2015-Sustainable Industrial Processing Summit
SIPS 2015 Volume 7: Ionic Liquids & Energy Production
| Editors: | Kongoli F, Gaune-Escard M, Mauntz M, Rubinstein J, Dodds H.L. |
| Publisher: | Flogen Star OUTREACH |
| Publication Year: | 2015 |
| Pages: | 310 pages |
| ISBN: | 978-1-987820-30-0 |
| ISSN: | 2291-1227 (Metals and Materials Processing in a Clean Environment Series) |
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Advantages of Fast Spectrum Reactors in a Closed Fuel Cycle for Sustainability of Nuclear Energy
Tanju Sofu1;1ARGONNE NATIONAL LABORATORY, Argonne, United States;
Type of Paper: Regular
Id Paper: 255
Topic: 17
Abstract:
Next generation nuclear energy systems currently under consideration aim for significant advances over light water reactors (LWRs) in the areas of sustainability, economics, safety, reliability, and non-proliferation. The development of these systems is an international effort, involving collaborations under the framework of the OECD's Generation-IV International Forum (GIF) [1] and IAEA's International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) [2]. Studies under these programs highlight the importance of the closed fuel cycle systems using fast-neutron reactors to meet especially the sustainability goal through efficient resource utilization.
The current path relying heavily on LWRs in a "once-through" fuel cycle is not sustainable. The LWRs extract energy from only a small fraction of the natural uranium in the fuel. The used LWR fuel contains more than 95% of the original uranium, as well as heavier elements that are used as fuel. In comparison, fast reactors can extract about two orders of magnitude more energy from the same amount of fuel. The once-through fuel cycle with no provision for recycling of used fuel also places heavy burden on the spent fuel repository storage capacity. In a fast reactor with a closed fuel cycle, the transuranic elements that remain radioactive for a long time can be consumed, significantly reducing the repository space needed for waste isolation. In this presentation, a technology review of fast reactor systems and a summary of recent U.S. fuel cycle option study will be given.