Microbial Treatment Of Irradiated Graphite For Separation Of Radioisotope ~(14)c From Bulk Graphite ~(12)c

摘要

South Africa is developing its first High Temperature Reactor in the form of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor. Among other considerations for PBMR implementation is a technically and politically viable strategy for waste management. Used PBMR fuel pebbles present a unique set of waste management challenges. The uranium oxide, ceramic fuel pellets of generation 1 and 2 light water cooled reactors are relatively small in volume, but high in radioactivity. In contrast, the bulk of PBMR fuel spheres is low activity, high volume graphite. TRISO fuel particles can be separated from the graphite and treated as high activity, low volume waste. The graphite is low level waste, too voluminous for practical treatment with traditional high level waste methods and too radioactive to recycle. In addition to pebble matrix graphite, various structural components of the PBMR contribute significantly to the total volume of irradiated graphite waste produced.