Nuclear Materials Technology

Garant předmětu:

Lecturer:

Tutor:

Supervisor:

Department of Nuclear Chemistry

Synopsis:

At first, the basic types of fuel cycles of nuclear power stations, the strategy of the handling with spent fuels and the basic aspects and problems of spent fuel reprocessing are discussed, i.e., e.g., cooling, criticality and the safety of the system, recovery of uranium and plutonium. From the chemical-technological point of view, the attention is paid to (i) PUREX and THOREX procedures, (ii) the treatment and disposal of radioactive wastes, (iii) the transmutation processes and P&T fuel cycles, and (iv) the technology of manufacturing of Th - fuel and of metallic Zr of nuclear grade.

Requirements:

1. The basic knowlodge of inorganic and nuclear chemistry, especially of uranium

chemistry and fission processes.

2. The basic knwlodge of separation processes as liquid-liquid extraction, solid

sorbents application to the decontamination of aqueous and gaseous phases.

Syllabus of lectures:

1. The former and contemporary strategies of handling with spent fuel, the types of fuel cycles and the devolopment of the technological procedures for the treatment of spent fuel.

2. The cooling of spent fuel and its composition, criticality and safety of the system.

3. The mechanical and chemical procedures of the decladding of nuclear fuel, the chemism of the dissolving of spent fuel.

4. The recovery of U and Pu from spent fuel - solvent extraction processes (REDOX, TRIGLY, BUTEX, and especially PUREX).

5. The reprocessing of Th - spent fuel: THOREX proces.

6. The reprocessing of spent fuel by pyrometalurgical and pyrochemical processes.

7. The treatment of wastes from the reprocessing of spent fuel.

8. The industrial reprocessing of spent fuel from LWR and FR - THORP proces.

9. The treatment and disposal of radioactive wastes in the frame of the whole fuel cycle (wastes from mining and treatment of uranium ores, from manufacturing of nuclear fuels, from nuclear power stations).

10. Transportation and disposal of spent fuel and radioactive wastes.

11. The transmutation of actinides and long lived fission products; P&T advanced fuel cycles.

12. The Th - fuel technology and the technology of nuclear grade zirkonium production (cladding material of fuel elements).

Syllabus of tutorials:

Study Objective:

The postgraduates obtain the basic knowledge of problems and aspects of the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels, including the treatment and disposal of wastes, and of the industrial processes realized on the large scale in the world. They obtain the basic knowledge connected with production of nuclear grade of Th and Zr, and with the contemporary state of research and development of transmutation processes (P&T fuel cycle).

The postgraduates obtain the competence for assessment of : (i) technical and economical problems connected with the reprocessing of spent fuels, (ii) the convenience of the realization of nuclear fuel cycle and of the U + Pu recyclation, (iii) the new perspectives based on the advanced fuel cycles type of P&T.

Study materials:

Key reference:

Wilson P.D. (edt.): The Nuclear Fuel Cycle - From Ore to Waste. Oxford University Press, Oxford 1996.

Recommended references:

Benedict M., Pigford T., Levi H.: Nuclear Chemical Engineering, McGraw Hill Book Co., New York 1981.

Note:

Further information:

No time-table has been prepared for this course

The course is a part of the following study plans:

• Jaderná chemie (elective course)