Transmutation of Transuranic Elements in Advanced MOX and IMF Fuel Assemblies Utilizing Multi-recycling Strategies

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dc.contributorRagusa, Jean C.
dc.creatorZhang, Yunhuang
dc.date.accessioned2011-02-22T22:23:59Z
dc.date.accessioned2011-02-22T23:46:59Z
dc.date.accessioned2017-04-07T19:57:56Z
dc.date.available2011-02-22T22:23:59Z
dc.date.available2011-02-22T23:46:59Z
dc.date.available2017-04-07T19:57:56Z
dc.date.created2009-12
dc.date.issued2011-02-22
dc.description.abstractThe accumulation of spent nuclear fuel may be hindering the expansion of nuclear electricity production. However, the reprocessing and recycling of spent fuel may reduce its volume and environmental burden. Although fast spectrum reactors are the preferred modality for transuranic element transmutation, such fast spectrum systems are in very short supply. It is therefore legitimate to investigate the recycling potential of thermal spectrum systems, which constitute the overwhelming majority of nuclear power plants worldwide. To do so efficiently, several new fuel assembly designs are proposed in this Thesis: these include (1) Mixed Oxide Fuel (MOX), (2) MOX fuel with Americium coating, (3) Inert-Matrix Fuel (IMF) with UOX as inner zone, and (4) IMF with MOX as inner zone. All these designs are investigated in a multi-recycling strategy, whereby the spent fuel from a given generation is re-used for the next generation. The accumulation of spent nuclear fuel may be hindering the expansion of nuclear electricity production. However, the reprocessing and recycling of spent fuel may reduce its volume and environmental burden. Although fast spectrum reactors are the preferred modality for transuranic element transmutation, such fast spectrum systems are in very short supply. It is therefore legitimate to investigate the recycling potential of thermal spectrum systems, which constitute the overwhelming majority of nuclear power plants worldwide. To do so efficiently, several new fuel assembly designs are proposed in this Thesis: these include (1) Mixed Oxide Fuel (MOX), (2) MOX fuel with Americium coating, (3) Inert-Matrix Fuel (IMF) with UOX as inner zone, and (4) IMF with MOX as inner zone. All these designs are investigated in a multi-recycling strategy, whereby the spent fuel from a given generation is re-used for the next generation.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2009-12-7470
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.subjectTransuranics Transmutation
dc.subjectNuclear Fuel Multi-Recycling
dc.subjectAdvanced MOX
dc.subjectIMF
dc.subjectFuel Assembly
dc.subjectLong-term Radiotoxicity
dc.subjectLong-term Decay Heat
dc.subjectAmericium Coating
dc.titleTransmutation of Transuranic Elements in Advanced MOX and IMF Fuel Assemblies Utilizing Multi-recycling Strategies
dc.typeBook
dc.typeThesis

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