RTR SPENT FUEL TREATMENT AND FINAL WASTE STORAGE

摘要

Apart from reprocessing, none of the spent fuel management options presently available to RTR operators is satisfactory: 1. The US take-back policy ends in 2006. Six years is a very short period of time for a research reactor operator to set up an alternative scheme, make it operational and proven, so as it is taken as reliable by the Authority who subordinates a reactor continued operation to the existence of a reliable and proven long-term spent fuel management. 2. Due to the nature of the fuel, long-term interim storage would call for important R&D programs and specifically designed costly facilities. Conversely, the treatment-conditioning of RTR spent fuel through reprocessing is a proven and fully operational management scheme: 1. It is based on a many years experience and backed by the activity of NPPs spent fuel reprocessing. 2. By separating and recycling the fissile material it enables to isolate the real ultimate waste. 3. The ultimate waste are conditioned into stable residues, manufactured according to internationally approved specifications, suitable for final disposal and featuring a very low volume. 4. The resulting residues can be classified in one of the existing radioactive waste categories arising from the ,,other nuclear applications" for which any country does have or shall have global management plans and the associated storage. Moreover, the development of the new U-Mo LEU fuel aimed at replacing the silicide type offers to all the reactor operators who will choose this new fuel both a real long-term option, thanks to this fuel reprocessability, and the possibility to improve the efficiency of their reactor.