beyond

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ovanes, M.; Chan, P. S. W.; Mao, J.; Alderson, N.; Hopwood, J. M.

2012-01-01

The Enhanced CANDU 6 R (ECo R ) is the updated version of the well established CANDU 6 family of units incorporating improved safety characteristics designed to meet or exceed Generation III nuclear power plant expectations. The EC6 retains the excellent neutron economy and fuel cycle flexibility that are inherent in the CANDU reactor design. The reference design is based on natural uranium fuel, but the EC6 is also able to utilize additional fuel options, including the use of Recovered Uranium (RU) and Thorium based fuels, without requiring major hardware upgrades to the existing control and safety systems. This paper outlines the major changes in the EC6 core design from the existing C6 design that significantly enhance the safety characteristics and operating efficiency of the reactor. The use of RU fuel as a transparent replacement fuel for the standard 37-el NU fuel, and several RU based advanced fuel designs that give significant improvements in fuel burnup and inherent safety characteristics are also discussed in the paper. In addition, the suitability of the EC6 to use MOX and related Pu-based fuels will also be discussed. (authors)

Fuel rod behaviour at high burnup WWER fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Medvedev, A.; Bogatyr, S.; Kouznetsov, V.; Khvostov, G.; Lagovsky; Korystin, L.; Poudov, V.

2003-01-01

The modernisation of WWER fuel cycles is carried out on the base of complete modelling and experimental justification of fuel rods up to 70 MWd/kgU. The modelling justification of the reliability of fuel rod and fuel rod with gadolinium is carried out with the use of certified START-3 code. START-3 code has a continuous experimental support. The thermophysical and strength reliability of WWER-440 fuel is justified for fuel rod and pellet burnups 65 MWd/kgU and 74 MWd/U, accordingly. Results of analysis are demonstrated by the example of uranium-gadolinium fuel assemblies of second generation under 5-year cycle with a portion of 6-year assemblies and by the example of successfully completed pilot operation of 5-year cycle fuel assemblies during 6 years at unit 3 of Kolskaja NPP. The thermophysical and strength reliability of WWER-1000 fuel is justified for a fuel rod burnup 66 MWd/kgU by the example of fuel operation under 4-year cycles and 6-year test operation of fuel assemblies at unit 1 of Kalininskaya NPP. By the example of 5-year cycle at Dukovany NPP Unit 2 it was demonstrated that WWER fuel rod of a burnup 58 MWd/kgU ensure reliable operation under load following conditions. The analysis has confirmed sufficient reserves of Russian fuel to implement program of JSC 'TVEL' in order to improve technical and economical parameters of WWER fuel cycles

Report of short term research group on environment safety in nuclear fuel cycle, 1983

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-01-01

The research group on environment safety in nuclear fuel cycle was organized in fiscal 1979 as the research group in the range of the common utilization of Yayoi, and this is the third year since it developed into the short term research group in the Nuclear Engineering Research Laboratory. The results obtained so far were summarized in three reports, UTNL-R110, 134 and 147. In this fiscal year, ''The chemistry of reprocessing'' is the subtheme, and this short term research is to be carried out. The meeting is held on March 23 and 24, 1984, in this Laboratory, and the following reports are presented. The conference on institutional stability and the disposal of nuclear and chemically toxic wastes held at MIT, the social scientific analysis of nuclear power development, the present status of reprocessing research in foreign countries, the problems based on the operation experience of actual plants, the chemistry of fuel dissolution, the chemistry of solvent extraction, reprocessing offgas treatment and problems, the chemistry of fixing Kr and I in zeolite, waste treatment in the Tokai Reprocessing Plant of Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp., the chemistry of actinoids, denitration process and the chemistry of MOX production, and future reprocessing research. (Kako, I.)

Part 5. Fuel cycle options

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lineberry, M.J.; McFarlane, H.F.; Amundson, P.I.; Goin, R.W.; Webster, D.S.

1980-01-01

The results of the FBR fuel cycle study that supported US contributions to the INFCE are presented. Fuel cycle technology is reviewed from both generic and historical standpoints. Technology requirements are developed within the framework of three deployment scenarios: the reference international, the secured area, and the integral cycle. Reprocessing, fabrication, waste handling, transportation, and safeguards are discussed for each deployment scenario. Fuel cycle modifications designed to increase proliferation defenses are described and assessed for effectiveness and technology feasibility. The present status of fuel cycle technology is reviewed and key issues that require resolution are identified

Benefits of barrier fuel on fuel cycle economics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crowther, R.L.; Kunz, C.L.

1988-01-01

Barrier fuel rod cladding was developed to eliminate fuel rod failures from pellet/cladding stress/corrosion interaction and to eliminate the associated need to restrict the rate at which fuel rod power can be increased. The performance of barrier cladding has been demonstrated through extensive testing and through production application to many boiling water reactors (BWRs). Power reactor data have shown that barrier fuel rod cladding has a significant beneficial effect on plant capacity factor and plant operating costs and significantly increases fuel reliability. Independent of the fuel reliability benefit, it is less obvious that barrier fuel has a beneficial effect of fuel cycle costs, since barrier cladding is more costly to fabricate. Evaluations, measurements, and development activities, however, have shown that the fuel cycle cost benefits of barrier fuel are large. This paper is a summary of development activities that have shown that application of barrier fuel significantly reduces BWR fuel cycle costs

A status report on the integral fast reactor fuels and safety program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pedersen, D.R.; Seidel, B.R.

1990-01-01

The integral fast reactor (IFR) is an advanced liquid-metal-cooled reactor (ALMR) concept being developed at Argonne National Laboratory. The IFR program is specifically responsible for the irradiation performance, advanced core design, safety analysis, and development of the fuel cycle for the US Department of Energy's ALMR program. The basic elements of the IFR concept are (a) metallic fuel, (b) liquid-sodium cooling, (c) modular, pool-type reactor configuration, (d) an integral fuel cycle based upon pyrometallurgical processing. The most significant safety aspects of the IFR program result from its unique fuel design, a ternary alloy of uranium, plutonium, and zirconium. This fuel is based on experience gained through > 25 yr operation of the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) with a uranium alloy metallic fuel. The ultimate criteria for fuel pin design is the overall integrity at the target burnup. The probability of core meltdown is remote; however, a theoretical possibility of core meltdown remains. The next major step in the IFR development program will be a full-scale pyroprocessing demonstration to be carried out in conjunction with EBR-II. The IFR fuel cycle closure based on pyroprocessing will also have a dramatic impact on waste management options and on actinide recycling

Design of fuel loading for Bohunice V-1 Unit 2 reaktor for fuel cycle No.19

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majercik, J.

1998-01-01

The report contains description of the design of fuel loading for the fuel cycle No. 19 in the V-1 Bohunice Unit 2 reactor. Input data and computer codes used for the development of the design are shown. The fuel loading is characterized by the assortment of the fuel loaded and by the scheme of re shuffling of assemblies in the core. An evaluation of basic neutronic core parameters as relates to the compliance with safety criteria is a part of the report as well

Practical introduction of thorium fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasten, P.R.

1982-01-01

The pracitcal introduction of throrium fuel cycles implies that thorium fuel cycles compete economically with uranium fuel cycles in economic nuclear power plants. In this study the reactor types under consideration are light water reactors (LWRs), heavy water reactors (HWRs), high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs), and fast breeder reactors (FBRs). On the basis that once-through fuel cycles will be used almost exclusively for the next 20 or 25 years, introduction of economic thorium fuel cycles appears best accomplished by commercial introduction of HTGRs. As the price of natural uranium increases, along with commercialization of fuel recycle, there will be increasing incentive to utilize thorium fuel cycles in heavy water reactors and light water reactors as well as in HTGRs. After FBRs and fuel recycle are commercialized, use of thorium fuel cycles in the blanket of FBRs appears advantageous when fast breeder reactors and thermal reactors operate in a symbiosis mode (i.e., where 233 U bred in the blanket of a fast breeder reactor is utilized as fissile fuel in thermal converter reactors)

Fuel safety research 1999

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uetsuka, Hiroshi (ed.) [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

2000-07-01

In April 1999, the Fuel Safety Research Laboratory was newly established as a result of reorganization of the Nuclear Safety Research Center, JAERI. The laboratory was organized by combining three laboratories, the Reactivity Accident Laboratory, the Fuel Reliability Laboratory, and a part of the Sever Accident Research Laboratory. Consequently, the Fuel Safety Research Laboratory is now in charge of all the fuel safety research in JAERI. Various types of experimental and analytical researches are conducted in the laboratory by using the unique facilities such as the Nuclear Safety Research Reactor (NSRR), the Japan Material Testing Reactor (JMTR), the Japan Research Reactor 3 (JRR-3) and hot cells in JAERI. The laboratory consists of five research groups corresponding to each research fields. They are; (a) Research group of fuel behavior under the reactivity initiated accident conditions (RIA group). (b) Research group of fuel behavior under the loss-of-coolant accident conditions (LOCA group). (c) Research group of fuel behavior under the normal operation conditions (JMTR/BOCA group). (d) Research group of fuel behavior analysis (FEMAXI group). (e) Research group of FP release/transport behavior from irradiated fuel (VEGA group). This report summarizes the outline of research activities and major outcomes of the research executed in 1999 in the Fuel Safety Research Laboratory. (author)

Advanced fuels safety comparisons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grolmes, M.A.

1977-01-01

The safety considerations of advanced fuels are described relative to the present understanding of the safety of oxide fueled Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactors (LMFBR). Safety considerations important for the successful implementation of advanced fueled reactors must early on focus on the accident energetics issues of fuel coolant interactions and recriticality associated with core disruptive accidents. It is in these areas where the thermal physical property differences of the advanced fuel have the greatest significance

Proceedings of the 2nd NUCEF international symposium NUCEF`98. Safety research and development of base technology on nuclear fuel cycle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-03-01

This volume contains 68 papers presented at the 2nd NUCEF International Symposium NUCEF`98 held on 16-17 November 1998, in Hitachinaka, Japan, following the 1st symposium NUCEF`95 (Proceeding: JAERI-Conf 96-003). The theme of this symposium was `Safety Research and Development of Base Technology on Nuclear Fuel Cycle`. The papers were presented in oral and poster sessions on following research fields: (1) Criticality Safety, (2) Reprocessing and Partitioning, (3) Radioactive Waste Management. The 68 papers are indexed individually. (J.P.N.)

Proceedings of the 2nd NUCEF international symposium NUCEF'98. Safety research and development of base technology on nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-03-01

This volume contains 68 papers presented at the 2nd NUCEF International Symposium NUCEF'98 held on 16-17 November 1998, in Hitachinaka, Japan, following the 1st symposium NUCEF'95 (Proceeding: JAERI-Conf 96-003). The theme of this symposium was 'Safety Research and Development of Base Technology on Nuclear Fuel Cycle'. The papers were presented in oral and poster sessions on following research fields: (1) Criticality Safety, (2) Reprocessing and Partitioning, (3) Radioactive Waste Management. The 68 papers are indexed individually. (J.P.N.)

Consequences of Fuel Failure on Criticality Safety of Used Nuclear Fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marshall, William J.; Wagner, John C.

2012-09-01

This report documents work performed for the Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy (DOENE) Fuel Cycle Technologies Used Fuel Disposition Campaign to assess the impact of fuel reconfiguration due to fuel failure on the criticality safety of used nuclear fuel (UNF) in storage and transportation casks. This work was motivated by concerns related to the potential for fuel degradation during extended storage (ES) periods and transportation following ES, but has relevance to other potential causes of fuel reconfiguration. Commercial UNF in the United States is expected to remain in storage for longer periods than originally intended. Extended storage time and irradiation of nuclear fuel to high-burnup values (>45 GWd/t) may increase the potential for fuel failure during normal and accident conditions involving storage and transportation. Fuel failure, depending on the severity, can result in changes to the geometric configuration of the fuel, which has safety and regulatory implications for virtually all aspects of a UNF storage and transport system's performance. The potential impact of fuel reconfiguration on the safety of UNF in storage and transportation is dependent on the likelihood and extent of the fuel reconfiguration, which is not well understood and is currently an active area of research. The objective of this work is to assess and quantify the impact of postulated failed fuel configurations on the criticality safety of UNF in storage and transportation casks. Although this work is motivated by the potential for fuel degradation during ES periods and transportation following ES, it has relevance to fuel reconfiguration due to the effects of high burnup. Regardless of the ultimate disposition path, UNF will need to be transported at some point in the future. To investigate and quantify the impact of fuel reconfiguration on criticality safety limits, which are given in terms of the effective neutron multiplication factor, a set of failed fuel

Advanced fuel cycles in CANDU reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Green, R.E.; Boczar, P.G.

