Overview of the international R&D recycling activities of the nuclear fuel cycle

PAVIET-HARTMANN Patricia

Idaho National Laboratory, Center for Advanced Energy Studies, 995 University Blvd, Idaho Falls, ID 83402 USA (patricia.paviet-hartmann@inl.gov)

Abstract: Nuclear power has demonstrated over the last thirty years its capacity to produce base-load electricity at a low, predictable and stable cost due to the very low economic dependence of the price of uranium. However the management of used nuclear fuel (UNF) remains the “Achilles’ heel of this energy source since the storage of UNF is increasing as evidenced by the following number with 2,000 to 2,300 of UNF produced each year by the 104 US nuclear reactor units which equates to a total of 62,000 UNF assemblies stored in dry cask storage and 88,000 stored in pools. Alarmingly, more than half of US commercial reactor sites have filled their pools to capacity and have had to add dry cask storage facilities. Two options adopted by several countries will be discussed. The first one adopted by Europe, Japan and Russia consists of recycling the used nuclear fuel after irradiation in a nuclear reactor. Ninety six percent of uranium and plutonium contained in the spent fuel could be reused to produce electricity and are worth recycling. The separation of uranium and plutonium from the wastes is realized through the industrial PUREX process so that they can be recycled for re-use in a nuclear reactor as a mixed oxide (MOX) fuel. The second option undertaken by Finland, Sweden and the United States implies the direct disposal of UNF into a geologic formation. One has to remind that only 30% of the worldwide UNF are currently recycled, the larger part being stored (90% in pool) waiting for scientific or political decisions. A third option is emerging with a closed fuel cycle which will improve the global sustainability of nuclear energy. This option will not only decrease the volume amount of nuclear waste but also the long-term radiotoxicity of the final waste, as well as improving the long-term safety and the heat-loading of the final repository. At the present time, numerous countries are focusing on the R&D recycling activities of the ultimate waste composed of fission products and minor actinides (americium and curium). Several new chemical extraction processes, such as TRUSPEAK, EXAM, or LUCA processes are pursued worldwide and their approaches will be highlighted.
Keyword: Reprocessing; recycling; used nuclear fuel; nuclear repository