A Review of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Strategies and the Spent Nuclear Fuel Management Technologies

Abstract

Nuclear power has been questioned almost since its beginnings and one of the major issues concerning its social acceptability around the world is nuclear waste management. In recent years, these issues have led to a rise in public opposition in some countries and, thus, nuclear energy has been facing even more challenges. However, continuous efforts in R&D (research and development) are resulting in new spent nuclear fuel (SNF) management technologies that might be the pathway towards helping the environment and the sustainability of nuclear energy. Thus, reprocessing and recycling of SNF could be one of the key points to improve the social acceptability of nuclear energy. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to review the state of the nuclear waste management technologies, its evolution through time and the future advanced techniques that are currently under research, in order to obtain a global vision of the nuclear fuel cycle strategies available, their advantages and disadvantages, and their expected evolution in the future.

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

“…However, safety concerns have been raised by the Fukushima Daiichi accident in 2011. Proponents of nuclear energy cite the availability of fuel, the potential to mitigate global warming, and stability that cannot be matched Energies 2020, 13, 2996 2 of 12 by solar or thermal energy [7]. Opponents of nuclear energy cite safety concerns, the proliferation risk, high capital investment, and the problem of managing radioactive waste.…”

New Greener and Sustainable Methodology for Direct Sequestering and Analysis of Uranium Using a Maline Supramolecular Scaffold and Mechanistic Understanding through Speciation and Interaction Studies

“…4,7,8 Therefore, reprocessing and management of SNF are crucial to the future of nuclear energy. [4][5][6]9 Solvents occupy a strategic place within the nuclear fuel cycle (NFC), viz., various stages of processing and reprocessing of metal and metal oxides, namely, dissolution, solvent extraction, recovery, and analysis. In the NFC, the current approaches of reprocessing fall into two major categories as PUREX and pyrochemical processes.…”

“…Nuclear energy, a mature technology and low carbon energy source, is going to be one of the major sources of energy due to increasing power demands and the possibility of reducing greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere. − Uranium (U) is primarily utilized as a fuel source for nuclear power generation and its increasing demand as fuel material in the nuclear technology activity evokes processing of metal oxides present in naturally occurring ores as well as in spent nuclear fuel (SNF) for complete utilization of its energy potential. − However, the prime concern of nuclear energy is the economic and environmental issues associated with managing the SNF wastes due to their long-term radiotoxicity. ,, Therefore, reprocessing and management of SNF are crucial to the future of nuclear energy. − , Solvents occupy a strategic place within the nuclear fuel cycle (NFC), viz., various stages of processing and reprocessing of metal and metal oxides, namely, dissolution, solvent extraction, recovery, and analysis. In the NFC, the current approaches of reprocessing fall into two major categories as PUREX and pyrochemical processes. , Both these processes have certain complexities and result in technical challenges, viz., poor atom and energy efficiencies, generation of the large volume of high-level hazardous acidic radioactive waste which has potential long-term risk to the environment, nonproliferation (PUREX), the requirement of high temperature, and corrosion problems of pyrochemical media.…”

Recoveryof actinidesand fission products from spent nuclear fuel via electrolytic reduction: Thematic overview

“…MOX fuel is used primarily in fast reactors (FRs). A common usage of FRs will reduce the consumption of uranium fuel by 50 to 100 times compared to the current fuel consumption 1 . Reprocessing and recycling of SNF reduces significantly (approximately four times) the volume of stored waste and reduces its storage time by 100 times or more 2 …”

“…A common usage of FRs will reduce the consumption of uranium fuel by 50 to 100 times compared to the current fuel consumption. 1 Reprocessing and recycling of SNF reduces significantly (approximately four times) the volume of stored waste and reduces its storage time by 100 times or more. 2 The methods for reprocessing SNF are conventionally divided into two groups: water processes and pyroprocesses.…”