Methodology for estimating reprocessing costs for nuclear fuels

Technical Report · Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5529779· OSTI ID:5529779

Carter, W. L.; Rainey, R. H.

A technological and economic evaluation of reprocessing requirements for alternate fuel cycles requires a common assessment method and a common basis to which various cycles can be related. A methodology is described for the assessment of alternate fuel cycles utilizing a side-by-side comparison of functional flow diagrams of major areas of the reprocessing plant with corresponding diagrams of the well-developed Purex process as installed in the Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant (BNFP). The BNFP treats 1500 metric tons of uranium per year (MTU/yr). Complexity and capacity factors are determined for adjusting the estimated facility and equipment costs of BNFP to determine the corresponding costs for the alternate fuel cycle. Costs of capacities other than the reference 1500 MT of heavy metal per year are estimated by the use of scaling factors. Unit costs of reprocessed fuel are calculated using a discounted cash flow analysis for three economic bases to show the effect of low-risk, typical, and high-risk financing methods.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 5529779
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-6648; TRN: 80-006408
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
NUCLEAR FUELS
COST
REPROCESSING
SPENT FUELS
THORIUM CYCLE
BARNWELL FUEL PROCESSING PLANT
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
FLOWSHEETS
FUEL CYCLE
PUREX PROCESS
DIAGRAMS
ECONOMICS
ENERGY SOURCES
FUEL REPROCESSING PLANTS
FUELS
MATERIALS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
REACTOR MATERIALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
050800* - Nuclear Fuels- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
051000 - Nuclear Fuels- Economic
Industrial
& Business Aspects
290600 - Energy Planning & Policy- Nuclear Energy