Limitations of actinide recycle and fuel cycle consequences. A global analysis Part 2: Recycle of actinides in thermal reactors: impact of high burn up LWR-UO2 fuel irradiation and multiple recycle of LWR-MOX fuel on the radiotoxic inventory

The paper shows the impact of increasing burn ups and recycle of LWR-U0₂ and LWR-MOX fuel in thermal reactors on the generated α-activity. The radiotoxic inventory of spent fuel and of conventional HLW increases strongly. Separation of Am(Cm) from HLLW would be a first application of partitioning with significant effect on the residual radiotoxicity of HLW. The issue of LWR-MOX spent fuel and the effect of its multiple recycling is discussed in terms of accumulated radiotoxicity. Single recycle of LWR-MOX is preferable to multiple recycling and interim storage of LWR-MOX spent fuel till its potential use as fuel for fast burner reactors is recommended. Reprocessing of multiple recycled LWR-MOX is a difficult operation.