Options for treating high-temperature gas-cooled reactor fuel for repository disposal
This report describes the options that can reasonably be considered for disposal of high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) fuel in a repository. The options include whole-block disposal, disposal with removal of graphite (either mechanically or by burning), and reprocessing of spent fuel to separate the fuel and fission products. The report summarizes what is known about the options without extensively projecting or analyzing actual performance of waste forms in a repository. The report also summarizes the processes involved in convert spent HTGR fuel into the various waste forms and projects relative schedules and costs for deployment of the various options. Fort St. Vrain Reactor fuel, which utilizes highly-enriched {sup 235}U (plus thorium) and is contained in a prismatic graphite block geometry, was used as the baseline for evaluation, but the major conclusions would not be significantly different for low- or medium-enriched {sup 235}U (without thorium) or for the German pebble-bed fuel. Future US HTGRs will be based on the Fort St. Vrain (FSV) fuel form. The whole block appears to be a satisfactory waste form for disposal in a repository and may perform better than light-water reactor (LWR) spent fuel. From the standpoint of process cost and schedule (not considering repository cost or value of fuel that might be recycled), the options are ranked as follows in order of increased cost and longer schedule to perform the option: (1) whole block, (2a) physical separation, (2b) chemical separation, and (3) complete chemical processing.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 10147826
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/TM-12077; ON: DE92014909
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Feb 1992
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
HTGR TYPE REACTORS
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
VRAIN REACTOR
REGULATIONS
FUEL ELEMENTS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
NUCLEAR FUELS
CARBON 14
SEPARATION PROCESSES
RISK ASSESSMENT
FISSION PRODUCT RELEASE
REACTION KINETICS
COST ESTIMATION
GRAPHITE
TRUEX PROCESS
VITRIFICATION
210300
052002
052001
054000
POWER REACTORS
NONBREEDING
GRAPHITE MODERATED
WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE
WASTE PROCESSING
HEALTH AND SAFETY