01 overview of the nuclear fuel cycle and its chemistry
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01 Overview of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Its ChemistryTRANSCRIPT
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OVERVIEW OF THE NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND ITS CHEMISTRY
SHORT COURSE : Introduction to Nuclear Chemistry and Fuel Cycle
Separations
LAS VEGAS, NVJuly 19-21, 2011
R. G. WYMER Vanderbilt University
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THE NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE
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MAJOR ACTIVITIES OF THE FUEL CYCLE
MINING, MILLING, CONVERSION TO UF6
REACTORS AND FUELS SPENT FUEL REPROCESSING
• AQUEOUS• NON-AQUEOUS• EQUIPMENT
WASTE FORMS AND WASTE MANAGEMENT MODELING AND SIMULATION
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MAJOR ACTIVITIES OF THE FUEL CYCLE(CONTINUED)
RADIATION-INDUCED DAMAGE• ORGANIC PROCESS REAGENTS• MATERIALS OF CONSTRUCTION
NON-PROLIFERATION TRANSPORTATION, STORAGE AND DISPOSAL QUANTIFYING RISK OF RECYCLE FACILITIES ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
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MINING, MILLING, CONVERSION AND ENRICHMENT
MINING• AVAILABLE ORES
• OXIDIZED U (U+6)• REDUCED U (U+4)
• CONVENTIONAL MINING• IN SITU MINING (DIMINISHED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT)
MILLING• METHODS• PURITY OF PRODUCT
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MINING, MILLING, CONVERSIONAND ENRICHMENT
(CONTINUED) PURIFICATION OF ORE CONCENTRATE
• SOLVENT EXTRACTION
• UF6 DISTILLATION
CONVERSION TO UF6
ENRICHMENT METHODS• GASEOUS DIFFUSION (UF6)
• GAS CENTRIFUGATION (UF6)
• CHEMICAL EXCHANGE
• AERODYNAMIC (UF6 + H2 CARRIER GAS)
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REACTORS MAJOR POWER REACTOR TYPES
• WATER COOLED AND MODERATED• LIGHT WATER: PWR, BWR• HEAVY WATER: CANDU
• GAS COOLED• CO2
• He (HTGR)• LIQUID METAL COOLED (NOT COMMERCIALIZED)
• Na AND ALKALI METAL EUTECTICS• Pb et alia
• MOLTEN SALT COOLED AND MODERATED (NOT COMMERCIALIZED)
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REACTOR FUELS WATER-COOLED
• UO2 PELLETS IN ZIRCALOY TUBES GAS-COOLED
• UO2 PELLETS IN ZIRCALOY OR STEEL TUBES
• U CARBIDES AND OXYCARBIDES IN GRAPHITE• PRISMATIC GRAPHITE BLOCKS• GRAPHITE BALLS
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REACTOR FUELS(CONTINUED)
LIQUID METAL• UO2 PELLETS IN STEEL TUBES• U/Zr/PU ALLOY IN STEEL TUBES (UNDER
DEVELOPMENT)• U CARBIDE (UNDER DEVELOPMENT)• U NITRIDE (UNDER DEVELOPMENT)
MOLTEN SALT• UF4 + ALKALI METAL FLUORIDES (AND ZrF4)
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SPENT FUEL REPROCESSING AQUEOUS METHODS
• PUREX (TRI-n-BUTYL PHOSPHATE EXTRACTANT + NITRIC ACID SOL’N. OF SPENT FUEL
• EARLIER PROCESSES• REDOX• MISC.
NON-AQUEOUS METHODS• PYROPROCESSES• VOLATILITY (USING HALIDES, e.g., F AND Cl)• DUPIC-TYPE PROCESSES (LOW
DECONTAMINATION)
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SOLVENT EXTRACTION EQUIPMENT
TYPES OF EXTRACTION EQUIPMENT• MIXER SETTLERS• COLUMNS
• PULSE• PACKED
• CENTRIFUGAL CONTACTORS
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SOLVENT EXTRACTION EQUIPMENT (CONT.)
BASIC SOLVENT EXTRACTION STEPS• EXTRACTION• SCRUBBING• STRIPPING
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SOLVENT EXTRACTION EQUIPMENT (CONT.)
