System and method for radioactive waste destruction

A technology for reactors and spent fuel, applied in the field of high-level radioactive waste decomposition systems, can solve problems such as limiting the service life of conversion units, fuel and structure damage, and neutron waste.

Inactive Publication Date: 2007-10-24
GENERAL ATOMICS
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  • Claims
  • Application Information

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Problems solved by technology

Although these fast-spectrum systems produce large amounts of neutrons, many neutrons are wasted, especially in subcritical systems
In addition, these fast neutrons can cause severe damage to fuel and structures, limiting the service life of the reformer

Method used

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  • System and method for radioactive waste destruction
  • System and method for radioactive waste destruction
  • System and method for radioactive waste destruction

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Embodiment Construction

[0025] See Figure 1, which illustrates a method 11 of processing spent fuel 12, such as a spent fuel assembly from a light water reactor, to achieve high levels of post-decomposition of transuranic elements in the spent fuel by conversion reactions with thermal neutrons. As shown, the existing UREX process 14 can be used to separate spent fuel into several components including a uranium component 16 , a fission product component 18 , a drive fuel component 20 and a conversion fuel component 22 . In more detail, uranium component 16 constitutes about 95% of spent fuel, is relatively non-radioactive, and can be processed without conversion.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 1 , the fission product component 18 comprising about 4% of the spent fuel 12 includes toxic fission products 24 such as technetium+ (constituting about 0.1% of the spent fuel 12 ) capable of producing ruthenium 28 upon irradiation, which then Can be packaged (box 30 ) and sent to scrap repository 32 . If desired, t...

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Abstract

A method for transmuting spent fuel from a nuclear reactor includes the step of separating the waste into components including a driver fuel component and a transmutation fuel component. The driver fuel, which includes fissile materials such as Plutonium<239>, is used to initiate a critical, fission reaction in a reactor. The transmutation fuel, which includes non-fissile transuranic isotopes, is transmuted by thermal neutrons generated during fission of the driver fuel. The system is designed to promote fission of the driver fuel and reduce neutron capture by the driver fuel. Reacted driver fuel is separated into transuranics and fission products using a dry cleanup process and the resulting transuranics are mixed with transmutation fuel and re-introduced into the reactor. Transmutation fuel from the reactor is introduced into a second reactor for further transmutation by neutrons generated using a proton beam and spallation target.

Description

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending US Patent Application No. 09 / 511,749, filed February 24, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference. technical field [0002] The present invention relates generally to decomposition systems and methods for high-level radioactive waste, and more particularly, to a method of converting spent fuel from nuclear reactors into a form suitable for long-term storage at a waste repository. The invention is particularly, but not exclusively, useful for converting plutonium-239 and other transuranic elements present in spent fuel into more stable, less radiotoxic species. Background technique [0003] Spent nuclear fuel is a highly radiotoxic substance and poses major threats to humans, including nuclear proliferation, radiation exposure, and environmental pollution. To date, approximately 90,000 spent fuel assemblies containing approximately 25,000 tons of radioactive spent fuel are stored in the United States. Mor...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(China)
IPC IPC(8): G21G1/08G21C1/12G21C1/30G21F9/00G21FG21F1/00G21G1/00G21G1/06G21G1/10G21K5/08H05H3/06H05H6/00
CPCY10S376/904Y10S376/901G21G1/06G21G1/10G21F9/00G21G1/00
Inventor 弗朗切斯科·文内里艾伦·M·巴克斯特卡梅洛·罗德里格斯唐纳多·麦凯克伦迈克·菲卡尼
Owner GENERAL ATOMICS
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