Radioactive Waste Arisings from Various Fuel Cycle Options

Abstract

This study examines all kinds of waste volumes from various fuel cycle options including DUPIC (Direct Use of Spent PWR Fuel In CANDU) fuel cycle and compares each other. The fuel cycle option considered the PWR (Pressurized Water Reactor) once-through cycle, the PHWR (Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor) once-through cycle and the thermal recycling option using an existing PWR with MOX (Mixed Oxide) fuel. This study focuses on the radioactive wastes including mill waste, low-level waste and high-level waste generated by all fuel cycle steps, which can be one of the effectiveness measures of waste management. All waste disposition volume is estimated in terms of m³/GWe-yr. We find in the estimation of radioactive waste volume that PWR-MOX option has the lowest mill tailings and spent fuel volumes among the options, but the option has high volume of ILW and HLW. Mill tailings and spent fuel volumes of the DUPIC fuel cycle are lower than those of other competitive options such as PWR-PHWR once-through cycle. PWR once-through cycle has the lowest LLW and ILW volume among the options, but has high mill tailings and spent fuel volume. The data obtained in this study would be helpful to further estimate environmental effect and/or waste disposition costs in various fuel cycle options.

KEYWORDS:

• radioactive waste
• radwaste generation
• fuel cycle
• material flow
• DUPIC
• waste management