1990-04-01

This paper re-examines the rationale for advanced nuclear fuel cycles in general, and for CANDU advanced fuel cycles in particular. The traditional resource-related arguments for more uranium nuclear fuel cycles are currently clouded by record-low prices for uranium. However, the total known conventional uranium resources can support projected uranium requirements for only another 50 years or so, less if a major revival of the nuclear option occurs as part of the solution to the world's environmental problems. While the extent of the uranium resource in the earth's crust and oceans is very large, uncertainty in the availability and price of uranium is the prime resource-related motivation for advanced fuel cycles. There are other important reasons for pursuing advanced fuel cycles. The three R's of the environmental movement, reduce, recycle, reuse, can be achieved in nuclear energy production through the employment of advanced fuel cycles. The adoption of more uranium-conserving fuel cycles would reduce the amount of uranium which needs to be mined, and the environmental impact of that mining. Environmental concerns over the back end of the fuel cycle can be mitigated as well. Higher fuel burnup reduces the volume of spent fuels which needs to be disposed of. The transmutation of actinides and long-lived fission products into short-lived fission products would reduce the radiological hazard of the waste from thousands to hundreds of years. Recycling of uranium and/or plutonium in spent fuel reuses valuable fissile material, leaving only true waste to be disposed of. Advanced fuel cycles have an economical benefit as well, enabling a ceiling to be put on fuel cycle costs, which are

Fuel Cycle and Waste Newsletter, Vol. 8, No. 2, June 2012

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-06-01

Over the past year, a major focus of the business of the Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology has been on Fukushima-related activities. We began with the IAEA's first response by participating in and leading missions to Japan. The IAEA Nuclear Safety Action Plan gave new focus to our activities by defining a programme of work to strengthen the global nuclear safety framework. You can read about many of our activities in previous Newsletters. Until last year's events in Japan, storing spent nuclear fuel that had not been seen as a major challenge. It had not been overlooked, but the routine nature of managing this fuel after its removal from the reactor core had reassured us that all safety aspects were sufficiently addressed. The Fukushima Daiichi accident, however warned us against such complacency. It is an inherent responsibility to continue to explore, examine and assess the significance of nuclear safety vulnerabilities - including the storage of spent fuel. As a part of implementing the IAEA's Action Plan on Nuclear Safety, the IAEA held an International Experts' Meeting on Reactor and Spent Fuel Safety in the Light of the Accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in late March of this year.

The fuel cycle scoping system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dooley, G.D.; Malone, J.P.

1986-01-01

The Fuel Cycle Scoping System (FCSS) was created to fill the need for a scoping tool which provides the utilities with the ability to quickly evaluate alternative fuel management strategies, tails assay choices, fuel fabrication quotes, fuel financing alternatives, fuel cycle schedules, and other fuel cycle perturbations. The FCSS was specifically designed for PC's that support dBASE-III(TM), a relational data base software system by Ashton-Tate. However, knowledge of dBASE-III is not necessary in order to utilize the FCSS. The FCSS is menu driven and can be utilized as a teaching tool as well as a scoping tool

Economic evaluation of fast reactor fuel cycling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Ping; Zhao Fuyu; Yan Zhou; Li Chong

2012-01-01

Economic calculation and analysis of two kinds of nuclear fuel cycle are conducted by check off method, based on the nuclear fuel cycling process and model for fast reactor power plant, and comparison is carried out for the economy of fast reactor fuel cycle and PWR once-through fuel cycle. Calculated based on the current price level, the economy of PWR one-through fuel cycle is better than that of the fast reactor fuel cycle. However, in the long term considering the rising of the natural uranium's price and the development of the post treatment technology for nuclear fuels, the cost of the fast reactor fuel cycle is expected to match or lower than that of the PWR once-through fuel cycle. (authors)

Catalogue and classification of technical safety standards, rules and regulations for nuclear power reactors and nuclear fuel cycle facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fichtner, N.; Becker, K.; Bashir, M.

1977-01-01

The present report is an up-dated version of the report 'Catalogue and Classification of Technical Safety Rules for Light-water Reactors and Reprocessing Plants' edited under code No EUR 5362e, August 1975. Like the first version of the report, it constitutes a catalogue and classification of standards, rules and regulations on land-based nuclear power reactors and fuel cycle facilities. The reasons for the classification system used are given and discussed

Optimization of the fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kidd, S.W.; Balu, K.; Boczar, P.G.; Krebs, W.D.

1999-01-01

The nuclear fuel cycle can be optimized subject to a wide range of criteria. Prime amongst these are economics, sustainability of resources, environmental aspects, and proliferation-resistance of the fuel cycle. Other specific national objectives will also be important. These criteria, and their relative importance, will vary from country to country, and with time. There is no single fuel cycle strategy that is optimal for all countries. Within the short term, the industry is attached to dominant thermal reactor technologies, which themselves have two main variants, a cycle closed by reprocessing of spent fuel and subsequent recycling and a once through one where spent fuel is stored in advance of geological disposal. However, even with current technologies, much can be done to optimize the fuel cycles to meet the relevant criteria. In the long term, resource sustainability can be assured for centuries through the use of fast breeder reactors, supporting high-conversion thermal reactors, possibly also utilizing the thorium cycle. These must, however, meet the other key criteria by being both economic and safe. (author)

Radiological protection and transuranic wastes from the nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morley, F.; Kelly, G.N.

1976-01-01

The significant higher actinides in the nuclear fuel cycle are identified and current knowledge of their radiotoxicity is reviewed with particular emphasis on plutonium. Experience of plutonium in the environment is briefly summarised. The origins of fuel cycle wastes contaminated by actinides are described and available data examined to estimate the amounts of radioactivity involved now and in the future. The radiological importance of individual isotopes of the various actinide elements in wastes is compared and attention drawn to changes with time. Some possible alternative waste management policies are reviewed against the requirements of radiological safety. (author)

CANFLEX-RU fuel development programs as one option of advanced fuel cycles in Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suk, Ho Chun; Sim, Ki-Seob; Chung, Jang Hwan

1999-01-01

As one of the possible fuel cycles in Korea, RU (Recycled Uranium) fuel offers a very attractive alternative to the use of NU (Natural Uranium) and SEU in the CANDU reactors, because Korea is a unique country having both PWR and CANDU reactors. Korea can therefore exploit the natural synergism between the two reactor types to minimise overall waste production, and maximise energy derived from the fuel, by burning the spent fuel from its PWR reactors in CANDU reactors. Potential benefits can be derived from a number of stages in the fuel cycle: no enrichment required, no enrichment tails, direct conversion to UO 2 lower sensitivity to 234 U and 236 U absorption in the CANDU reactor, expected lower cost relative to NU and SEU. These benefits all fit well with the PWR-CANDU fuel cycle synergy. RU arising from the reprocessing of European and Japanese oxide spent fuel by 2000 is projected to be approaching 25,000 te. The use of RU fuel in a CANDU-6 reactor should result in no serious radiological difficulties and no requirements for special precautions and should not require any new technologies for the fuel fabrication and handling. A KAERI's feasibility shows that the use of the CANFLEX bundle as the carrier for RU will be compatible with the reactor design, current safety and operational requirements, and there will be no significant fuel performance difference from the CANDU 37-element NU fuel bundle. Compared with the 37-element NU bundle, the RU fuel has significantly improved fuel cycle economics derived from increased burnups, a large reduction in fuel requirements and spent fuel arisings and the potential lower cost for RU material. There is the potential for annual fuel cost savings to be in the range of one-third to two-thirds, with enhanced operating margins using RU in the CANFLEX bundle design. These benefits provide the rationale for justifying R and D effort on the use of RU fuel for advanced fuel cycles in the CANDU reactors of Korea. The RU fuel

A nuclear fuel cycle operator's point of view on the applicability of the new ICRP recommendations to aspects of nuclear safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheppard, G.T.; Berry, R.J.; Henry, P.

1991-01-01

The first section of the Paper deals with the ICRP recommendations, and makes general comments. The next two sections deal with the implications of the new recommendations on design and operation of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities. The following conclusions are drawn: - The reductions in annual dose limits proposed in the new ICRP recommendations can be accommodated in the majority of modern nuclear fuel cycle facilities, and are less stringent than current design objectives. There are significant national differences between the UK and France in ability to accommodate the new ICRP recommendations on risk limitation from potential exposure situations (accidents). The French view is that it is not realistic to base the safety of industrial installations on risk limits expressed in terms of probability of deaths, while UK experience largely gained in the chemical and other industries, as well as in the nuclear industry, suggests that nuclear fuel cycle facilities will have no difficulty in demonstrating compliance with risk limits currently proposed by ICRP. It is unlikely that underground uranium mining operations, however sophisticated, will be able to operate within the new ICRP recommended dose limits

Research in JAERI on the backend of nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maeda, Mitsuru; Takeshita, Isao

1999-01-01

Japan's policy of the backend of nuclear fuel cycle is to reprocess spent fuels and recycle recovered plutonium and uranium, under the principle of no surplus plutonium. High-level radioactive waste separated during reprocessing will be disposed of after solidification in vitrified form, followed by the storage for 30 to 50 years and finally by ultimate disposal in a deep geological formation. The role of JAERI and the effective utilization of NUCEF would become more important. The current status of JAERI's research on backend cycle is reviewed together with the future research direction with emphases on NUCEF utilization. (1) Major objectives of safety research is to develop safety criteria and establish technical bases for licensing, to improve the safety of current or near future technology and to clarify the safety margin of licensed technology. (2) The present goal of fundamental research is to show or clarify the chemical or scientific feasibility of advanced system such as for recycling minor actinides or for incinerating long-lived nuclides. (3) Supporting research for nuclear material control is also conducted mainly for international contribution to strengthened safeguards by IAEA and to frame working of international monitoring system for CTBT. (J.P.N.)

Rokkashomura: debut of the nuclear fuel cycle business

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1991-01-01

Japan Nuclear Fuel Industries and local governments signed the safety agreement, and the work began to initiate the operation of a uranium enrichment plant. In this way, the national Rokkashomura project to be constructed with the total cost of 1.2 trillion yen marked the debut of nuclear fuel cycle business in Japan. The public hearing concerning the low level radioactive waste storage facility was finished. However, a fuel reprocessing plant has not advanced since the national government did not clarify the policy for the management of high level rad-waste from the plant. Gubernatorial election was the best thing to happen for the public acceptance, and the local opposition movement lost steam. The operation of the uranium enrichment plant is to begin next January, and the construction of the low level waste storage facility proceeds on schedule. Regarding the fuel reprocessing plant, the public hearing is to be held in autumn, but it faces difficulties. The siting of nuclear fuel cycle facilities has already produced benefits for the local economy. 18 business establishments representing 15 firms have so far decided to open in Aomori Prefecture. JNFI and JNFS began the specific study for merger. (K.I.)

BWROPT: A multi-cycle BWR fuel cycle optimization code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ottinger, Keith E.; Maldonado, G. Ivan, E-mail: Ivan.Maldonado@utk.edu

2015-09-15

Highlights: • A multi-cycle BWR fuel cycle optimization algorithm is presented. • New fuel inventory and core loading pattern determination. • The parallel simulated annealing algorithm was used for the optimization. • Variable sampling probabilities were compared to constant sampling probabilities. - Abstract: A new computer code for performing BWR in-core and out-of-core fuel cycle optimization for multiple cycles simultaneously has been developed. Parallel simulated annealing (PSA) is used to optimize the new fuel inventory and placement of new and reload fuel for each cycle considered. Several algorithm improvements were implemented and evaluated. The most significant of these are variable sampling probabilities and sampling new fuel types from an ordered array. A heuristic control rod pattern (CRP) search algorithm was also implemented, which is useful for single CRP determinations, however, this feature requires significant computational resources and is currently not practical for use in a full multi-cycle optimization. The PSA algorithm was demonstrated to be capable of significant objective function reduction and finding candidate loading patterns without constraint violations. The use of variable sampling probabilities was shown to reduce runtime while producing better results compared to using constant sampling probabilities. Sampling new fuel types from an ordered array was shown to have a mixed effect compared to random new fuel type sampling, whereby using both random and ordered sampling produced better results but required longer runtimes.

Trends and Developments for Fast Neutron Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carré, Frank

2013-01-01

• FR13 – A unique and dedicated framework to share updates on national programs of Fast Reactor developments, projects of new builds and plans for the future: - Near term projects of sodium and lead-alloy Fast Reactors; - Gen-IV visions of sodium-cooled and alternative types of Fast Neutron Reactors (GFR, LFR…). • FR13 – A special emphasis put on Fast Reactor Safety, Sustainability of nuclear fuel cycle and Young Generation perspective. • FR13 – A catalyst for further collaborations and alliances: - To share visions of goals and advisable options for future Fast Reactors and Nuclear Fuel Cycle; - To share cost of R&D and large demonstrations (safety, security, recycling); - To progress towards harmonized international standards; - To integrate national projects into a consistent international roadmap

Fuel cycle related parametric study considering long lived actinide production, decay heat and fuel cycle performances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raepsaet, X.; Damian, F.; Lenain, R.; Lecomte, M.

