All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2009, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. LWR Spent Fuel Management for the Smooth Deployment of FBR ICSFM (IAEA-CN-178) Paper (Vienna, ) T. Fukasawa 1, J. Yamashita 1, K. Hoshino 1, A. Sasahira 2, T. Inoue 3, K. Minato 4, and S. Sato 5 1 Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd., 2 Hitachi, Ltd., 3 Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, 4 Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 5 Hokkaido University

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2010, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. 1 1 Transition from LWR to FBR Reprocessing reduces LWR-SF and supplies Pu (MOX) for FBR deployment.

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2010, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. 2 2 According to the Japan’s Nuclear Energy Policy Framework published in 2005 by the Atomic Energy Commission, FBR will be deployed from around 2050 under its suitable conditions by the replacement of 60y old light water reactors (LWR). The Framework mentioned that all spent fuels (SF) should be reprocessed (SF amounts reduction) and recovered Pu, U should be effectively utilized, while possessing no excess Pu. Recovered Pu in Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant (RRP) will be utilized (consumed) in LWR-MOX. Recovered Pu in the next reprocessing plant which will start operation around 2050 will be utilized for fast breeder reactors (FBR) deployment. The next reprocessing plant(s) will treat SF from LWR-UO 2, LWR- MOX and FBR. Pu balance control by flexible fuel cycle system is quite important considering FBR deployment time and rate which are changeable. Transition from LWR to FBR

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2010, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. 3 3 Typical FBR Deployment Pattern

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2010, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. 4 4 Transition Fuel Cycle Systems ~ 90% 100 % 100 % Pu,(MA),U FBR cycle FBR Fabrication Recovered U FBR fuel ~ 90% U recovery 100 % 100 % Recycle material Pu,FP,MA,U FBR cycle FBR Fabrication A A B B Temporary storage LWR spent fuel Fabric. FFCI system Ref. system Reproc. Recovered U [2nd LWR reproc.] [2nd LWR reproc.] FBR reproc. A: Rapid FBR deployment B: Slow FBR deployment Extraction, Crystallization, Fluorination, etc. LWR spent fuel FBR fuel Two fuel cycle systems and several Pu balance control methods were investigated. If the FBR deployment rate decreases, Reference and Flexible Fuel Cycle Initiative (FFCI) systems will temporarily store LWR SF or FBR FF (Pu product) and recycle material (RM), respectively. A A B B B B Temporary storage A: Rapid FBR deployment B: Slow FBR deployment FP,(MA) FBR reproc. Low proliferation resistance

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2010, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. 5 5 Temporary Storage Materials Radiation dose from the storage material at 1m distance RM: Recycle material (Pu/FP/MA/~10%U), SF: Spent fuel, FF: Fresh fuel, MA: Minor actinides

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2010, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. 6 6 FBR startup No limit / 30t Pu (20t Puf) UO 2 fuel (GWd/t): 33 (-2004), 45 ( ), 60 (2040-) MOX fuel (GWd/t): 33 (-2024), 45 ( ), 60 (2040-) 58GWe Nuclear capacity LWR capacity factor Burn up of LWR-SF Factor 80% (-2009), 85% ( ), 90% (2030-) FBR deployment rate 2040, 2060, 2090 FBR core design (Breeding ratio) 2050 Replace all LWR (60y) with FBR 70GWe Replace ½ LWR, 1GWe/y constant, 2 step ( GWe/y) Pu storage amount* 0t Pu Excess Pu countermeasure Storage of FBR-FF (Pu product) / LWR-SF, RM FBR SF storage, FBR fresh fuel storage, Pu use in LWR Oxide fuel high conversion core (1.13) Oxide fuel compact core (1.10), Metal fuel (1.0) RRP: 2008-, 2nd plant: 2048-, 3rd plant: ; or 2nd: LWR reprocessing 40y (LWR and FBR reprocessing plants) >3y (LWR-SF), >4y (FBR-SF)SF cooling time Reactor life60y (LWR and FBR) Reprocessing life No Base case Variations *30t Pu is same as RRP, Puf is fissile Pu (~2/3 Pu for LWR-SF) Mass Balance Analysis

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2010, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. 7 7 LWR-SF Amounts Year Cumulative LWR spent fuel amounts (t) U removal; 900t/y -> 1200t/y Year Cumulative LWR spent fuel amounts (t) RRP (800t/y) only No reprocessing 2nd RRP (1200t/y) from 2050 to 2110 Reprocessing is effective to reduce LWR-SF. 2nd reprocessing plant is needed after RRP with higher capacity than that of RRP. Much higher capacity or 3rd reprocessing plant is needed to treat all LWR-SF. FBR deployment delay also necessitates the much higher capacity or 3rd reprocessing plant. FFCI can reduce LWR-SF more effectively than reference system. Reference systemFFCI system FFCI RM

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2010, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. 8 8 LWR reprocessing Amounts LWR reprocessing amount (t/y) Year Reference systemFFCI system LWR-MOX-SF with high Pu content is reprocessed at high FBR deployment rates. Reference system needs 2nd and 3rd reprocessing plants (full function) of 1650 t/y capacities. FFCI system needs 1200 t/y and 650 t/y capacities for 2nd and 3rd reprocessing plants (only uranium removal functions), respectively.

