Extended burnup fuel - a beneficial environmental step for the nuclear fuel cycle

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States)

OSTI ID:6672910

Tulenko, J S ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Florida, Gainesville (United States)

The beneficial environmental effects generated by extending the burnup of light water reactors (LWR) fuel covers the entire fuel cycle from cradle (mining) to grave (fuel disposal). The purpose of this paper is to outline the beneficial efforts of extending burnup and show how a proposed financial incentive waste charge would encourage the development and utilization of extended burnup. Environmental consciousness demands that economic incentives be implemented to encourage utilities to extend burnup of their LWR fuel. This paper builds on earlier work and focuses and extends their results. The cornerstone of the positive environmental effects of extended burnup results from the increased plutonium energy generation as burnup is increased and residence time is increased.

• OSTI ID: 6672910
• Report Number(s): CONF-921102--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States) Journal Volume: 66
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Management
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210100* -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Boiling Water Cooled
210200 -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled
BURNUP
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMIC IMPACT
ECONOMICS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FUEL CYCLE
OPTIMIZATION
REACTORS
SOLID WASTES
TAILINGS
WASTES
WATER COOLED REACTORS