• Title/Summary/Keyword: spent fuels

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Determination of Tritium in Spent Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) Fuels (가압 경수로 사용후핵연료 중 삼중수소 분석)

  • Lee, Chang Heon;Suh, Moo Yul;Choi, Kwang Soon;Jee, Kwang Yong;Kim, Won Ho
    • Analytical Science and Technology
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    • v.17 no.5
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    • pp.381-387
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    • 2004

  • To characterize chemically a spent pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel, an analytical method for trace amounts of tritium ($^3H$) in it has been established. Considering the effective management of radioactive wastes generated through the whole experimental process and the radiological safety for analysts, a separation condition under which $^{14}C$ and $^3H$ can be sequentially recovered from a single fuel sample was optimized using simulated spent PWR fuel dissolved solutions. $^{14}CO_2$ evolved during dissolution of the spent PWR fuels with nitric acid was trapped in an aliquot of 1.5 M NaOH. $^{129}I_2$ which was volatilized along with $^{14}CO_2$ was removed using a silver nitrate-impregnated silica gel absorbent. $^3H$ remaining in the fuel dissolved solution as $^3H_2O$ was selectively recovered by distillation. Its recovery yield was 97.9% with a relative standard deviation of 0.9% (n=3). $^3H$ in a spent PWR fuel with burnup value of 37,000 MWd/MtU was analyzed, reliability of this analytical method being evaluated by standard addition method.

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Technology for AR Dry Storage of Spent Fuel (원전부지내 사용후핵연료 건식저장기술 분석)

  • Lee, Heung-Young;Yoon, Suk-Jung;Lee, Ik-Hwan;Seo, Ki-Seog
    • Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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    • v.21 no.4
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    • pp.313-327
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    • 1996

  • As an at-reactor(AR) storage method o( spent fuel, there are horizontal concrete module type, metal storage cask type, concrete storage cask type, dual purpose (transportation and storage) cask type and multi-purpose (transportation, storage and disposal) cask type. All other types except multi-purpose one have been already used for AR dry storage of spent fuels after obtaining operation license in various foreign countries. Also the development of multi-purpose type has been continued for operation license. In America, Japan, Germany, Canada, Spain, Switzerland, and Czech Republic, etc., AR dry storage facilities are under operation or on propulsion, and spent fuels are transported to interim storage facility or reprocessing plant after dry storage at reactor temporarily. At Wolsung site, in case of Korea, concrete silo type has already been introduced, and it is believed to be inevitable to store spent fuels at reactor temporarily, considering the reality that storage capacity of spent fuel is approaching to the limit in some nuclear power plants. In this report, the system characteristics, design requirements, technical standards and status of AR storage system, which is suitable for domestic site such as Kori, have been studied. In most cases, the licensed period of storage cask is limited up to 20 years and the integrity of material and maintenance of leaktightness are required during the whole service life.

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Some notes on the Timing of Geological Disposal of CANDU Spent Fuels (CANDU 사용후핵연료 처분 착수 시점에 관한 소고)

  • Choi, Heui-Joo;Kook, Dong-Hak;Choi, Jong-Won
    • Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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    • v.8 no.2
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    • pp.167-172
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    • 2010

  • CANDU spent fuel is to be disposed of at repository finally rather than recycled because of its low fissile nuclide concentration. But the difficult situation of finding a repository site can not help introducing a interim storage in the short term. It is required to find an optimum timing of geological disposal of CANDU spent fuels related to the interim storage operation period. The major factors for determining the disposal starting time are considered as safety, economics, and public acceptance. Safety factor is compared in terms of the decay heat and non-proliferation. Economics factor is compared from the point of the operation cost, and public acceptance factor is reviewed from the point of retrievability and inter-generation ethics. This paper recommended the best solution for the disposal starting time by analyzing the above factors. It is concluded that the optimum timing for the CANDU spent fuel disposal is around 2041 and that the sooner disposal time, the better from the point of technical and safety aspects.

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