Nuclear Fuel Cycle
A Look at Nuclear Science and Technology Larry Foulke Module 1.3 Grand Tour of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle - Back End Overview
1
Closed Nuclear Fuel Cycle
Nuclear Engineering Program
Image Source: See Note 1
LWR Fuel Cycle “Open”
Nuclear Engineering Program
Image Source: See Note 1
LWR Fuel Cycle “Open” Back End
Nuclear Engineering Program
Image Source: See Note 1
GENERAL FUEL CYCLE (for ALL consumable fuels: oil, gas, coal, uranium) EXPLORATION (to find the resource) MINING (to make the raw resource available) PROCESSING (to convert raw resource to usable form) USE (to consume for energy production) WASTE (to dispose of wastes generated) TRANSPORTATION (to move materials between various steps of the cycle) Nuclear Engineering Program
Unique Elements of the Light Water Reactor (LWR) “Uranium” Fuel Cycle Reprocessing Separate Fission Products from Heavy Metal Separate Uranium & Plutonium Waste Management Low-Level Operating Wastes High-Level Reprocessing Wastes Geologic Repository Recycle Residual 235U Plutonium Nuclear Engineering Program
Nuclear Fuel Cycle The 4-5 years that nuclear fuel spends in a reactor generating power is only a small part of the story. Fuel Cycle (the big picture) Front end: processing to produce fuel for a reactor Reactor operations: receiving, shipping, storing, loading, and consuming fuel in a reactor facility Back end: processing / disposal of spent fuel
Nuclear Engineering Program
Image Source Notes 1. Reprinted with permission from the American Nuclear Society. Nuclear Engineering – Theory and Technology of Commercial Nuclear Power by Ronald Allen Knief, 2nd Edition. Copyright 2008 by the American Nuclear Society, La Grange Park, Illinois. Figure 1-2.
1
Closed Nuclear Fuel Cycle
Nuclear Engineering Program
Image Source: See Note 1
LWR Fuel Cycle “Open”
Nuclear Engineering Program
Image Source: See Note 1
LWR Fuel Cycle “Open” Back End
Nuclear Engineering Program
Image Source: See Note 1
GENERAL FUEL CYCLE (for ALL consumable fuels: oil, gas, coal, uranium) EXPLORATION (to find the resource) MINING (to make the raw resource available) PROCESSING (to convert raw resource to usable form) USE (to consume for energy production) WASTE (to dispose of wastes generated) TRANSPORTATION (to move materials between various steps of the cycle) Nuclear Engineering Program
Unique Elements of the Light Water Reactor (LWR) “Uranium” Fuel Cycle Reprocessing Separate Fission Products from Heavy Metal Separate Uranium & Plutonium Waste Management Low-Level Operating Wastes High-Level Reprocessing Wastes Geologic Repository Recycle Residual 235U Plutonium Nuclear Engineering Program
Nuclear Fuel Cycle The 4-5 years that nuclear fuel spends in a reactor generating power is only a small part of the story. Fuel Cycle (the big picture) Front end: processing to produce fuel for a reactor Reactor operations: receiving, shipping, storing, loading, and consuming fuel in a reactor facility Back end: processing / disposal of spent fuel
Nuclear Engineering Program
Image Source Notes 1. Reprinted with permission from the American Nuclear Society. Nuclear Engineering – Theory and Technology of Commercial Nuclear Power by Ronald Allen Knief, 2nd Edition. Copyright 2008 by the American Nuclear Society, La Grange Park, Illinois. Figure 1-2.
