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Contenu archivé le 2022-12-05

Thorium cycles as a nuclear waste management option

Objectif



THE OBJECTIVE IS AN ASSESSMENT OF THORIUM CYCLES IN THE CONTEXT OF LIMITATION OF NUCLEAR WASTE PRODUCTION AND OF PROSPECTIVES FOR WASTE BURNING. THE MAJOR CYCLE STEPS HAVE TO BE REVIEWED, FOCUSED ON THE EUROPEAN SITUATION WITH THORIUM FUELLED PWRs AND FRs AS CANDIDATE REACTORS.
FOR ONE THORIUM FUELLED HYBRID SYSTEM THE FUEL CYCLE ASPECTS WILL BE CONSIDERED, WITH EMPHASIS TO THE RADIOTOXICITY OF FUEL INVENTORY AND WASTE PRODUCTION.
THE WORK CONSISTS OF WORK PACKAGES WITH RESPECT TO THE FOLLOWING SUBJECTS: * RADIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF MINING
* (RE)FABRICATION ASPECTS OF THORIUM BASED FUELS
* REACTOR ASSESSMENTS ON PWRs WITH REDUCED ACTINIDE PRODUCTION,ON PWRs AS THORIUM-BASED TRU BURNER, ON FAST REACTORS WITH THORIUM FUEL AND ON ONE ACCELERATOR DRIVEN SYSTEM WITH THORIUM FUEL
* REPROCESSING OF THORIUM FUEL
* RESIDUAL RISKS OF LONG-TERM DISPOSAL
* TECHNICAL ISSUES RELATED TO NON-PROLIFERATION
FOR EACH WORK PACKAGE THE RESULTS WILL BE REPORTED, INCLUDING A REVIEW OF THE STATE OF THE ART AND PROSPECTIVES AND PROBLEMS TO BE ENVISAGED. PARTNERS, CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROJECT, ARE: ECN, IN2P3, KFA, CEA, CEC-JRC-ITU, BN AND ENEA.
IF THORIUM CAN BE APPLIED AT NUCLEAR POWER PRODUCTION, IT CAN RESULT IN A LARGE REDUCTION OF REQUIRED NATURAL URANIUM, THUS REDUCING THE WORKERS RISKS AND THE AMOUNT OF MINING WASTES AND ENRICHMENT TAILINGS. WHEN THORIUM FUEL REPROCESSING IS ADOPTED, THEN THE NUCLEAR WASTE VOLUME AND THE LONG-TERM RADIOTOXICITY AND RESIDUAL RISK IN WASTE REPOSITORIES CAN BE DECREASED. REDUCTION OF LONG-LIVED WASTE PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE DISCUSSION ON PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE OF NUCLEAR POWER PRODUCTION.

Appel à propositions

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Régime de financement

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinateur

Netherlands Energy Research Foundation
Contribution de l’UE
Aucune donnée
Adresse
3,Westerduinweg
1755 LE Petten
Pays-Bas

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Participants (6)