Fast Reactors and Accelerator Driven Systems Knowledge Base

Conference Article: Limitations of actinide recycle and waste disposal consequences - A global analysis

Baetsle, L.H. (SCK/CEN, Mol (Belgium))

Abstract

Recently very much emphasis has been put on partitioning and transmutation (P and T) of minor actinides and long lived fission products as an alternative or additional waste management option. This approach supposes that quantitative recycle of uranium and plutonium can be achieved and that the minor actinides and the fission products constitute the only residual radionuclide stream to be reckoned with in the long term. However the fuel cycle with reprocessing and recycle of plutonium in LWRs is only a partial solution to the decrease of the cumulative plutonium inventory resulting from LWR operation and leaves in the most advantageous case of a double recycle scenario a residual plutonium inventory of approx 50% which remains with the LWR-MOX spent fuel or, as a separated (and degraded) plutonium product. The influence of P and T on nuclear waste management strategy is discussed in this paper.

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key words: Fast Neutron Spectrum Systems, Nuclear Technology
Reference:
Safety and environmental aspects of partitioning and transmutation of actinides and fission products. Proceedings of a technical committee meeting, Vienna, 29 November - 2 December 1993
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)
IAEA-TECDOC--783, pp:13-23