SX EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS• HIGH CAPACITY• OPERABLE IN RADIOACTIVE
ENVIRONMENT – RADIATION RESISTANT• REMOTELY OPERABLE• REMOTELY MAINTAINABLE• CAPABLE OF HANDLING SOME SOLIDS
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OTHER IMPORTANT SEPARATIONS PROCESSES: PRECIPITATION AND
CRYSTALLIZATION
MOST ELEMENTS FORM USEFUL PRECIPITATES FIRST Pu SEPARATION USED CARRIER
PRECIPITATION Pu AND U MAY BE PURIFIED BY PEROXIDE
PRECIPITATION
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OTHER IMPORTANT SEPARATIONS PROCESSES: PRECIPITATION AND
CRYSTALLIZATION(CONTINUED)
PRECIPITATION HAS USES AND LIMITATIONS• OFTEN NOT SELECTIVE ENOUGH FOR
RADIOCHEMICAL PURITY NEEDS• CAN PRODUCE SOLIDS DIFFICULT TO HANDLE
(GELATINOUS)• OFTEN USED FOR SCAVENGING IMPURITIES
• Fe(OH)3 IS A WIDELY USEFUL SCAVENGER• PHOSPHATES ARE USEFUL SCAVENGERS
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OTHER IMPORTANT SEPARATIONS PROCESSES: PRECIPITATION AND
CRYSTALLIZATION(CONTINUED)
CRYSTALLIZATION ENHANCES PURITY• CRYSTALS REJECT MANY IMPURITIES FROM
THEIR LATTICE ACTINIDES IN THE SAME VALENCE
STATES MAY CO-PRECIPITATE
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MODELING AND SIMULATION (M&S)
FUEL CYCLE PROCESSES LEND THEMSELVES TO M&S
• MINING AND MILLING• REPROCESSING• WASTE FORM DESIGN• WASTE STORAGE AND DISPOSAL• ACCIDENT SIMULATION• TRANSPORTATION• FUEL CYCLE LIFE CYCLE STUDIES
CAREFULLY DESIGNED MODELS CAN GREATLY REDUCE EXPERIMENTATION NEEDED
M&S CAN BE USED TO HELP DESIGN EXPERIMENTS
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EFFECTS OF RADIATION COMMON IN NUCLEAR INDUSTRY AND
MEDICINE THREE COMMON TYPES OF RADIATION
• PHOTON (X-RAY, GAMMA, UV, INFRA-RED)• ELECTRON• ALPHA PARTICLE
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS (HARMFUL AND BENEFICIAL) PROCESS REAGENT DAMAGE
• ORGANIC (IX RESINS, EXTRACTANTS, PRECIPITANTS)• INORGANIC (CRYSTAL LATTICE DISRUPTION)
PROCESS MATERIALS (INSULATION, METALS)
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SOME NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION
CONSIDERATIONS
MAJOR PROLIFERATION ACTIVITIES• URANIUM ENRICHMENT• REPROCESSING FOR Pu RECOVERY
OVERT WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT COVERT WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT DETECTING CLANDESTINE FUEL CYCLE
ACTIVITY
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TRANSPORTATION, STORAGE AND DISPOSAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
NEW FUEL TRANSPORTATION USED/SPENT FUEL TRANSPORTATION USED/SPENT FUEL STORAGE
• ON REACTOR SITES• IN WATER POOLS• IN CONCRETE STORAGE VAULTS
• CENTRALIZED OFF-SITE STORAGE PERMANENT DISPOSAL
• GEOLOGIC• ACTINIDE BURNING + GEOLOGIC DISPOSAL
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QUANTIFYING FUEL CYCLE RISKS
NUCLEAR RISK METHODOLOGY DEVELOPED FOR REACTOR RISKS
NO COMPREHENSIVE APPLICATION TO THE FUEL CYCLE TO DATE
PAST ACCIDENTS EMPHASIZE NEED FOR RISK ANALYSIS
• THREE MILE ISLAND• CHERNOBYL• FUKUSHIMA DAI-ICHI
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ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT A LEGAL REQUIREMENT FOR NUCLEAR
FACILTIES EXAMINES A RANGE OF SCENARIOS RECOMMENDS A PATH FORWARD ASSESSEMENT COVERS:
• LAND USAGE• ANIMALS• PLANTS• HABITATION• WATER• TOXIC MATERIALS
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MIKE GREENBERG