2001-01-01

One of the very attractive HTGR reactor characteristics is its highly versatile and flexible core that can fulfil a wide range of diverse fuel cycles. Based on a GTMHR-600 MWth reactor, analyses of several fuel cycles were carried out without taking into account common fuel particle performance limits (burnup, fast fluence, temperature). These values are, however, indicated in each case. Fuel derived from uranium, thorium and a wide variety of plutonium grades has been considered. Long-lived actinide production and total residual decay heat were evaluated for the various types of fuel. The results presented in this papers provide a comparison of the potential and limits of each fuel cycle and allow to define specific cycles offering lowest actinide production and residual heat associated with a long life cycle. (author)

Advanced Fuel Cycle Economic Sensitivity Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

David Shropshire; Kent Williams; J.D. Smith; Brent Boore

2006-12-01

A fuel cycle economic analysis was performed on four fuel cycles to provide a baseline for initial cost comparison using the Gen IV Economic Modeling Work Group G4 ECON spreadsheet model, Decision Programming Language software, the 2006 Advanced Fuel Cycle Cost Basis report, industry cost data, international papers, the nuclear power related cost study from MIT, Harvard, and the University of Chicago. The analysis developed and compared the fuel cycle cost component of the total cost of energy for a wide range of fuel cycles including: once through, thermal with fast recycle, continuous fast recycle, and thermal recycle.

Fuel-cycle cost comparisons with oxide and silicide fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matos, J.E.; Freese, K.E.

1982-01-01

This paper addresses fuel cycle cost comparisons for a generic 10 MW reactor with HEU aluminide fuel and with LEU oxide and silicide fuels in several fuel element geometries. The intention of this study is to provide a consistent assessment of various design options from a cost point of view. Fuel cycle cost benefits could result if a number of reactors were to utilize fuel elements with the same number or different numbers of the same standard fuel plate. Data are presented to quantify these potential cost benefits. This analysis shows that there are a number of fuel element designs using LEU oxide or silicide fuels that have either the same or lower total fuel cycle costs than the HEU design. Use of these fuels with the uranium densities considered requires that they are successfully demonstrated and licensed

Closing the fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aycoberry, C.; Rougeau, J.P.

1987-01-01

The progressive implementation of some key nuclear fuel cycle capecities in a country corresponds to a strategy for the acquisition of an independant energy source, France, Japan, and some European countries are engaged in such strategic programs. In France, COGEMA, the nuclear fuel company, has now completed the industrial demonstration of the closed fuel cycle. Its experience covers every step of the front-end and of the back-end: transportation of spent fuels, storage, reprocessing, wastes conditioning. The La Hague reprocessing plant smooth operation, as well as the large investment program under active progress can testify of full mastering of this industry. Together with other French and European companies, COGEMA is engaged in the recycling industry, both for uranium through conversion of uranyl nitrate for its further reeichment, and for plutonium through MOX fuel fabrication. Reprocessing and recycling offer the optimum solution for a complete, economic, safe and future-oriented fuel cycle, hence contributing to the necessary development of nuclear energy. (author)

Quadratic reactivity fuel cycle model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewins, J.D.

1985-01-01

For educational purposes it is highly desirable to provide simple yet realistic models for fuel cycle and fuel economy. In particular, a lumped model without recourse to detailed spatial calculations would be very helpful in providing the student with a proper understanding of the purposes of fuel cycle calculations. A teaching model for fuel cycle studies based on a lumped model assuming the summability of partial reactivities with a linear dependence of reactivity usefully illustrates fuel utilization concepts. The linear burnup model does not satisfactorily represent natural enrichment reactors. A better model, showing the trend of initial plutonium production before subsequent fuel burnup and fission product generation, is a quadratic fit. The study of M-batch cycles, reloading 1/Mth of the core at end of cycle, is now complicated by nonlinear equations. A complete account of the asymptotic cycle for any order of M-batch refueling can be given and compared with the linear model. A complete account of the transient cycle can be obtained readily in the two-batch model and this exact solution would be useful in verifying numerical marching models. It is convenient to treat the parabolic fit rho = 1 - tau 2 as a special case of the general quadratic fit rho = 1 - C/sub tau/ - (1 - C)tau 2 in suitably normalized reactivity and cycle time units. The parabolic results are given in this paper

Fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bahm, W.

1989-01-01

The situation of the nuclear fuel cycle for LWR type reactors in France and in the Federal Republic of Germany was presented in 14 lectures with the aim to compare the state-of-the-art in both countries. In addition to the momentarily changing fuilds of fuel element development and fueling strategies, the situation of reprocessing, made interesting by some recent developmnts, was portrayed and differences in ultimate waste disposal elucidated. (orig.) [de

Reload safety evaluation report for Kori nuclear power unit 1, cycle 14

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Joo Young; Kim, Oh Hwan; Nam, Kee Il; Kim, Du Ill; Ban, Chang Hwan; Choi, Dong Uk

1994-05-01

This report presents the reload safety evaluation for Kori-1, Cycle 14 and demonstrate that the reactor core being entirely composed of KOFA as described in the report will not adversely affect the safety of the public and the plant. All of the accidents comprising the licensing bases which could potentially be affected by the fuel reload have been reviewed for the Cycle 14 core design described herein. (Author) 1 refs., 9 figs., 5 tabs

The status of nuclear fuel cycle system analysis for the development of advanced nuclear fuel cycles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ko, Won Il; Kim, Seong Ki; Lee, Hyo Jik; Chang, Hong Rae; Kwon, Eun Ha; Lee, Yoon Hee; Gao, Fanxing [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2011-11-15

The system analysis has been used with different system and objectives in various fields. In the nuclear field, the system can be applied from uranium mining to spent fuel reprocessing or disposal which is called the nuclear fuel cycle. The analysis of nuclear fuel cycle can be guideline for development of advanced fuel cycle through integrating and evaluating the technologies. For this purpose, objective approach is essential and modeling and simulation can be useful. In this report, several methods which can be applicable for development of advanced nuclear fuel cycle, such as TRL, simulation and trade analysis were explained with case study

Compatibility analysis of DUPIC fuel (part5) - DUPIC fuel cycle economics analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ko, Won Il; Choi, Hang Bok; Yang, Myung Seung

2000-08-01

This study examines the economics of the DUPIC fuel cycle using unit costs of fuel cycle components estimated based on conceptual designs. The fuel cycle cost (FCC) was calculated by a deterministic method in which reference values of fuel cycle components are used. The FCC was then analyzed by a Monte Carlo simulation to get the uncertainty of the FCC associated with the unit costs of the fuel cycle components. From the deterministic analysis on the one-batch equilibrium fuel cycle model, the DUPIC FCC was estimated to be 6.55-6.72 mills/kWh for proposed DUPIC fuel options, which is a little smaller than that of the once-through FCC by 0.04-0.28 mills/kWh. Considering the uncertainty (0.45-0.51 mills/kWh) of the FCC estimated by the Monte Carlo simulation method, the cost difference between the DUPIC and once-through fuel cycle is negligible. On the other hand, the material balance calculation has shown that the DUPIC fuel cycle can save natural uranium resources by -20% and reduce the spent fuel arising by -65%, compared with the once-through fuel cycle. In conclusion, the DUPIC fuel cycle possesses a strong advantage over the once-through fuel cycle from the viewpoint of the environmental effect.

Compatibility analysis of DUPIC fuel (part5) - DUPIC fuel cycle economics analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ko, Won Il; Choi, Hang Bok; Yang, Myung Seung

2000-08-01

This study examines the economics of the DUPIC fuel cycle using unit costs of fuel cycle components estimated based on conceptual designs. The fuel cycle cost (FCC) was calculated by a deterministic method in which reference values of fuel cycle components are used. The FCC was then analyzed by a Monte Carlo simulation to get the uncertainty of the FCC associated with the unit costs of the fuel cycle components. From the deterministic analysis on the one-batch equilibrium fuel cycle model, the DUPIC FCC was estimated to be 6.55-6.72 mills/kWh for proposed DUPIC fuel options, which is a little smaller than that of the once-through FCC by 0.04-0.28 mills/kWh. Considering the uncertainty (0.45-0.51 mills/kWh) of the FCC estimated by the Monte Carlo simulation method, the cost difference between the DUPIC and once-through fuel cycle is negligible. On the other hand, the material balance calculation has shown that the DUPIC fuel cycle can save natural uranium resources by -20% and reduce the spent fuel arising by -65%, compared with the once-through fuel cycle. In conclusion, the DUPIC fuel cycle possesses a strong advantage over the once-through fuel cycle from the viewpoint of the environmental effect

Management of wastes from the nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heafield, W.; Barlow, P.

1988-01-01

The management of wastes from the nuclear fuel cycle is a key activity which affects all stages of the cycle and in which there is intense public interest, particularly at the culmination of waste management activities where dispersal and disposal are practised or are proposed. The different categories of waste are considered - high, intermediate and low level. A description is given of how and where in the fuel cycle they are produced, giving indications of volumes and activities. The fundamental objectives of waste management are reviewed and the application of these objectives to select practicable waste management processes, covering process systems product and safety considerations is discussed. Current technology can deal with the wastes now in storage, those which will be generated from oxide fuel reprocessing and future decommissioning activities; examples of these technologies, ranging from compaction and incineration for low level waste, encapsulation for intermediate level waste through to vitrification for high level waste, are described. The specific objectives relating to disposal are considered in the context of international co-operation on development and national strategies aimed at providing safe, deep repositories over the next 20 years. (author)

Fuel cycle services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gruber, Gerhard J.

1990-01-01

TRIGA reactor operators are increasingly concerned about the back end of their Fuel Cycle due to a new environmental policy in the USA. The question how to close the Fuel Cycle will have to be answered by all operators sooner or later. Reprocessing of the TRIGA fuel elements is not available. Only long term storage and final disposal can be considered. But for such a storage or disposal a special treatment of the fuel elements and of course a final depository is necessary. NUKEM plans to undertake efforts to assist the TRIGA operators in this area. For that reason we need to know your special needs for today and tomorrow - so that potential processors can consider whether to offer these services on the market. (orig.)

Occupational safety data and casualty rates for the uranium fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Donnell, F.R.; Hoy, H.C.

1981-10-01

Occupational casualty (injuries, illnesses, fatalities, and lost workdays) and production data are presented and used to calculate occupational casualty incidence rates for technologies that make up the uranium fuel cycle, including: mining, milling, conversion, and enrichment of uranium; fabrication of reactor fuel; transportation of uranium and fuel elements; generation of electric power; and transmission of electric power. Each technology is treated in a separate chapter. All data sources are referenced. All steps used to calculate normalized occupational casualty incidence rates from the data are presented. Rates given include fatalities, serious cases, and lost workdays per 100 man-years worked, per 10 12 Btu of energy output, and per other appropriate units of output

Physics of fusion-fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McNally, J.R. Jr.

1981-01-01

The evaluation of nuclear fusion fuels for a magnetic fusion economy must take into account the various technological impacts of the various fusion fuel cycles as well as the relative reactivity and the required β's and temperatures necessary for economic steady-state burns. This paper will review some of the physics of the various fusion fuel cycles (D-T, catalyzed D-D, D- 3 He, D- 6 Li, and the exotic fuels: 3 He 3 He and the proton-based fuels such as P- 6 Li, P- 9 Be, and P- 11 B) including such items as: (1) tritium inventory, burnup, and recycle, (2) neutrons, (3) condensable fuels and ashes, (4) direct electrical recovery prospects, (5) fissile breeding, etc. The advantages as well as the disadvantages of the different fusion fuel cycles will be discussed. The optimum fuel cycle from an overall standpoint of viability and potential technological considerations appears to be catalyzed D-D, which could also support smaller relatively clean, lean-D, rich- 3 He satellite reactors as well as fission reactors

CANDU fuel cycle options in Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boczar, P. G.; Fehrenbach, P. J.; Meneley, D. A.