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2010, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. 9 9 FBR reprocessing Amounts FBR Reprocessing amount (t/y) Year Reference systemFFCI system FBR reprocessing capacity increase at around 2090 is reasonable for the transition period. Reference system needs 250 t/y capacity at around 2055 and 255 t/y at around FFCI system needs earlier construction of FBR reprocessing plants that must also supply initial Pu for FBR deployment, 250 t/y capacity at around 2047 and 300 t/y at around 2088.

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2010, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. 10 Pu Storage Amounts Puf storage amount (t) Year Reference systemFFCI system Excess amount of Puf storage as reprocessing product is controlled below 20 t concerning the proliferation resistance. Reference system with 20 t Puf storage limit affects the LWR-SF reprocessing amount. FFCI system stores 132 t Puf (max.) in recycle material with high proliferation resistance, which does not affect the LWR-SF reprocessing amount.

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2010, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. 11 LWR-SF Storage Amounts LWR-SF storage amounts (ktHM) 2nd reprocessing plant with high capacity is needed after RRP to reduce LWR-SF. Reference system shows the second storage amount peak at around 2090 and needs AFR (away from reactor) storage facility even after FFCI system can reduce LWR-SF more effectively than reference system. Year Reference systemFFCI system

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2010, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. 12 Cost Estimation Results

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2010, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. 13 Conclusions This study includes the results of “Research and Development of Flexible Fuel Cycle for the Smooth Introduction of FBR” entrusted to Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT). The transition scenarios from LWR to FBR and the correspond fuel cycle (reference and FFCI) systems are investigated. As a result, the FFCI system can reduce the LWR-SF reprocessing capacity, LWR-SF reprocessing function, low proliferation resistant Pu storage amount, LWR-SF interim storage amount, and the total fuel cycle cost. The most unique and important issue to be solved for the FFCI system is safety of the RM storage. Heat transfer property and hypothetical criticality accident are analyzed by using the data obtained from the simulated RM oxides, which clarifies the enough safety for heat removal and criticality. These investigations show the effectiveness of the FFCI system for the transition period fuel cycle from LWR to FBR.

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2010, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. 14 U Recovery Technology CrystallizationCrystallization Residue (Pu/FP/MA/U) Recovered U Recycle material UO 2 (NO 3 ) 2 crystal Dissolved solution Crystallization (Cooler) Spent fuel Micro wave Denitration Fluoride volatility Solvent extraction Residue (U, Pu, MA&FP) Recovered U Recycle material U solution Dissolved solution Spent fuel Extraction (Pulsed column) (Centrifugal contactor) Denitration -U recovery residues are nitrate solutions for solvent extraction and crystallization, and fluoride powder for fluoride volatility. -Recycle material (RM) would be nitrate solution, nitrate powder, fluoride powder or oxide powder. -Oxide powder is most stable and aqueous process is applied to reprocessing, thus simulated oxide RM was prepared from nitrate solution in this work.

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2010, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. 15 Preparation of Recycle Material RM preparation method must consider easy treatment, safe storage, and compatibility with FBR reprocessing. RM preparation method must consider easy treatment, safe storage, and compatibility with FBR reprocessing. Example of RM preparation method U recovery residue Decontamination Capping Canister for RM storage Calcinater (Rotary kiln) Heater [Ref.: AVM process] Liquid→Powder Diameter control Filling To storage Dust removal Recycle material (RM)

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2010, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd Air cool, natural convection - Similar design to vitrified HLW storage facility - Criticality safety by the Pu amount limitation, etc. - Air cool, natural convection - Similar design to vitrified HLW storage facility - Criticality safety by the Pu amount limitation, etc. Recycle M. (estimated) 5. Pu conc. (wt%) ~ Component 6. After-treatment FP,MA, Pu,U ReprocessingDisposal Vitrified HLW 4. Heat (W/cc) 3. Density (g/cc) Lump Item Mater. ~ FP,MA, B-Si glass Form Granule 2.7 Specification Storage area 30C Air Recycle material storage facility (ex.) Cooling air Floor crane Bottom support Support Ceiling slab Containment lid Air pipe Containment pipe Canister Recycle material Cooling air Canister Vitrified HLW ~450D >150D Storage of Recycle Material Cooling air Canister