Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
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Nuclear waste attributes of near-term deployable small modular reactors

  • Taek K. Kim (Argonne National Laboratory) ;
  • L. Boing (Argonne National Laboratory) ;
  • B. Dixon (Idaho National Laboratory)
  • Received : 2023.06.25
  • Accepted : 2024.01.28
  • Published : 2024.03.25
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Abstract

The nuclear waste attributes of near-term deployable SMRs were assessed using established nuclear waste metrics, which are the DU mass, SNF mass, volume, activity, decay heat, radiotoxicity, and decommissioning LLW volumes. Metrics normalized per unit electricity generation were compared to a reference large PWR. Three SMRs, VOYGR, Natrium, and Xe-100, were selected because they represent a range of reactor and fuel technologies and are active designs deployable by the decade's end. The SMR nuclear waste attributes show both some similarities to the PWR and some significant differences caused by reactor-specific design features. The DU mass is equivalent to or slightly higher than the PWR. Back-end waste attributes for SNF disposition vary, but the differences have a limited impact on long-term repository isolation. SMR designs can vary significantly in SNF volume (and thus heat generation density). However, these differences are amenable to design optimization for handling, storage, transportation, and disposal technologies. Nuclear waste attributes from decommissioning vary depending on design and decommissioning technology choices. Given the analysis results in this study and assuming appropriate waste management system and operational optimization, there appear to be no major challenges to managing SMR nuclear wastes compared to the reference PWR.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This work was funded by the Systems Analysis and Integral Campaign of the Office of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Supply Chain, U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy. This manuscript has been created by UChicago Argonne, LLC, Operator of Argonne National Laboratory ("Argonne"), and Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC, Operator of Idaho National Laboratory, under Contract No. DE-AC07-05ID14517 with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

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