1996-01-01

There are many reasons for countries embarking on a CANDU R program to start with the natural uranium fuel cycle. Simplicity of fuel design, ease of fabrication, and ready availability of natural uranium all help to localize the technology and to reduce reliance on foreign technology. Nonetheless, at some point, the incentives for using natural uranium fuel may be outweighed by the advantages of alternate fuel cycles. The excellent neutron economy, on-line refuelling, and simple fuel-bundle design provide an unsurpassed degree of fuel-cycle flexibility in CANDU reactors. The easiest first step in CANDU fuel-cycle evolution may be the use of slightly enriched uranium (SEU), including recovered uranium from reprocessed LWR spent fuel. Relatively low enrichment (up to 1.2%) will result in a two- to three-fold reduction in the quantity of spent fuel per unit energy production, reductions in fuel-cycle costs, and greater flexibility in the design of new reactors. The CANFLEX (CANDU FLEXible) fuel bundle would be the optimal fuel carrier. A country that has both CANDU and PWR reactors can exploit the natural synergism between these two reactor types to minimize overall waste production, and maximize energy derived from the fuel. This synergism can be exploited through several different fuel cycles. A high burnup CANDU MOX fuel design could be used to utilize plutonium from conventional reprocessing or more advanced reprocessing options (such as co-processing). DUPIC (Direct Use of Spent PWR Fuel In CANDU) represents a recycle option that has a higher degree of proliferation resistance than dose conventional reprocessing, since it uses only dry processes for converting spent PWR fuel into CANDU fuel, without separating the plutonium. Good progress is being made in the current KAERI, AECL, and U. S. Department of State program in demonstrating the technical feasibility of DUPIC. In the longer term, CANDU reactors offer even more dramatic synergistic fuel cycles with PWR or

Fuel safety research 2000

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uetsuka, Hiroshi (ed.) [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

2001-03-01

In April 1999, the Fuel Safety Research Laboratory was newly established as a part of reorganization of the Nuclear Safety Research Center, JAERI. The new laboratory was organized by combining three pre-existing laboratories, Reactivity Accident Laboratory, Fuel Reliability Laboratory, and a part of Severe Accident Research Laboratory. The Fuel Safety Research Laboratory becomes to be in charge of all fuel safety research in JAERI. Various experimental and analytical researches are conducted in the laboratory by using the unique facilities such as the Nuclear Safety Research Reactor (NSRR), the Japan Material Testing Reactor (JMTR), the Japan Research Reactor 3 (JRR-3) and hot cells in JAERI. The laboratory consists of following five research groups corresponding to each research fields; (a) Research group of fuel behavior under the reactivity initiated accident conditions (RIA group). (b) Research group of fuel behavior under the loss-of-coolant accident conditions (LOCA group). (c) Research group of fuel behavior under the normal operation conditions (JMTR/BOCA group). (d) Research group of fuel behavior analysis (FEMAXI group). (e) Research group of FP release/transport behavior from irradiated fuel (VEGA group). The research activities in year 2000 produced many important data and information. They are, for example, failure of high burnup BWR fuel rod under RIA conditions, data on the behavior of hydrided Zircaloy cladding under LOCA conditions and FP release data from VEGA experiments at very high temperature/pressure condition. This report summarizes the outline of research activities and major outcomes of the research executed in 2000 in the Fuel Safety Research Laboratory. (author)

Homogeneous Thorium Fuel Cycles in Candu Reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hyland, B.; Dyck, G.R.; Edwards, G.W.R.; Magill, M. [Chalk River Laboratories, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (Canada)

2009-06-15

The CANDU{sup R} reactor has an unsurpassed degree of fuel-cycle flexibility, as a consequence of its fuel-channel design, excellent neutron economy, on-power refueling, and simple fuel bundle [1]. These features facilitate the introduction and full exploitation of thorium fuel cycles in Candu reactors in an evolutionary fashion. Because thorium itself does not contain a fissile isotope, neutrons must be provided by adding a fissile material, either within or outside of the thorium-based fuel. Those same Candu features that provide fuel-cycle flexibility also make possible many thorium fuel-cycle options. Various thorium fuel cycles can be categorized by the type and geometry of the added fissile material. The simplest of these fuel cycles are based on homogeneous thorium fuel designs, where the fissile material is mixed uniformly with the fertile thorium. These fuel cycles can be competitive in resource utilization with the best uranium-based fuel cycles, while building up a 'mine' of U-233 in the spent fuel, for possible recycle in thermal reactors. When U-233 is recycled from the spent fuel, thorium-based fuel cycles in Candu reactors can provide substantial improvements in the efficiency of energy production from existing fissile resources. The fissile component driving the initial fuel could be enriched uranium, plutonium, or uranium-233. Many different thorium fuel cycle options have been studied at AECL [2,3]. This paper presents the results of recent homogeneous thorium fuel cycle calculations using plutonium and enriched uranium as driver fuels, with and without U-233 recycle. High and low burnup cases have been investigated for both the once-through and U-233 recycle cases. CANDU{sup R} is a registered trademark of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL). 1. Boczar, P.G. 'Candu Fuel-Cycle Vision', Presented at IAEA Technical Committee Meeting on 'Fuel Cycle Options for LWRs and HWRs', 1998 April 28 - May 01, also Atomic Energy

Status of the Integral Fast Reactor fuel cycle demonstration and waste management practices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benedict, R.W.; Goff, K.M.; McFarlane, H.F.

1994-01-01

Over the past few years, Argonne National Laboratory has been preparing for the demonstration of the fuel cycle for the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR), an advanced reactor concept that takes advantage of the properties of metallic fuel and liquid metal cooling to offer significant improvements in reactor safety and operations, fuel-cycle economics, environmental protection, and safeguards. The IFR fuel cycle, which will be demonstrated at Argonne-West in Idaho, employs a pyrometallurgical process using molten salts and liquid metals to recover actinides from spent fuel. The required facility modifications and process equipment for the demonstration are nearing completion. Their status and the results from initial fuel fabrication work, including the waste management aspects, are presented. Additionally, estimated compositions of the various process waste streams have been made, and characterization and treatment methods are being developed. The status of advanced waste processing equipment being designed and fabricated is described

Material control and accountability in nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rumyantsev, A.N.

2006-01-01

It is proposed to unify the complexes, used in the systems for control and accountability of nuclear materials, and to use the successful experience of developing these complexes. It is shown that the problem of control, accountability and physical protection may by achieved by using the developed complex Probabilistic expert-advising system, permitting to analyse the safety in nuclear fuel cycles [ru

Review of nuclear fuel cycle alternatives including certain features pertaining to weapon proliferation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, D.C.; Rosenstroch, B.

1978-01-01

Largely as a result of concerns over nuclear weapon proliferation, the U.S. program to develop and commercialize the plutonium-fueled breeder reactor has been slowed down; interest in alternative fuel cycles has increased. The report offers an informal review of the various nuclear fuel cycle options including some aspects relevant to weapon proliferation, although no complete review of the latter subject is attempted. Basic principles governing breeding, reactor safety, and efficient utilization of fission energy resources (thorium and uranium) are discussed. The controversial problems of weapon proliferation and its relation to fuel reprocessing (which is essential for efficient fuel cycles) are reviewed and a number of proposed approaches to reducing proliferation risks are noted. Some representative specific reactor concepts are described, with emphasis on their development status, their potentials for resource utilization, and their implications for proliferation

Solid TRU fuels and fuel cycle technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogawa, Toru; Suzuki, Yasufumi

1997-01-01

Alloys and nitrides are candidate solid fuels for transmutation. However, the nitride fuels are preferred to the alloys because they have more favorable thermal properties which allows to apply a cold-fuel concept. The nitride fuel cycle technology is briefly presented

National Policy on Nuclear Fuel Cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soedyartomo, S.

1996-01-01

National policy on nuclear fuel cycle is aimed at attaining the expected condition, i.e. being able to support optimality the national energy policy and other related Government policies taking into account current domestic nuclear fuel cycle condition and the trend of international nuclear fuel cycle development, the national strength, weakness, thread and opportunity in the field of energy. This policy has to be followed by the strategy to accomplish covering the optimization of domestic efforts, cooperation with other countries, and or purchasing licences. These policy and strategy have to be broken down into various nuclear fuel cycle programmes covering basically assesment of the whole cycle, performing research and development of the whole cycle without enrichment and reprocessing being able for weapon, as well as programmes for industrialization of the fuel cycle stepwisery commencing with the middle part of the cycle and ending with the edge of the back-end of the cycle

The thorium fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merz, E.R.

1977-01-01

The utilization of the thorium fuel cycle has long since been considered attractive owing to the excellent neutronic characteristics of 233 U, and the widespread and cheap thorium resources. Rapidly increasing uranium prices, public reluctance for widespread Pu recycling and expected delays for the market penetration of fast breeders have led to a reconsideration of the thorium fuel cycle merits. In addition, problems associated with reprocessing and waste handling, particularly with re-fabrication by remote handling of 233 U, are certainly not appreciably more difficult than for Pu recycling. To divert from uranium as a nuclear energy source it seems worth while intensifying future efforts for closing the Th/ 233 U fuel cycle. HTGRs are particularly promising for economic application. However, further research and development activities should not concentrate on this reactor type alone. Light- and heavy-water-moderated reactors, and even future fast breeders, may just as well take advantage of a demonstrated thorium fuel cycle. (author)

Safety, health and environmental implications of the different fuel cycles. Key issue paper no. 4

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-06-01

The objective of this paper is to give an overall perspective of the health and environmental consequences of the nuclear fuel cycle. This is done using surveys of the performances of nuclear installations worldwide and results of recent studies on the impacts on health and environment of the nuclear fuel cycle. 23 refs, 6 figs, 7 tabs.

Safety, health and environmental implications of the different fuel cycles. Key issue paper no. 4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

The objective of this paper is to give an overall perspective of the health and environmental consequences of the nuclear fuel cycle. This is done using surveys of the performances of nuclear installations worldwide and results of recent studies on the impacts on health and environment of the nuclear fuel cycle. 23 refs, 6 figs, 7 tabs

Plutonium in an enduring fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pillay, K.K.S.

1998-05-01

Nuclear fuel cycles evolved over the past five decades have allowed many nations of the world to enjoy the benefits of nuclear energy, while contributing to the sustainable consumption of the world's energy resources. The nuclear fuel cycle for energy production suffered many traumas since the 1970s because of perceived risks of proliferation of nuclear weapons. However, the experience of the past five decades has shown that the world community is committed to safeguarding all fissile materials and continuing the use of nuclear energy resources. Decisions of a few nations to discard spent nuclear fuels in geologic formations are contrary to the goals of an enduring nuclear fuel cycle and sustainable development being pursued by the world community. The maintenance of an enduring nuclear fuel cycle is dependent on sensible management of all the resources of the fuel cycle, including spent fuels

Fast breeder fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-09-01

Basic elements of the ex-reactor part of the fuel cycle (reprocessing, fabrication, waste handling and transportation) are described. Possible technical and proliferation measures are evaluated, including current methods of accountability, surveillance and protection. The reference oxide based cycle and advanced cycles based on carbide and metallic fuels are considered utilizing conventional processes; advanced nonaqueous reprocessing is also considered. This contribution provides a comprehensive data base for evaluation of proliferation risks

IAEA activities on nuclear fuel cycle 1997

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oi, N [International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria). Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Materials Section

1997-12-01

The presentation discussing the IAEA activities on nuclear fuel cycle reviews the following issues: organizational charts of IAEA, division of nuclear power and the fuel cycle, nuclear fuel cycle and materials section; 1997 budget estimates; budget trends; the nuclear fuel cycle programme.

IAEA activities on nuclear fuel cycle 1997

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oi, N.

1997-01-01

The presentation discussing the IAEA activities on nuclear fuel cycle reviews the following issues: organizational charts of IAEA, division of nuclear power and the fuel cycle, nuclear fuel cycle and materials section; 1997 budget estimates; budget trends; the nuclear fuel cycle programme

Nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

Status of different nuclear fuel cycle phases in 1992 is discussed including the following issues: uranium exploration, resources, supply and demand, production, market prices, conversion, enrichment; reactor fuel technology; spent fuel management, as well as trends of these phases development up to the year 2010. 10 refs, 11 figs, 15 tabs

The uranium-plutonium breeder reactor fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salmon, A.; Allardice, R.H.

1979-01-01

All power-producing systems have an associated fuel cycle covering the history of the fuel from its source to its eventual sink. Most, if not all, of the processes of extraction, preparation, generation, reprocessing, waste treatment and transportation are involved. With thermal nuclear reactors more than one fuel cycle is possible, however it is probable that the uranium-plutonium fuel cycle will become predominant; in this cycle the fuel is mined, usually enriched, fabricated, used and then reprocessed. The useful components of the fuel, the uranium and the plutonium, are then available for further use, the waste products are treated and disposed of safely. This particular thermal reactor fuel cycle is essential if the fast breeder reactor (FBR) using plutonium as its major fuel is to be used in a power-producing system, because it provides the necessary initial plutonium to get the system started. In this paper the authors only consider the FBR using plutonium as its major fuel, at present it is the type envisaged in all, current national plans for FBR power systems. The corresponding fuel cycle, the uranium-plutonium breeder reactor fuel cycle, is basically the same as the thermal reactor fuel cycle - the fuel is used and then reprocessed to separate the useful components from the waste products, the useful uranium and plutonium are used again and the waste disposed of safely. However the details of the cycle are significantly different from those of the thermal reactor cycle. (Auth.)

Fuel cycle cost study with HEU and LEU fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matos, J.E.; Freese, K.E.

1984-01-01

Fuel cycle costs are compared for a range of 235 U loadings with HEU and LEU fuels using the IAEA generic 10 MW reactor as an example. If LEU silicide fuels are successfully demonstrated and licensed, the results indicate that total fuel cycle costs can be about the same or lower than those with the HEU fuels that are currently used in most research reactors

Overview of the CANDU fuel handling system for advanced fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koivisto, D.J.; Brown, D.R.

1997-01-01

Because of its neutron economies and on-power re-fuelling capabilities the CANDU system is ideally suited for implementing advanced fuel cycles because it can be adapted to burn these alternative fuels without major changes to the reactor. The fuel handling system is adaptable to implement advanced fuel cycles with some minor changes. Each individual advanced fuel cycle imposes some new set of special requirements on the fuel handling system that is different from the requirements usually encountered in handling the traditional natural uranium fuel. These changes are minor from an overall plant point of view but will require some interesting design and operating changes to the fuel handling system. Some preliminary conceptual design has been done on the fuel handling system in support of these fuel cycles. Some fuel handling details were studies in depth for some of the advanced fuel cycles. This paper provides an overview of the concepts and design challenges. (author)

The thorium fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merz, E.R.

