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Session I.4.9iSession I.4.9i

Part I Review of Fundamentals

Module 4 Sources of Radiation

Session 9i Fuel Cycle - Reprocessing

IAEA Post Graduate Educational CourseIAEA Post Graduate Educational CourseRadiation Protection and Safe Use of Radiation SourcesRadiation Protection and Safe Use of Radiation Sources

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ReprocessingReprocessing

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What is reprocessing?What is reprocessing?

Reprocessing is the separation and removal of Reprocessing is the separation and removal of fission products from the SNFfission products from the SNF

U, Pu may be separated and reused or storedU, Pu may be separated and reused or stored

Fission products vitrified as HLW glass (ideally)Fission products vitrified as HLW glass (ideally)

Many processesMany processes

wetwet dry dry transmutationtransmutation

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ReprocessingReprocessing

Spent FuelSpent Fuel

95%95% 238238UU 1%1% 235235UU 1%1% Pu Pu 3%3% fission products fission products

Reprocessing separates it into 3 groupsReprocessing separates it into 3 groups

UU PuPu WasteWaste

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ReprocessingReprocessing

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ReprocessingReprocessing

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ReprocessingReprocessing

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Reprocessing FacilitiesReprocessing Facilities

Domestic U.S. - > 100,000 te, mainly low burnupDomestic U.S. - > 100,000 te, mainly low burnup West Valley - shutdown/cleanupWest Valley - shutdown/cleanup Barnwell/AGNS - not allowed to operateBarnwell/AGNS - not allowed to operate GE/Morris - didn’t work, SNF wet storageGE/Morris - didn’t work, SNF wet storage DOE - several, only SRS operating to any degreeDOE - several, only SRS operating to any degree

International - > 100,000 te total; > 30,000 te; decent International - > 100,000 te total; > 30,000 te; decent burnupsburnups France - La HagueFrance - La Hague UK - Sellafield/THORPUK - Sellafield/THORP India, Pakistan, Russia/FSU, ChinaIndia, Pakistan, Russia/FSU, China Japan - pilot operating, full-scale plant 70% Japan - pilot operating, full-scale plant 70%

completecomplete

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What is the Wet Route?What is the Wet Route?

shear, dissolve fuel in nitric acidshear, dissolve fuel in nitric acid clarify, solvent extractionclarify, solvent extraction partition U/Pupartition U/Pu recover UOrecover UO33, PuO, PuO22 powders powders

Purex variations most successfulPurex variations most successful 99.8-99.9% recovery of U/Pu99.8-99.9% recovery of U/Pu

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What are the Facilities?What are the Facilities?

Several large facilities for power reactor SNFSeveral large facilities for power reactor SNF All heavily shielded - 4 ft wallsAll heavily shielded - 4 ft walls Cells, manipulators, remote operationsCells, manipulators, remote operations

France - La HagueFrance - La Hague 2 plants, about 1,700 te/yr capacity2 plants, about 1,700 te/yr capacity running at 1,500-1,600 te/yrrunning at 1,500-1,600 te/yr 10102020 Bq vitrified HLW Bq vitrified HLW

UK - SellafieldUK - Sellafield 2 plants2 plants THORP - about 700 te/yr (800 capacity)THORP - about 700 te/yr (800 capacity) 0.3 x 100.3 x 102020 Bq vitrified HLW Bq vitrified HLW

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La Hague PlantLa Hague Plant

(2) 800 MTHM/yr Plants, about $10 B(2) 800 MTHM/yr Plants, about $10 B

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Dry ReprocessingDry Reprocessing

Sometimes called pyroreprocessing, pyrometallurgicalSometimes called pyroreprocessing, pyrometallurgical

Uses melting, electrolysis, volatilization to separate Uses melting, electrolysis, volatilization to separate U/Pu from fission productsU/Pu from fission products

Proposed in transmutation schemesProposed in transmutation schemes

Difficult to adapt to commercial fuelsDifficult to adapt to commercial fuels

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TransmutationTransmutation

Perform nuclear processes and reactions on Perform nuclear processes and reactions on radioactive wastes to render them either non-radioactive wastes to render them either non-radioactive or significantly less radioactive so radioactive or significantly less radioactive so that radiotoxic and disposal concerns are that radiotoxic and disposal concerns are substantially reduced or eliminated.substantially reduced or eliminated.

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Why Transmutation?Why Transmutation?

Some Fission Products and Transuranics Some Fission Products and Transuranics radioactive/hazardous for 10,000+ years and radioactive/hazardous for 10,000+ years and environmentally mobileenvironmentally mobile

Why not transmute them into stable (nonradioactive) Why not transmute them into stable (nonradioactive) or short-lived materials?or short-lived materials?

Why not reduce quantities, isotopes, types going to Why not reduce quantities, isotopes, types going to disposal?disposal?

Ideally, only LLW disposal requirements neededIdeally, only LLW disposal requirements needed Main focus on Actinides (Np, Pu, Am, Cm)Main focus on Actinides (Np, Pu, Am, Cm) Secondary focus on Tc, I, Ni, ZrSecondary focus on Tc, I, Ni, Zr Tertiary focus on Cs, SrTertiary focus on Cs, Sr

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What does this mean?What does this mean?

Methods can reduce the risks of SNF/HLW disposalMethods can reduce the risks of SNF/HLW disposal

Not obvious that any route can meet desired Not obvious that any route can meet desired destruction % for LLWdestruction % for LLW

All require significant money and take timeAll require significant money and take time

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ReprocessingReprocessing

Thermal Oxide Reprocessing PlantThermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant

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World Commercial World Commercial Reprocessing CapacityReprocessing Capacity

CountryCountry LocationLocation LWR fuelLWR fuel

tonnes/yrtonnes/yr

FranceFrance La HagueLa Hague 1,6001,600

UKUK Sellafield (THORP)Sellafield (THORP) 1,2001,200

RussiaRussia Chelyabinsk (Mayak)Chelyabinsk (Mayak) 400400

JapanJapan 9090

TotalTotal 2,9402,940

Other nuclear fuels:Other nuclear fuels:

UKUK SellafieldSellafield 1,5001,500

FranceFrance MarcouleMarcoule 400400

IndiaIndia 200200

TotalTotal 2,1002,100

Total civil capacityTotal civil capacity 5,0405,040

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ReprocessingReprocessing

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ReprocessingReprocessing

Occurs 5 – 25 years after removal from Occurs 5 – 25 years after removal from reactorreactor

PartitioningPartitioning Separate individual radionuclidesSeparate individual radionuclides

TransmutationTransmutation Neutron bombardment converts one Neutron bombardment converts one

radionuclide into another with better radionuclide into another with better characteristicscharacteristics

Radiotoxicity reduced within 1000 yearsRadiotoxicity reduced within 1000 years

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ReprocessingReprocessing

PUREX processPUREX process Dissolving fuelDissolving fuel Separation of U and Pu by solvent Separation of U and Pu by solvent

extractionextraction Remaining 3% is HLW – vitrified Remaining 3% is HLW – vitrified

pending disposalpending disposal

UREX processUREX process Proposed by USA – only U recoveredProposed by USA – only U recovered