Parametric Survey for Benefit of Partitioning and Transmutation Technology in Terms of High-level Radioactive Waste Disposal

• Published in: Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology 2007-03, Vol.44 (3), p.398-404
• Main Authors: OIGAWA, Hiroyuki, YOKOO, Takeshi, NISHIHARA, Kenji, MORITA, Yasuji, IKEDA, Takao, TAKAKI, Naoyuki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; cooling period; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; fission products; Fuels; geological repository; glass waste form; high-level radioactive waste; light-water reactor; minor actinides; Nuclear fuels; partitioning and transmutation; Preparation and processing of nuclear fuels; reprocessing; spent fuel
• ISSN: 0022-3131; 1881-1248
• DOI: 10.1080/18811248.2007.9711300

Benefit of implementing Partitioning and Transmutation (P&T) technology was parametrically surveyed in terms of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal by discussing possible reduction of the geological repository area. First, the amount and characteristics of HLWs caused from UO 2 and MOX spent fuels of light-water reactors (LWR) were evaluated for various reprocessing schemes and cooling periods. The emplacement area in the repository site required for the disposal of these HLWs was then estimated with considering the temperature constrain in the repository. The results showed that, by recycling minor actinides (MA), the emplacement area could be reduced by 17-29% in the case of UO 2 -LWR and by 63-85% in the case of MOX-LWR in comparison with the conventional PUREX reprocessing. This significant impact in MOX fuel was caused by the recycle of 241Am which was a long-term heat source. Further 70-80% reduction of the emplacement area in comparison with the MA-recovery case could be expected by partitioning the fission products (FP) into several groups for both fuel types. To achieve this benefit of P&T, however, it is necessary to confirm the engineering feasibility of these unconventional disposal concepts.