1977-01-01

The utilization of the thorium fuel cycle has long since been considered attractive due to the excellent neutronic characteristics of 233 U, and the widespread and cheap thorium resources. Although the uranium ore as well as the separative work requirements are usually lower for any thorium-based fuel cycle in comparison to present uranium-plutonium fuel cycles of thermal water reactors, interest by nuclear industry has hitherto been marginal. Fast increasing uranium prices, public reluctance against widespread Pu-recycling and expected retardations for the market penetration of fast breeders have led to a reconsideration of the thorium fuel cycle merits. In addition, it could be learned in the meantime that problems associated with reprocessing and waste handling, but particularly with a remote refabrication of 233 U are certainly not appreciably more difficult than for Pu-recycling. This may not only be due to psychological constraints but be based upon technological as well as economical facts, which have been mostly neglected up till now. In order to diversify from uranium as a nuclear energy source it seems to be worthwhile to greatly intensify efforts in the future for closing the Th/ 233 U fuel cycle. HTGR's are particularly promising for economic application. However, further R and D activites should not be solely focussed on this reactor type alone. Light and heavy-water moderated reactors, as well as even fast breeders later on, may just as well take advantage of a demonstrated thorium fuel cycle. A summary is presented of the state-of-the-art of Th/ 233 U-recycling technology and the efforts still necessary to demonstrate this technology all the way through to its industrial application

World nuclear fuel cycle requirements 1991

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1991-10-10

The nuclear fuel cycle consists of mining and milling uranium ore, processing the uranium into a form suitable for generating electricity, burning'' the fuel in nuclear reactors, and managing the resulting spent nuclear fuel. This report presents projections of domestic and foreign requirements for natural uranium and enrichment services as well as projections of discharges of spent nuclear fuel. These fuel cycle requirements are based on the forecasts of future commercial nuclear power capacity and generation published in a recent Energy Information Administration (EIA) report. Also included in this report are projections of the amount of spent fuel discharged at the end of each fuel cycle for each nuclear generating unit in the United States. The International Nuclear Model is used for calculating the projected nuclear fuel cycle requirements. 14 figs., 38 tabs.

World nuclear fuel cycle requirements 1991

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

The nuclear fuel cycle consists of mining and milling uranium ore, processing the uranium into a form suitable for generating electricity, ''burning'' the fuel in nuclear reactors, and managing the resulting spent nuclear fuel. This report presents projections of domestic and foreign requirements for natural uranium and enrichment services as well as projections of discharges of spent nuclear fuel. These fuel cycle requirements are based on the forecasts of future commercial nuclear power capacity and generation published in a recent Energy Information Administration (EIA) report. Also included in this report are projections of the amount of spent fuel discharged at the end of each fuel cycle for each nuclear generating unit in the United States. The International Nuclear Model is used for calculating the projected nuclear fuel cycle requirements. 14 figs., 38 tabs

Reload safety evaluation report for yonggwang nuclear power plant unit 2 cycle 7

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zee, Sung Kyun; Choi, Gyoo Hwan; Lee, Ki Bog; Park, Sang Yoon

1993-01-01

This report presents the reload safety evaluation for YGN-2, Cycle 7 and demonstrates that the reactor core being entirely composed of KOFA as described below will not adversely affect the safety of the public and the plant. All of the accidents comprising the licensing bases which would potentially be affected by the reload fuel assemblies have been reviewed for the Cycle 7 core design described herein. (Author)

Reload safety evaluation report for kori nuclear power plant unit 4, cycle 8

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Chan Oh; Jung, Yil Sup; Kim, Si Yong; Kim, Ki Hang; Kwon, Hyuk Sung; Oh, Dong Seok; Kim, Du Ill; Ban, Chang Hwan; Choi, Dong Uk

1993-06-01

This report presents the reload safety evaluation for Kori-4, Cycle 8 and demonstrate that the reactor core being entirely composed of KOFA as described in the report will not adversely affect the safety of the public and the plant. All of the accidents comprising the licening bases which could potentially be affected by the fuel reload have been reviewed for the Cycle 8 core design described herein. (Author)

IFR fuel cycle demonstration in the EBR-II Fuel Cycle Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lineberry, M.J.; Phipps, R.D.; Rigg, R.H.; Benedict, R.W.; Carnes, M.D.; Herceg, J.E.; Holtz, R.E.

1991-01-01

The next major milestone of the IFR (Integral Fast Reactor) program is engineering-scale demonstration of the pyroprocess fuel cycle. The EBR-II Fuel Cycle Facility has just entered a startup phase which includes completion of facility modifications, and installation and cold checkout of process equipment. This paper reviews the design and construction of the facility, the design and fabrication of the process equipment, and the schedule and initial plan for its operation. (author)

IFR fuel cycle demonstration in the EBR-II Fuel Cycle Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lineberry, M.J.; Phipps, R.D.; Rigg, R.H.; Benedict, R.W.; Carnes, M.D.; Herceg, J.E.; Holtz, R.E.

1991-01-01

The next major milestone of the IFR program is engineering-scale demonstration of the pyroprocess fuel cycle. The EBR-II Fuel Cycle Facility has just entered a startup phase which includes completion of facility modifications, and installation and cold checkout of process equipment. This paper reviews the design and construction of the facility, the design and fabrication of the process equipment, and the schedule and initial plan for its operation. 5 refs., 4 figs

DUPIC fuel cycle economics assessment (1)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, H. B.; Roh, G. H.; Kim, D. H.

1999-04-01

This is a state-of-art report that describes the current status of the DUPIC fuel cycle economics analysis conducted by the DUPIC fuel compatibility assessment group of the DUPIC fuel development project. For the DUPIC fuel cycle economics analysis, the DUPIC fuel compatibility assessment group has organized the 1st technical meeting composed of 8 domestic specialists from government, academy, industry, etc. and a foreign specialist of hot-cell design from TRI on July 16, 1998. This report contains the presentation material of the 1st technical meeting, published date used for the economics analysis and opinions of participants, which could be utilized for further DUPIC fuel cycle and back-end fuel cycle economics analyses. (author). 11 refs., 7 charts

IFR fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Battles, J.E.; Miller, W.E.; Lineberry, M.J.; Phipps, R.D.

1992-01-01

The next major milestone of the IFR program is engineering-scale demonstration of the pyroprocess fuel cycle. The EBR-II Fuel Cycle Facility has just entered a startup phase, which includes completion of facility modifications and installation and cold checkout of process equipment. This paper reviews the development of the electrorefining pyroprocess, the design and construction of the facility for the hot demonstration, the design and fabrication of the equipment, and the schedule and initial plan for its operation

Fuel elements and safety engineering goals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schulten, R.; Bonnenberg, H.

1990-01-01

There are good prospects for silicon carbide anti-corrosion coatings on fuel elements to be realised, which opens up the chance to reduce the safety engineering requirements to the suitable design and safe performance of the ceramic fuel element. Another possibility offered is combined-cycle operation with high efficiencies, and thus good economic prospects, as with this design concept combining gas and steam turbines, air ingress due to turbine malfunction is an incident that can be managed by the system. This development will allow economically efficient operation also of nuclear power reactors with relatively small output, and hence contribute to reducing CO 2 emissions. (orig./DG) [de

Fuel cycle management in Finland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaeyrynen, H.; Mikkola, I.

1987-01-01

Both Finnish utilities producing nuclear power - Imatran Voima Oy (IVO) and Teollisuuden Voima Oy (Industrial Power Co. Ltd, TVO) - have created efficient fuel cycle management systems. The systems however differ in almost all respects. The reason is that the principal supplier for IVO is the Soviet Union and for TVO is Sweden. A common feature of both systems at the front end of the cycle is the building of stockpiles in order to provide for interruptions in fuel deliveries. Quality assurance supervision at the fuel factory for IVO is regulated by the Soviet Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a final control is made in Finland. The in-core fuel management is done by IVO using codes developed in Finland. The whole IVO fuel cycle is basically a leasing arrangement. The spent fuel is returned to the USSR after five years cooling. TVO carries out the in-core fuel management using a computer code system supplied by Asea-Atom. TVO is responsable for the back end of the cycle and makes preparations for the final disposal of the spent fuel in Finland. 6 refs., 2 figs

The DUPIC alternative for backend fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, J.S.; Yang, M.S.; Park, H.S.; Boczar, P.; Sullivan, J.; Gadsby, R.D.

1997-01-01

The DUPIC fuel cycle was conceived as an alternative to the conventional fuel cycle backed options, with a view to multiple benefits expectable from burning spent PWR fuel again in CANDU reactors. It is based on the basic idea that the bulk of spent PWR fuel can be directly refabricated into a reusable fuel for CANDU of which high efficiency in neutron utilization would exhaustively burn the fissile remnants in the spent PWR fuel to a level below that of natural uranium. Such ''burn again'' strategy of the DUPIC fuel cycle implies that the spent PWR fuel will become CANDU fuel of higher burnup with relevant benefits such as spent PWR fuel disposition, saving of natural uranium fuel, etc. A salient feature of the DUPIC fuel cycle is neither the fissile content nor the bulk radioactivity is separated from the DUPIC mass flow which must be contained and shielded all along the cycle. This feature can be considered as a factor of proliferation resistance by deterrence against access to sensitive materials. It means also the requirement for remote systems technologies for DUPIC fuel operation. The conflicting aspects between better safeguardability and harder engineering problems of the radioactive fuel operation may be the important reason why the decades' old concept, since INFCE, of ''hot'' fuel cycle has not been pursued with much progress. In this context, the DUPIC fuel cycle could be a live example for development of proliferation resistant fuel cycle. As the DUPIC fuel cycle looks for synergism of fuel linkage from PWR to CANDU (or in broader sense LWR to HWR), Korea occupies a best position for DUPIC exercise with her unique strategy of reactor mix of both reactor types. But the DUPIC benefits can be extended to global bonus, expectable from successful development of the technology. (author)

Fuel safety research 2001

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uetsuka, Hiroshi (ed.) [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

2002-11-01

The Fuel Safety Research Laboratory is in charge of research activity which covers almost research items related to fuel safety of water reactor in JAERI. Various types of experimental and analytical researches are being conducted by using some unique facilities such as the Nuclear Safety Research Reactor (NSRR), the Japan Material Testing Reactor (JMTR), the Japan Research Reactor 3 (JRR-3) and the Reactor Fuel Examination Facility (RFEF) of JAERI. The research to confirm the safety of high burn-up fuel and MOX fuel under accident conditions is the most important item among them. The laboratory consists of following five research groups corresponding to each research fields; Research group of fuel behavior under the reactivity initiated accident conditions (RIA group). Research group of fuel behavior under the loss-of-coolant accident conditions (LOCA group). Research group of fuel behavior under the normal operation conditions (JMTR/BOCA group). Research group of fuel behavior analysis (FEMAXI group). Research group of radionuclides release and transport behavior from irradiated fuel under severe accident conditions (VEGA group). The research conducted in the year 2001 produced many important data and information. They are, for example, the fuel behavior data under BWR power oscillation conditions in the NSRR, the data on failure-bearing capability of hydrided cladding under LOCA conditions and the FP release data at very high temperature in steam which simulate the reactor core condition during severe accidents. This report summarizes the outline of research activities and major outcomes of the research executed in 2001 in the Fuel Safety Research Laboratory. (author)

Fuel cycles using adulterated plutonium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brooksbank, R.E.; Bigelow, J.E.; Campbell, D.O.; Kitts, F.G.; Lindauer, R.B.

1978-01-01

Adjustments in the U-Pu fuel cycle necessitated by decisions made to improve the nonproliferation objectives of the US are examined. The uranium-based fuel cycle, using bred plutonium to provide the fissile enrichment, is the fuel system with the highest degree of commercial development at the present time. However, because purified plutonium can be used in weapons, this fuel cycle is potentially vulnerable to diversion of that plutonium. It does appear that there are technologically sound ways in which the plutonium might be adulterated by admixture with 238 U and/or radioisotopes, and maintained in that state throughout the fuel cycle, so that the likelihood of a successful diversion is small. Adulteration of the plutonium in this manner would have relatively little effect on the operations of existing or planned reactors. Studies now in progress should show within a year or two whether the less expensive coprocessing scheme would provide adequate protection (coupled perhaps with elaborate conventional safeguards procedures) or if the more expensive spiked fuel cycle is needed as in the proposed civex pocess. If the latter is the case, it will be further necessary to determine the optimum spiking level, which could vary as much as a factor of a billion. A very basic question hangs on these determinations: What is to be the nature of the recycle fuel fabrication facilities. If the hot, fully remote fuel fabrication is required, then a great deal of further development work will be required to make the full cycle fully commercial

LEU and thorium fuel cycles for the high temperature reactor (once-through and recycle)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-09-01

Sets of performance parameters, optimised for minimum costs within the bounds of current technical confidence, are presented for each of the four fuel cycle variants mentioned in the title. The overall cost of the HEU once-through system is found to be significantly more expensive than the other three which are similar. Data are presented on fissile material utilisation, on the isotopic composition of discharged fuel, and on fuel cycle costs. Comments are made on technical status, development needs, safety, environmental concerns including the storage and disposal of irradiated fuel, and on characteristics relevant to proliferation control

Trends in fuel reprocessing safety research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsujino, Takeshi

1981-01-01

With the operation of a fuel reprocessing plant in the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation (PNC) and the plan for a second fuel reprocessing plant, the research on fuel reprocessing safety, along with the reprocessing technology itself, has become increasingly important. As compared with the case of LWR power plants, the safety research in this field still lags behind. In the safety of fuel reprocessing, there are the aspects of keeping radiation exposure as low as possible in both personnel and local people, the high reliability of the plant operation and the securing of public safety in accidents. Safety research is then required to establish the safety standards and to raise the rate of plant operation associated with safety. The following matters are described: basic ideas for the safety design, safety features in fuel reprocessing, safety guideline and standards, and safety research for fuel reprocessing. (J.P.N.)

