Spent Nuclear Fuel and Radioactive Wastes

Garant předmětu:

Evžen Losa

Lecturer:

Evžen Losa

Tutor:

Evžen Losa

Supervisor:

Department of Nuclear Reactors

Synopsis:

In frame of this subject, students are familiarized with sources of radioactive wastes, system of their classification and handling. Spent nuclear fuel and RAW handling is activity subjected to permission and is bound with national legal framework. Different strategies exist for the SNF and RAW handling which are country specific. Each strategy requires usage of unique technologies and processes in dependence on national law.

Requirements:

Syllabus of lectures:

1.Origin and characteristic properties of radioactive wastes (RAW). The RAW handling in a life cycle of the institu-tional and energy industry RAWs.

2.The RAW pre-processing, processing, treatment and recycling, the radioactive substances introduction into the envi-ronment.

3.The RAW transportation, spent nuclear fuel handling

4.Processing of the radioactive wastes by means of transmutation technologies. Homogeneous and heterogeneous recy-cling of the spent nuclear fuel in fast reactors.

5.Fuel cycle closure, asymptotic method – theory of the equilibrium fuel cycle. Possibilities of the actinides’ quantity reduction in the thermal and fast spectrum. Usage of thorium in the closed fuel cycle.

6.Neutron economy of the actinides’ disposal, D-factor.

7.RAW storage and final disposal. Operational safety. Long term safety. Radiological emergency and its management.

8.Surface decontamination and handling of arising wastes. Management of radiological emergencies, elimination of the old environmental burdens.

9.Decommissioning of facilities, material recycling and reuse from nuclear facilities decommissioning.

10.Legal framework for radioactive waste handling, public relations.

Syllabus of tutorials:

1.Fundamentals of the MCNP Vised graphic editor

2.Legal limits for storing and transportation

3.Variance reduction in the calculations, source term, dosimetry functions

4.Equilibrium cycle, EQL0D procedure, reactivity decomposition.

Study Objective:

Study materials:

Key references:

[1]IAEA: Status and Trends in Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste Management, Nuclear Energy Series No. NW-T-1.14, IAEA, Vienna (2018)

[2]IAEA: Storing Spent Fuel until Transport to Reprocessing or Disposal, Nuclear Energy Series No. NF-T-3.3, IAEA, Vienna (2019)

[3]IAEA: Impact of High Burnup Uranium Oxide and Mixed Uranium-Plutonium Oxide Water Reactor Fuel on Spent Fuel Management, Nuclear Energy Series No. NF-T-3.8, IAEA, Vienna (2011)

[4]OECD NEA, Minor Actinide Burning in Thermal Reactors, NEA#6997 (2013)

[5]OECD NEA, Homogeneous versus Heterogeneous Recycling of Transuranics in Fast Nuclear Reactors NEA#7077 (2012)

Recommended references:

[6]Transition Towards a Sustainable Nuclear Fuel Cycle, NEA#7133 (2013)

Note:

Time-table for winter semester 2023/2024:

Time-table is not available yet

Time-table for summer semester 2023/2024:

Time-table is not available yet

The course is a part of the following study plans:

• Jaderné inženýrství - Jaderné reaktory (compulsory elective course)