Advanced Fuel Cycles Activities in IAEA
- Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Materials Section, Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology, Department of Nuclear Energy, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)
Considerable scientific and technical progress in many areas of Partitioning and Transmutation (P and T) has been recognized as probable answers to ever-growing issues threatening sustainability, environmental protection and non-proliferation. These recent global developments such as Russian initiative on Global Nuclear Infrastructure-International Fuel Centre and the US initiative on Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) have made advanced fuel cycles as one of the decisive influencing factor for the future growth of nuclear energy. International Atomic Energy Agency has initiated the International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) with overall objective of bringing together technology holders and technology users to consider jointly the international and national actions required achieving desired innovations in nuclear reactors and fuel cycles. One of the interesting common features of these initiatives (INPRO, GNEP and GNI-IFC) is closed fast reactor fuel cycles and proliferation resistance. Any fuel cycle that integrate P and T into it is also known as 'Advanced Fuel Cycle' (AFC) that could achieve reduction of plutonium and Minor Actinide (MA) elements (namely Am, Np, Cm, etc.). In this regard, some Member States are also evaluating alternative concepts involving the use of thorium fuel cycle, inert-matrix fuel or coated particle fuel. Development of 'fast reactors with closed fuel cycles' would be the most essential step for implementation of P and T. The scale of realization of any AFC depends on the maturity of the development of all these elemental technologies such as recycling MA, Pu as well as reprocessed uranium. In accordance with the objectives of the Agency, the programme B entitled 'Nuclear Fuel cycle technologies and materials' initiated several activities aiming to strengthen the capabilities of interested Member States for policy making, strategic planning, technology development and implementation of safe, reliable, economically efficient, proliferation resistant, environmentally sound and secure nuclear fuel cycle programmes. The paper describes some on-going IAEA activities in the area of: MA-fuel and target, thorium fuel cycle, coated particle fuel, MA-property database, inert matrix fuels, liquid metal cooled fast reactor fuels and fuel cycles, management of reprocessed uranium and proliferation resistance in fuel cycle. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 20979678
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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