Synergistic Relationships of

Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycles

Jordan Weaver
Technology Report Presentation
Obligatory Graphic of Fuel Cycle
Uranium Mining,
Milling, Refining
Ore Tailings
Yellowcake
(U
3
O
8
)
Conversion
UF
6
(gas)
Enrichment
Depleted
Uranium
Enriched
UO
2
Fuel
Fabrication
Fuel
Assemblies
Reactor
e
-
Irradiated
Fuel
Onsite Cooling
Storage
Transportation
Reprocessing
Disposal
Pu and
(maybe)
other
actinides
High
Level
Waste

(HLW)
Vitrification
Vitrified
HLW
Fuel Cycles are a Hot Topic Right Now. Why?
If new reactor designs prove as safe as hoped and if progress is made on waste disposal,
proliferation prevention, and protection against terrorism, nuclear power will deserve a
chance to compete in the market against other sources of power that do not emit CO
2
. -
Boston Globe, June 16, 2005

Now that the United States has removed the ban on recycling used fuel, it will be possible
to use that energy and to greatly reduce the amount of waste that needs treatment and
disposal. Last month, Japan joined France, Britain and Russia in the nuclear-fuel-recycling
business. The United States will not be far behind - Patrick Moore, Greenpeace Founder,
in the Washington Post, April 16, 2006

But there are arguments [against nuclear power] that do stand up. The most fundamental
environmental principle is that you don't make a new mess until you have cleared up
the old one. To start building a new generation of nuclear power stations before we know
what to do with the waste produced by existing plants is grotesquely irresponsible. The
government's advisers have determined only that it should be buried. No one yet knows
where, how or at what cost. - The Manchester Guardian [UK], July 11, 2006
Consider these arguments for and against nuclear power --
--- The concerns raised are inevitably tied up with the fuel cycle.
Motivation
One possible aspect of an advanced fuel cycle
lies in the use of new reactor designs that will
help to minimize the amount of waste that
will be disposed of as well as produce more
energy (and more fuel).
Generic Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor
Fast Reactor Physics
Typical PWR Neutron Flux Fast Na-Cooled Reactor Flux
Fast Reactor Technology
Breeder Reactors
During operation, produces
more fuel than it consumes.
Uses U-238 in a breeding
blanket to produce
plutonium that can
eventually be used as fuel.
To achieve this, fast neutron
spectrum is needed.
Breeder Reactor Diagram
Modeling FBR Phase-In
Setup a network of Light-Water Reactors as
well as Fast Breeder Reactors. Recycle spent
fuel from LWR fleet to obtain plutonium. Use
Pu as fuel in FBR to breed more fuel.
One cycle is 10 years and fuel bred in FBR
cannot be used until following cycle.
Normalize overall capacity to 100 GWt to
phase-out LWR fleet.
First Decade Flow Chart
Next Decade
Concentration of Spent Fuel
Fuel discharge coefficients obtained from
ORIGEN-ARP Depletion Code.
Driver Fuel
76.44% U
23.56% Pu
0.0% MA
Na Cooled FR
BU = 140 MWd/kg
Driver Fuel
68.41% U
18.41% Pu
0.27% MA
12.91% FP
Blanket Fuel
100.0% U
0.0% Pu
0.0% MA
Blanket Fuel
97.50% U
1.70% Pu
0.00% MA
0.80% FP
Breeding Blanket
4.55 kg Blanket
per kg Driver
Results
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
P
o
w
e
r

(
G
W
t
)

Years
Power Split
FBR Startup Power LWR Power FBR Reload Power
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
P
u

m
a
s
s

(
k
g
)

Years
Pu Inventory
LWR + FBR
Conclusions
By having reprocessing infrastructures in
place, fuel cycles can be designed to minimize
waste as well as conserve fuel resources while
inherently being proliferation-conscious.
Multi-national approaches can benefit by
utilizing regional resources and sharing the
burden of nuclear waste.
References
109th U.S.C. "Energy Policy Act." August 2005.
Department of Energy. Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative. 2005. Nov 2008
<http://www.ne.doe.gov/AFCI/neAFCI.html>.
Knief, Ronald Allen. Nuclear Engineering: Theory and Technology of
Commercial Nuclear Power. 2nd. Washington: Taylor & Francis, 1992.
"ORIGEN-ARP 5.1." Isotopic Depletion and Decay Analysis System. Oak
Ridge National Laboratory, 2007.
Salvatores, M. "Improved Resources Utilisation, Waste Minimisation and
Proliferation Resistance in a Regional Context." 9th NEA Information
Exchange on Actinide and Fission Product P&T. 2006.
Wikipedia. Fast breeder reactor. November 2008.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_breeder>.
. Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository. 16 November 2008.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca_Mountain>.
World Nuclear Association. Nuclear Power in the USA. October 2008. 21
November 2008 <http://www.world-nuclear.org>.