Management of radioactive wastes from the operation of nuclear power plants

A prerequisite for the acceptance of the nuclear energy system is the effective management of the rad-wastes. Among the wastes to be considered, there are the wastes from the operation and decommissioning of nuclear power plants, as well as those from the nuclear fuel cycle. For the management of operating wastes, processes and facilities optimized in the course of several decades, are available, with which the raw solid and liquid wastes can be reduced in volume and turned into products which are physically and chemically stable and thus suitable for final disposal. The management of spent fuel can be done either by direct final disposal or reprocessing. The required interim storage facilities are ready for operation. The methods and a facility for packaging spent fuel for direct final disposal are in an advanced stage of development and construction. If fuel assemblies are to be reprocessed abroad, the wastes generated from the process must be taken back. Decommissioning wastes have technical properties which correspond essentially to the various groups of operating wastes and can thus be processed with similar methods; however since large quantities of them are generated in relatively short times, they present particular logistic problems. All waste types end up in final disposal sites to be built under the responsibility of the federal government. A final disposal site for low level wastes is in operation. In addition, two final disposal projects for accommodating higher level wastes including spent fuel for direct disposal and vitrified wastes from reprocessing, are being pursued.     

Transmutation of long-lived radioactive waste based on double-strata concept

A considerable attention is directed toward the reduction in the long-term potential hazard by partitioning and transmutation (P-T): separating long-lived nuclides from the waste stream and converting them into either shorter-lived or non-radioactive ones. The effects of higher Pu and minor actinide (MA) compositions on the transmutation rates have been studied for a typical mixed oxide (MOX)-fuel fast breeder reactor (FBR) core with 2600 MWt. The calculations showed that the transmutation rate for (Pu, MA) compositions from MOX -LWR becomes one half than that from UO₂-light water reactor (LWR). Furthermore, MA accumulation and transmutation based on Double-Strata Scenario have been investigated for introducing the accelerator driven transmutation system (ADS) with 800 MWt. It was shown that in the scenario of nuclear plant capacities for maximum 140 GWe, which consists of LWRs and FBRs, the introduction of ADS can play a significant role as “Transmuter” in the back-end of fuel cycle.     

长寿命放射性废料的嬗变处理

核废料的分离和嬗变具有重要的经济和政治意义，是环境保护的需要。有效分离和嬗变核废料，可以减少废料贮存量，防止核扩散，提高核燃料的利用率，消除发展核能的障碍。介绍了目前国际上先进的核燃料循环方式和长寿命核废料的嬗变处理方法，对我国核能发展提出建议。     

On nuclear power intrinsically protected against long-lived actinide wastes,weapons proliferation and heavy accidents

The “Mobile fuel reactor (MFR) concept” [Slessarev, I., Stukalov,V., Subbotin, S., 1984. Problems of development of fast reactors self-fuel-provision without fuel reprocessing. Atomkernenergie, 45, N1; Slessarev, I., et al., 2004. WISE: a new fuel cycle concept based on a mobile fuel reactor. Nuclear Technol., 146 (N3), 230–243] and re-organization of the fuel cycle may allow to build the “actinide waste free” nuclear power (NP) and to improve radically its proliferation resistance. These goals can be achieved on the base of an “intrinsic approach” respecting long-lived wastes, safety and non-proliferation aspects simultaneously. It implies elimination of feed fuel enrichment, irradiated fuel reprocessing as well as the need for a long-lived, radiotoxic actinide repository. The key concept is: the application of “mobile” (liquid or gaseous) reactor fuels allowing for a simple mixing of fresh and already irradiated fuel components without “forced” FP separation.     

Handling of radioactive wastes formed outside the nuclear fuel cycle

Conclusions The system of regional specialized industrial plants "Radon" was created more than 30 years ago and over this time it has made it possible to utilize radioactive wastes from industrial and scientific centers in the country. The technology adopted by the specialized industrial plants for preparing and burying radioactive wastes makes possible safe localization of the wastes for a long period of time. Investigations designed to estimate the effect of the points of burial by the specialized industrial plants on environmental objects showed that the technical solutions adopted are reliable. At the present time the system of regional specialized industrial plants is experiencing difficulties on the legislative, financial, and technical levels. The system must be reconstructed and modernized. The basis for future decisions will be determined by the legislative base and the principles which are employed in the process. The optimal path toward modernization of the regional industrial groups is to produce complexes based on them for collecting, processing, and temporary storage of radioactive wastes formed within the service zone. The Moscow Scientific and Industrial Association "Radon" is now implementing this concept. Moscow Scientific and Industrial Association "Radon." Translated from Atomnaya énergiya, Vol. 79, No. 6, pp. 437–443, December, 1995.