Dynamic Simulations of Advanced Fuel Cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piet, Steven J.; Dixon, Brent W.; Jacobson, Jacob J.; Matthern, Gretchen E.; Shropshire, David E.

2011-01-01

Years of performing dynamic simulations of advanced nuclear fuel cycle options provide insights into how they could work and how one might transition from the current once-through fuel cycle. This paper summarizes those insights from the context of the 2005 objectives and goals of the U.S. Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI). Our intent is not to compare options, assess options versus those objectives and goals, nor recommend changes to those objectives and goals. Rather, we organize what we have learned from dynamic simulations in the context of the AFCI objectives for waste management, proliferation resistance, uranium utilization, and economics. Thus, we do not merely describe 'lessons learned' from dynamic simulations but attempt to answer the 'so what' question by using this context. The analyses have been performed using the Verifiable Fuel Cycle Simulation of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Dynamics (VISION). We observe that the 2005 objectives and goals do not address many of the inherently dynamic discriminators among advanced fuel cycle options and transitions thereof.

CANDU fuel cycle options in Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boczar, P.G.; Fehrenbach, P.J.; Meneley, D.A.

1996-04-01

The easiest first step in CANDU fuel-cycle evolution may be the use of slightly enriched uranium (SEU), including recovered uranium from reprocessed LWR spent fuel. Relatively low enrichment (up to 1.2%) will result in a twoto three-fold reduction in the quantity of spent fuel per unit energy production, reductions in fuel-cycle costs, and greater flexibility in the design of new reactors. The CANFLEX (CANDU FLEXible) fuel bundle would be the optimal fuel carrier. A country that has both CANDU and PWR reactors can exploit the natural synergism between these two reactor types to minimize overall waste production, and maximize energy derived from the fuel. This synergism can be exploited through several different fuel cycles. A high burnup CANDU MOX fuel design could be used to utilize plutonium from conventional reprocessing or more advanced reprocessing options (such as co-processing). DUPIC (Direct Use of Spent PWR Fuel In CANDU) represents a recycle option that has a higher degree of proliferation resistance than does conventional reprocessing, since it uses only dry processes for converting spent PWR fuel into CANDU fuel, without separating the plutonium. Good progress is being made in the current KAERI, AECL, and U.S. Department of State program in demonstrating the technical feasibility of DUPIC. In the longer term, CANDU reactors offer even more dramatic synergistic fuel cycles with PWR or FBR reactors. If the objective of a national fuel-cycle program is the minimization of actinide waste or destruction of long-lived fission products, then studies have shown the superiority of CANDU reactors in meeting this objective. Long-term energy security can be assured either through the thorium cycle or through a CANDU 1 FBR system, in which the FBR would be operated as a 'fuel factory,' providing the fissile material to power a number of lower-cost, high efficiency CANDU reactors. In summary, the CANDU reactor's simple fuel design, high neutron economy, and on

Recent IAEA activities on CANDU-PHWR fuels and fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inozemtsev, V.; Ganguly, C.

2005-01-01

Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR), widely known as CANDU, are in operation in Argentina, Canada, China, India, Pakistan, Republic of Korea and Romania and account for about 6% of the world's nuclear electricity production. The CANDU reactor and its fuel have several unique features, like horizontal calandria and coolant tubes, on-power fuel loading, thin-walled collapsible clad coated with graphite on the inner surface, very high density (>96%TD) natural uranium oxide fuel and amenability to slightly enriched uranium oxide, mixed uranium plutonium oxide (MOX), mixed thorium plutonium oxide, mixed thorium uranium (U-233) oxide and inert matrix fuels. Several Technical Working Groups (TWG) of IAEA periodically discuss and review CANDU reactors, its fuel and fuel cycle options. These include TWGs on water-cooled nuclear power reactor Fuel Performance and Technology (TWGFPT), on Nuclear Fuel Cycle Options and spent fuel management (TWGNFCO) and on Heavy Water Reactors (TWGHWR). In addition, IAEA-INPRO project also covers Advanced CANDU Reactors (ACR) and DUPIC fuel cycles. The present paper summarises the Agency's activities in CANDU fuel and fuel cycle, highlighting the progress during the last two years. In the past we saw HWR and LWR technologies and fuel cycles separate, but nowadays their interaction is obviously growing, and their mutual influence may have a synergetic character if we look at the world nuclear fuel cycle as at an integrated system where the both are important elements in line with fast neutron, gas cooled and other advanced reactors. As an international organization the IAEA considers this challenge and makes concrete steps to tackle it for the benefit of all Member States. (author)

Economic aspects of Dukovany NPP fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vesely, P.; Borovicka, M.

2001-01-01

The paper discusses some aspects of high burnup program implementation at Dukovany NPP and its influence on the fuel cycle costs. Dukovany internal fuel cycle is originally designed as a three years cycle of the Out-In-In fuel reloading patterns. These reloads are not only uneconomical but they additionally increased the radiation load of the reactor pressure vessel due to high neutron leakage typical for Out-In-In loading pattern. To avoid the high neutron leakage from the core a transition to 4-year fuel cycle is started in 1987. The neutron leakage from the core is sequentially decreased by insertion of older fuel assemblies at the core periphery. Other developments in fuel cycle are: 1) increasing of enrichment in control assemblies (3.6% of U-235); 2) improvement in fuel assembly design (reduce the assembly shroud thickness from 2.1 to 1.6 mm); 3) introduction of Zr spacer grid instead of stainless steel; 4) introduction of new type of assembly with profiled enrichment with average value of 3.82%. Due to increased reactivity of the new assemblies the transition to the partial 5-year fuel cycle is required. Typical fuel loading pattern for 3, 3.5, 4 and 5-year cycles are shown in the presented paper. An evaluation of fuel cost is also discussed by using comparative analysis of different fuel cycle options. The analysis shows that introduction of the high burnup program has decrease relative fuel cycle costs

The Development of a Safety Assessment Approach and Its Implication on the Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Yong Soo; Kang, Chul Hyung

2010-01-01

The development of Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycle (ANFC) technology is essential to meet the national mission for energy independence via a nuclear option in Korea. The action target is to develop environmentally friendly, cost-effective measures to reduce the burden of long term disposal. The proper scenarios regarding potential radionuclide release from a repository have been developed in this study based on the Advanced Korean Reference Disposal System (A-KRS). To predict safety for the various scenarios, a new assessment code based on the GoldSim software has also been developed. Deterministic analysis indicates an environmental benefit from the ANFC as long as the solid wastes from the ANFC act as a proper barrier

Fuel cycle oriented approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petit, A.

1987-01-01

The term fuel cycle oriented approach is currently used to designate two quite different things: the attempt to consider all or part of a national fuel cycle as one material balance area (MBA) or to consider individual MBAs existing in a state while designing a unique safeguards approach for each and applying the principle of nondiscrimination to fuel cycles as a whole, rather than to individual facilities. The merits of such an approach are acceptability by the industry and comparison with the contemplated establishment of long-term criteria. The following points concern the acceptability by the industry: (1) The main interest of the industry is to keep an open international market and therefore, to have effective and efficient safeguards. (2) The main concerns of the industry regarding international safeguards are economic burden, intrusiveness, and discrimination. Answers to these legitimate concerns, which retain the benefits of a fuel cycle oriented approach, are needed. More specifically, the problem of reimbursing the operator the costs that he has incurred for the safeguards must be considered

Analysis of possible fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boehm, H.; Kessler, G.; Engelmann, P.; Maerkl, H.; Stoll, W.

1978-01-01

A brief survey is presented of the most important fuel cycles. A rough analysis of fuel cycles is attempted under the aspects of proliferation, status of technical feasibility, resource conservation and waste management and the most important criteria for such an analysis are discussed. Among the multitude of potential combinations of fuel cycles and types of reactors only a few have reached a level of technical feasibility which would make them eligible for commercial implementation within the next decade. However, if, for instance, the higher proliferation resistance of a specific fuel cycle is to be utilized to diminish the worldwide proliferation hazard, that cycle would first of all have to be introduced on an industrial scale as quickly as possible. The analysis shows that the reduction of the bazard of worldwide proliferation will continue to be the objective primarily of international agreements and measures taken in the political realm. (orig.) [de

Environmental Health Impacts of Nuclear Fuel Cycle With Emphasis to Monitoring and Radiological Safety Control System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gad Allah, A.A.; El- Shanshory, A.I.

2010-01-01

Security of energy supply and global climatic changes due to carbon dioxide gas emission of fissile fuels encouraged many developed countries for planning to introduce nuclear power for energy generation. Recently, nuclear power provides approximately 20 % of the world's electricity, which is equivalent to a reduction in carbon emissions of 0.5 Gt of C/year. This is a modest contribution to the reduction of global carbon emissions, 6.5 Gt C/year. There are three types of nuclear fuel cycles that might be utilized for the increased production of energy: open, closed, or a symbiotic combination of different reactor types (such as thermal and fast neutron reactors). Within each cycle, the volume and composition of the nuclear waste and fissile material depend on the type of nuclear fuel, the amount of burn-up, the extent of radionuclide separation during reprocessing, and the types of material used to immobilize different radionuclides. Most analyses suggest that in order to have a significant impact on carbon emissions. By the year 2050, carbon free sources, such as nuclear power, would have to expand total energy production by a factor of three to ten. A three-fold increase in nuclear power capacity would result in a projected reduction in carbon emissions of 1 to 2 Gt C/year, depending on the type of the carbon-based energy source. This paper reviews, discusses and evaluates the relation between the different types of fuel cycles and their environmental impacts. The paper investigates the environmental impacts of the nuclear fuel cycle compared to fossil fuel energy system.. It also reviews the impact of an expansion of this scale on the generation of nuclear waste and fissile material that might be diverted to the production of nuclear weapons. Investigations of different wastes fissile and fertile mater in the fuel cycle have been estimated. The paper provides an overview of the main contaminates in the waste streams and effluents from nuclear fuel cycle

Feasibility study on tandem fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, P.S.; Suh, I.S.; Rim, C.S.; Kim, B.K.; Suh, K.S.; Ro, S.K.; Juhn, P.I.; Kim, S.Y.

1983-01-01

The objective of this feasibility study is to review and assess the current state of technology concerning the tandem fuel cycle. Based on the results from this study, a long-term development plan suitable for Korea has been proposed for this cycle, i.e., the PWR → CANDU tandem fuel cycle which used plutonium and uranium, recovered from spent PWR fuel by co-processing, as fuel material for CANDU reactors. (Author)

French development program on fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viala, M.; Bourgeois, M.

1991-01-01

The need to close the fuel cycle of fast reactors makes the development of the cycle installations (fuel fabrication, irradiated assembly conditioning before reprocessing, reprocessing and waste management) especially independent with the development of the reactor. French experience with the integrated cycle over a period of about 25 years, the tonnage of fuels fabricated (more than 100 t of mixed oxides) for the Rapsodie, Phoenix and SuperPhoenix reactors, and the tonnage of reprocessed fuel (nearly 30 t of plutonium fuel) demonstrate the control of the cycle operations. The capacities of the cycle installations in existence and under construction are largely adequate for presents needs, even including a new European EFR reactor. They include the Cadarache fuel fabrication complex, the La Hague UP2-800 reprocessing plant, and the Marcoule pilot facility. Short- and medium-term R and D programs are connected with fuel developments, with the primary objective of very high burnups. For the longer term and for a specific plant to reprocess fast reactor fuels, the programs could concern new fabrication and reprocessing systems and the study of the consequences of the reduction in fuel out-of-core time

World situation of atomic energy and nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szili, G.

1978-01-01

At the International Conference organized by the IAEA in May 1976, several sections dealt with problems of the production of atomic energy and of the nuclear fuel cycle. However, the whole spectrum of these problems was discussed including problems of economic policy, politics and ethical problems, too. Reports were presented on trends of the development of atomic energy in developed and developing countries. Besides the systems of nuclear power plants and the trends of their development, the Conference attached prominent importance to the supply of nuclear fuels and to the fuel cycle, respectively. Owing to important factors, the reprocessing of the spent nuclear fuel was emphasized. The problem area of the treatment of radioactive wastes, the protection of workers in immediate contact and of environment against radiations, the possibilities of ensuring nuclear safety, the degrees of hazards and the methods of protection of fast breeder reactors and up-to-date equipments were discussed. In contrast to earlier conferences the complex problem of the correlation of atomic energy to public opinion played an important role, too. (P.J.)

Reload safety evaluation report for yonggwang nuclear power plant unit 1 cycle 7

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Chan Oh; Kwon, Tae Je; Park, Sang Yoon; Sung, Kang Sik; Kim, Ki Hang; Yim, Jeong Sik; Kim, Du Ill; Choi, Han Rim; Bae, Hoo Gun

1992-06-01

This report presents the reload safety evaluation for YGN-1, Cycle 7 and demonstrates that the reactor core being entirely composed of KOFA as discribed below will not adversely affect the safety of the public and the plant. All of the accidents comprising the licensing bases which could potentially be affected by the reload fuel assemblies have been reviewed for the Cycle 7 core and results are described in this report. (Author)

Reliability and availability requirements analysis for DEMO: fuel cycle system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinna, T.; Borgognoni, F.

2015-01-01

The Demonstration Power Plant (DEMO) will be a fusion reactor prototype designed to demonstrate the capability to produce electrical power in a commercially acceptable way. Two of the key elements of the engineering development of the DEMO reactor are the definitions of reliability and availability requirements (or targets). The availability target for a hypothesized Fuel Cycle has been analysed as a test case. The analysis has been done on the basis of the experience gained in operating existing tokamak fusion reactors and developing the ITER design. Plant Breakdown Structure (PBS) and Functional Breakdown Structure (FBS) related to the DEMO Fuel Cycle and correlations between PBS and FBS have been identified. At first, a set of availability targets has been allocated to the various systems on the basis of their operating, protection and safety functions. 75% and 85% of availability has been allocated to the operating functions of fuelling system and tritium plant respectively. 99% of availability has been allocated to the overall systems in executing their safety functions. The chances of the systems to achieve the allocated targets have then been investigated through a Failure Mode and Effect Analysis and Reliability Block Diagram analysis. The following results have been obtained: 1) the target of 75% for the operations of the fuelling system looks reasonable, while the target of 85% for the operations of the whole tritium plant should be reduced to 80%, even though all the tritium plant systems can individually reach quite high availability targets, over 90% - 95%; 2) all the DEMO Fuel Cycle systems can reach the target of 99% in accomplishing their safety functions. (authors)

Proliferation resistance fuel cycle technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, J. S.; Ko, W. I

1999-02-01

The issues of dual use in nuclear technology are analysed for nuclear fuel cycle with special focus on uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing which are considered as the most sensitive components in terms of vulnerability to diversion. Technical alternatives to mitigrate the vulnerability, as has been analysed in depth during the NASAP and INFCE era in the late seventies, are reviewed to characterize the DUPIC fuel cycle alternative. On the other hand, the new realities in nuclear energy including the disposition of weapon materials as a legacy of cold war are recast in an angle of nuclear proliferation resistance and safeguards with a discussion on the concept of spent fuel standard concept and its compliance with the DUPIC fuel cycle technology. (author)

Thorium fuel cycle - Potential benefits and challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-05-01

There has been significant interest among Member States in developing advanced and innovative technologies for safe, proliferation resistant and economically efficient nuclear fuel cycles, while minimizing waste and environmental impacts. This publication provides an insight into the reasons for renewed interest in the thorium fuel cycle, different implementation scenarios and options for the thorium cycle and an update of the information base on thorium fuels and fuel cycles. The present TECDOC focuses on the upcoming thorium based reactors, current information base, front and back end issues, including manufacturing and reprocessing of thorium fuels and waste management, proliferation-resistance and economic issues. The concluding chapter summarizes future prospects and recommendations pertaining to thorium fuels and fuel cycles

Sustainability Features of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Options

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefano Passerini

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The nuclear fuel cycle is the series of stages that nuclear fuel materials go through in a cradle to grave framework. The Once Through Cycle (OTC is the current fuel cycle implemented in the United States; in which an appropriate form of the fuel is irradiated through a nuclear reactor only once before it is disposed of as waste. The discharged fuel contains materials that can be suitable for use as fuel. Thus, different types of fuel recycling technologies may be introduced in order to more fully utilize the energy potential of the fuel, or reduce the environmental impacts and proliferation concerns about the discarded fuel materials. Nuclear fuel cycle systems analysis is applied in this paper to attain a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of fuel cycle alternatives. Through the use of the nuclear fuel cycle analysis code CAFCA (Code for Advanced Fuel Cycle Analysis, the impact of a number of recycling technologies and the associated fuel cycle options is explored in the context of the U.S. energy scenario over 100 years. Particular focus is given to the quantification of Uranium utilization, the amount of Transuranic Material (TRU generated and the economics of the different options compared to the base-line case, the OTC option. It is concluded that LWRs and the OTC are likely to dominate the nuclear energy supply system for the period considered due to limitations on availability of TRU to initiate recycling technologies. While the introduction of U-235 initiated fast reactors can accelerate their penetration of the nuclear energy system, their higher capital cost may lead to continued preference for the LWR-OTC cycle.

Synergistic fuel cycles of the future

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meneley, D.A.; Dastur, A.R.

1997-01-01

Good neutron economy is the basis of the fuel cycle flexibility in the CANDU reactor. This paper describes the fuel cycle options available to the CANDU owner with special emphasis on resource conservation and waste management. CANDU fuel cycles with low initial fissile content operate with relatively high conversion ratio. The natural uranium cycle provides over 55 % of energy from the plutonium that is created during fuel life. Resource utilization is over 7 MWd/kg NU. This can be improved by slight enrichment (between 0.9 and 1.2 wt % U235) of the fuel. Resource utilization increases to 11 MWd/kg NU with the Slightly Enriched Uranium cycle. Thorium based cycles in CANDU operate at near-breeder efficiency. Obey provide attractive options when used with natural uranium or separated (reactor grade and weapons grade) plutonium as driver fuels. In the latter case, the energy from the U233 plus the initial plutonium content amounts to 3.4 GW(th).d/kg Pu-fissile. The same utilization is expected from the use of FBR plutonium in a CANDU thorium cycle. Extension of natural resource is achieved by the use of spent fuels in CANDU. The LWR/CANDU Tandem cycle leads to an additional 77 % of energy through the use of reprocessed LWR fuel (which has a fissile content of 1.6 wt %) in CANDU. Dry reprocessing of LWR fuel with the OREOX process (a more safeguardable alternative to the PUREX process) provides an additional 50 % energy. Uranium recovered (RU) from separation of plutonium contained in spent LWR fuel provides an additional 15 MWd/kg RU. CANDU's low fissile requirement provides the possibility, through the use of non-fertile targets, of extracting energy from the minor actinides contained in spent fuel. In addition to the resource utilization advantage described above, there is a corresponding reduction in waste arisings with such cycles. This is especially significant when separated plutonium is available as a fissile resource. (author)

IFR fuel cycle process equipment design environment and objectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rigg, R.H.

1993-01-01

Argonne National laboratory (ANL) is refurbishing the hot cell facility originally constructed with the EBR-II reactor. When refurbishment is complete, the facility win demonstrate the complete fuel cycle for current generation high burnup metallic fuel elements. These are sodium bonded, stainless steel clad fuel pins of U-Zr or U-Pu-Zr composition typical of the fuel type proposed for a future Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) design. To the extent possible, the process equipment is being built at full commercial scale, and the facility is being modified to incorporate current DOE facility design requirements and modem remote maintenance principles. The current regulatory and safety environment has affected the design of the fuel fabrication equipment, most of which will be described in greater detail in subsequent papers in this session

Nuclear fuel cycles : description, demand and supply estimates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gadallah, A.A.; Abou Zahra, A.A.; Hammad, F.H.

1985-01-01

This report deals with various nuclear fuel cycles description as well as the world demand and supply estimates of materials and services. Estimates of world nuclear fuel cycle requirements: nuclear fuel, heavy water and other fuel cycle services as well as the availability and production capabilities of these requirements, are discussed for several reactor fuel cycle strategies, different operating and under construction fuel cycle facilities in some industrialized and developed countries are surveyed. Various uncertainties and bottlenecks which are recently facing the development of some fuel cycle components are also discussed, as well as various proposals concerning fuel cycle back-end concepts. finally, the nuclear fuel cycles activities in some developing countries are reviewed with emphasis on the egyptian plans to introduce nuclear power in the country. 11 fig., 16 tab

The Nuclear Fuel Cycle Information System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-02-01

The Nuclear Fuel Cycle Information System (NFCIS) is an international directory of civilian nuclear fuel cycle facilities. Its purpose is to identify existing and planned nuclear fuel cycle facilities throughout the world and to indicate their main parameters. It includes information on facilities for uranium ore processing, refining, conversion and enrichment, for fuel fabrication, away-from-reactor storage of spent fuel and reprocessing, and for the production of zirconium metal and Zircaloy tubing. NFCIS currently covers 271 facilities in 32 countries and includes 171 references

Introduction and preparation of the nuclear fuel cycle facility risk analysis code: STAR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nomura, Yasushi

1990-09-01

STAR code is a computer program, by which one can perform the probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) for the nuclear fuel cycle facility in both the normal and the accidental event of environmental radioactive material release. This code was originally developed by NUKEM GmbH in West Germany as a fruit of the PSE (Projekt Sicherheitsstudien Entsorgung) aiming at R and D of safety analysis methods for use in nuclear fuel cycle facilities such as reprocessing plants. In JAERI, efforts have been made to research and develop safety assessment methods applicable to the accidental situations assumed to happen in the reprocessing plants. In this line of objectives, the STAR code was introduced from NUKEM GmbH in 1986 and, since then, has been improved and prepared to add an ability to analyze public radiation exposure by released activities from the plants. At the first stage of this code preparation, the program conversion was made to adapt the STAR code, originally operative on IBM-compatible PC's and Hewlett Packard 7550A plotters, to NEC PC 9801RX and NEC PR 602R page printers installed in the Fuel Cycle Safety Assessment Laboratory of JAERI. This report describes calculational performances of the STAR code, results of the improvement and preparation works together with input/output data format in illustration of a sample HALW (High Activity Liquid Waste) tank PSA problem, thus making a users' manual for the STAR code. (author)

Nuclear-fuel-cycle optimization: methods and modelling techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silvennoinen, P.

1982-01-01

This book present methods applicable to analyzing fuel-cycle logistics and optimization as well as in evaluating the economics of different reactor strategies. After an introduction to the phases of a fuel cycle, uranium cost trends are assessed in a global perspective. Subsequent chapters deal with the fuel-cycle problems faced by a power utility. The fuel-cycle models cover the entire cycle from the supply of uranium to the disposition of spent fuel. The chapter headings are: Nuclear Fuel Cycle, Uranium Supply and Demand, Basic Model of the LWR (light water reactor) Fuel Cycle, Resolution of Uncertainties, Assessment of Proliferation Risks, Multigoal Optimization, Generalized Fuel-Cycle Models, Reactor Strategy Calculations, and Interface with Energy Strategies. 47 references, 34 figures, 25 tables

The role of accelerators in the nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, Hiroshi.

1990-01-01

The use of neutrons produced by the medium energy proton accelerator (1 GeV--3 GeV) has considerable potential in reconstructing the nuclear fuel cycle. About 1.5 ∼ 2.5 ton of fissile material can be produced annually by injecting a 450 MW proton beam directly into fertile materials. A source of neutrons, produced by a proton beam, to supply subcritical reactors could alleviate many of the safety problems associated with critical assemblies, such as positive reactivity coefficients due to coolant voiding. The transient power of the target can be swiftly controlled by controlling the power of the proton beam. Also, the use of a proton beam would allow more flexibility in the choice of fuel and structural materials which otherwise might reduce the reactivity of reactors. This paper discusses the rate of accelerators in the transmutation of radioactive wastes of the nuclear fuel cycles. 34 refs., 17 figs., 9 tabs

Advanced Fuel Cycle Cost Basis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

D. E. Shropshire; K. A. Williams; W. B. Boore; J. D. Smith; B. W. Dixon; M. Dunzik-Gougar; R. D. Adams; D. Gombert; E. Schneider

2009-12-01

This report, commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), provides a comprehensive set of cost data supporting a cost analysis for the relative economic comparison of options for use in the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) Program. The report describes the AFCI cost basis development process, reference information on AFCI cost modules, a procedure for estimating fuel cycle costs, economic evaluation guidelines, and a discussion on the integration of cost data into economic computer models. This report contains reference cost data for 25 cost modules—23 fuel cycle cost modules and 2 reactor modules. The cost modules were developed in the areas of natural uranium mining and milling, conversion, enrichment, depleted uranium disposition, fuel fabrication, interim spent fuel storage, reprocessing, waste conditioning, spent nuclear fuel (SNF) packaging, long-term monitored retrievable storage, near surface disposal of low-level waste (LLW), geologic repository and other disposal concepts, and transportation processes for nuclear fuel, LLW, SNF, transuranic, and high-level waste.

Advanced Fuel Cycle Cost Basis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

D. E. Shropshire; K. A. Williams; W. B. Boore; J. D. Smith; B. W. Dixon; M. Dunzik-Gougar; R. D. Adams; D. Gombert

2007-04-01

This report, commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), provides a comprehensive set of cost data supporting a cost analysis for the relative economic comparison of options for use in the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) Program. The report describes the AFCI cost basis development process, reference information on AFCI cost modules, a procedure for estimating fuel cycle costs, economic evaluation guidelines, and a discussion on the integration of cost data into economic computer models. This report contains reference cost data for 26 cost modules—24 fuel cycle cost modules and 2 reactor modules. The cost modules were developed in the areas of natural uranium mining and milling, conversion, enrichment, depleted uranium disposition, fuel fabrication, interim spent fuel storage, reprocessing, waste conditioning, spent nuclear fuel (SNF) packaging, long-term monitored retrievable storage, near surface disposal of low-level waste (LLW), geologic repository and other disposal concepts, and transportation processes for nuclear fuel, LLW, SNF, and high-level waste.

Advanced Fuel Cycle Cost Basis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

D. E. Shropshire; K. A. Williams; W. B. Boore; J. D. Smith; B. W. Dixon; M. Dunzik-Gougar; R. D. Adams; D. Gombert; E. Schneider

2008-03-01

This report, commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), provides a comprehensive set of cost data supporting a cost analysis for the relative economic comparison of options for use in the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) Program. The report describes the AFCI cost basis development process, reference information on AFCI cost modules, a procedure for estimating fuel cycle costs, economic evaluation guidelines, and a discussion on the integration of cost data into economic computer models. This report contains reference cost data for 25 cost modules—23 fuel cycle cost modules and 2 reactor modules. The cost modules were developed in the areas of natural uranium mining and milling, conversion, enrichment, depleted uranium disposition, fuel fabrication, interim spent fuel storage, reprocessing, waste conditioning, spent nuclear fuel (SNF) packaging, long-term monitored retrievable storage, near surface disposal of low-level waste (LLW), geologic repository and other disposal concepts, and transportation processes for nuclear fuel, LLW, SNF, transuranic, and high-level waste.

Fuel cycles for the 80's

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-01-01

Papers presented at the American Nuclear Society's topical meeting on the fuel cycle are summarized. Present progress and goals in the areas of fuel fabrication, fuel reprocessing, spent fuel storage, accountability, and safeguards are reported. Present governmental policies which affect the fuel cycle are also discussed. Individual presentations are processed for inclusion in the Energy Data Base

World-wide French experience in research reactor fuel cycle transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raisonnier, D.

1997-01-01

Since 1963 Transnucleaire has safely performed a large number of national and international transports of radioactive material. Transnucleaire has also designed and supplied suitable packagings for all types of nuclear fuel cycle radioactive material from front-end and back-end products and for power or for research reactors. Transportation of the nuclear fuel material for power reactors is made on a regular and industrial basis. The transportation of material for the research reactor fuel cycle is quite different due to the small quantities involved, the categorisation of material and the numerous places of delivery world-wide. Adapted solutions exist, which require a reactive organisation dealing with all the transportation issues for LEU and HEU products as metal, oxide, fresh fuel elements, spent fuel elements including supply of necessary transport packaging and equipment. This presentation will: - explain the choices made by Transnucleaire and its associates to provide and optimise the corresponding services, - demonstrate the capability to achieve, through reliable partnership, transport operations involving new routes, specific equipment and new political constraints while respecting sophisticated safety and security regulations. (author)

Nuclear fuel cycle, nuclear fuel makes the rounds: choosing a closed fuel cycle, nuclear fuel cycle processes, front-end of the fuel cycle: from crude ore to enriched uranium, back-end of the fuel cycle: the second life of nuclear fuel, and tomorrow: multiple recycling while generating increasingly less waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Philippon, Patrick

2016-01-01

France has opted for a policy of processing and recycling spent fuel. This option has already been deployed commercially since the 1990's, but will reach its full potential with the fourth generation. The CEA developed the processes in use today, and is pursuing research to improve, extend, and adapt these technologies to tomorrow's challenges. France has opted for a 'closed cycle' to recycle the reusable materials in spent fuel (uranium and plutonium) and optimise ultimate waste management. France has opted for a 'closed' nuclear fuel cycle. Spent fuel is processed to recover the reusable materials: uranium and plutonium. The remaining components (fission products and minor actinides) are the ultimate waste. This info-graphic shows the main steps in the fuel cycle currently implemented commercially in France. From the mine to the reactor, a vast industrial system ensures the conversion of uranium contained in the ore to obtain uranium oxide (UOX) fuel pellets. Selective extraction, purification, enrichment - key scientific and technical challenges for the teams in the Nuclear Energy Division (DEN). The back-end stages of the fuel cycle for recycling the reusable materials in spent fuel and conditioning the final waste-forms have reached maturity. CEA teams are pursuing their research in support of industry to optimise these processes. Multi-recycle plutonium, make even better use of uranium resources and, over the longer term, explore the possibility of transmuting the most highly radioactive waste: these are the challenges facing future nuclear systems. (authors)

International project on innovative nuclear reactors and fuel cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cherepnin, Yu.S.; Bezzubtsev, V.S.; Gabaraev, B.A.

2002-01-01

Positive changes are currently taking place in nuclear power in the world. Power generation at Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) is increasing and new units construction and completion rates are growing in some of leading countries. Considerable efforts are made for improving the safety of operating NPPs, effective use of nuclear fuel and solving the spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste problems. Simultaneously, work are undertaken to develop new reactor technologies to reduce the fundamental drawbacks of conventional nuclear power, namely: insufficient safety, spent fuel and waste handling problems, nuclear material proliferation risk and poor economic competitiveness as compared to fossil-fuel energy sources. One the most important events in this field is an international project implemented by three agencies (OECD-IEA, OECD-NEA, IAEA) for comparative evaluation of new projects, development of Generation IV reactors underway in the US in cooperation with a number of Western countries and, finally, the initiative by Russian President V.V. Putin for consolidation the efforts of interested countries under auspices of IAEA to solve the problem of energy support for sustainable development of humankind, radical solution of non-proliferation problems and environmental sanitation of the Planet of Earth. The 44-th General Conference of IAEA in September 2000 supported the Initiative of Russian President and called all interested countries to unite efforts under the Agency's auspices in the International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles to consider and select the most acceptable nuclear technologies of the 21-st century with regard for the drawbacks of today's nuclear power. Main objectivities of INPRO: Promotion of the availability of nuclear power for sustainable satisfaction of the energy needs in 21-st century; Consolidation of efforts by all interested INPRO participating countries (both owners and users of technologies) for joint development of

Setting the scenario - potential hazards of the nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berry, R.J.; McPhail, N.

1989-01-01

The range of nuclear fuel cycle services provided by the various plants belonging to BNFL throughout the UK are described. The Sellafield Reprocessing Plant as the site which has the greatest potential for radiological hazard is then considered in more detail. In particular the safety cycle designed to prevent radiological accidents at Sellafield, emergency planning, the consequences of a major accident at Sellafield and the medical arrangements in the event of an accident are all discussed. (UK)

Evaluation Indicators for Analysis of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Sustainability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, Chang Joon; Ko, Won Il; Chang, Hong Lae

2008-01-15

In this report, an attempt was made to derive indicators for the evaluation of the sustainability of the nuclear fuel cycle, using the methodologies developed by the INPRO, OECD/NEA and Gen-IV. In deriving the indicators, the three main elements of the sustainability, i.e., economics, environmental impact, and social aspect, as well as the technological aspect of the nuclear fuel cycle, considering the importance of the safety, were selected as the main criteria. An evaluation indicator for each criterion was determined, and the contents and evaluation method of each indicator were proposed. In addition, a questionnaire survey was carried out for the objectivity of the selection of the indicators in which participated some experts of the Korea Energy Technology and Emergency Management Institute (KETEMI) . Although the proposed indicators do not satisfy the characteristics and requirements of general indicators, it is presumed that they can be used in the analysis of the sustainability of the nuclear fuel cycle because those indicators incorporate various expert judgment and public opinions. On the other hand, the weighting factor of each indicator should be complemented in the future, using the AHP method and expert advice/consultations.

Safety study of fire protection for nuclear fuel cycle facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2013-08-15

Based on the investigation of fire protection standards for domestic and foreign nuclear facilities, the fire protection guideline for nuclear fuel cycle facility has been completed. In 2012, trial operation is started by private company using the guideline. In addition, the acquisition of fire evaluation data for a components (electric cable) targeted for spread of fire and the evaluation model of fire source were continued for the fire hazard analysis (FHA). (author)

Safety study of fire protection for nuclear fuel cycle facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

Based on the investigation of fire protection standards for domestic and foreign nuclear facilities, the fire protection guideline for nuclear fuel cycle facility has been completed. In 2012, trial operation is started by private company using the guideline. In addition, the acquisition of fire evaluation data for a components (electric cable) targeted for spread of fire and the evaluation model of fire source were continued for the fire hazard analysis (FHA). (author)

Safety aspects of LWR fuel reprocessing and mixed oxide fuel fabrication plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischer, M.; Leichsenring, C.H.; Herrmann, G.W.; Schueller, W.; Hagenberg, W.; Stoll, W.

1977-01-01

ozon in the cryogenic system to remove krypton 85. Therefore, the off-gas processing and cleanup systems receive particular attention with respect to safety of nuclear fuel cycle facilities. The consequences of credible accidents in mixed oxide fuel fabrication plants, i.e. for instance criticality, explosions, leaks in glove boxes or Pu-nitrate tanks are considered. It is shown that credible accidents can be controlled and release of radioactive contaminants can be minimized by the combination of multiple physical barriers with graduated underpressure, corresponding off-gas systems and process safety systems

Reload safety evaluation report for Ulchin nuclear power plant unit 1, cycle 6

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Won Jae; Kim, Yong Rae; Kim, Oh Hwan; Kwon, Hyuk Sung; Yoon, Han Young; Choi, Han Rim; Ku, Dong Uk [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1993-11-01

This report presents a reload safety evaluation for Ulchin 1, cycle 6 and demonstrates that the reactor core being fully composed of KOFA as described in this report will not adversely affect the safety of the public and the plant. All of the accidents comprising the licensing bases which could potentially be affected by the fuel reload have been reviewed for the cycle 6 core and results are described in this report. (Author) 1 ref., 5 figs., 6 tabs.

Reload safety evaluation report for Yonggwang nuclear power plant unit 1, cycle 8

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Won Jae; Yoon, Kyung Ho; Cho, Young Chul; Kim, Jae Hak; Um, Kil Sup; Choi, Han Rim; Kim, Ki Hang; Sung, Kang Sik

1993-09-01

This report presents a reload safety evaluation for YGN-1, cycle 8 and demonstrates that the core being entirely composed of KOFA as described in the report will not adversely affect the safety of the public and the plant. All of the accidents comprising the licensing bases which could potentially be affected by the fuel reload have been reviewed for the cycle 8 core and results are described in the report. (Author) 1 ref., 4 figs., 5 tabs

Reload safety evaluation report for Ulchin nuclear power plant unit 1, cycle 6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Won Jae; Kim, Yong Rae; Kim, Oh Hwan; Kwon, Hyuk Sung; Yoon, Han Young; Choi, Han Rim; Ku, Dong Uk

1993-11-01

This report presents a reload safety evaluation for Ulchin 1, cycle 6 and demonstrates that the reactor core being fully composed of KOFA as described in this report will not adversely affect the safety of the public and the plant. All of the accidents comprising the licensing bases which could potentially be affected by the fuel reload have been reviewed for the cycle 6 core and results are described in this report. (Author) 1 ref., 5 figs., 6 tabs

Reload safety evaluation report for Yonggwang nuclear power plant unit 1, cycle 9

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Young Chul; Nam, Kee Il; Kim, Ki Hang; Suh, Jung Min; Um, Kil Sup; Ban, Chang Hwan; Bae, Hoo Gun

1995-02-01

This report presents a reload safety evaluation for YGN-1, Cycle 9 and demonstrates that the core being entirely composed of KOFA as described in the report will not adversely affect the safety of the public and the plant. All of the accidents comprising the licensing bases which could potentially be affected by the fuel reload have been reviewed for the Cycle 9 core and results are described in this report. (Author) 1 refs., 3 figs., 6 tabs

Reload safety evaluation report for Ulchin nuclear power plant unit 1, cycle 7

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Yong Rae; Kwon, Hyuk Sung; Kim, Oh Hwan; Choi, Han Rim; Yoon, Han Young; Ku, Dong Uk; Suh, Jung Min; Bae, Hoo Gun

1995-02-01

This report presents a reload safety evaluation for UCN-2, Cycle 7 and demonstrates that the core being entirely composed of KOFA as described in the report will not adversely affect the safety of the public and the plant. All of the accidents comprising the licensing bases which could potentially be affected by the fuel reload have been reviewed for the Cycle 7 core and results are described in this report. (Author) 1 refs., 3 figs., 6 tabs

Sipping fuel and saving lives: increasing fuel economy withoutsacrificing safety

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gordon, Deborah; Greene, David L.; Ross, Marc H.; Wenzel, Tom P.