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Lecture Notes

DAY # TOPICS
1, 2

Introduction

  • Subject Description and Administrative Details
  • Ore Fuel Cycle Overview of Front End: Ore Enrichment and Fabrication
  • Influence of Reactor Type
  • Material and SWU Balances
  • Back End: Storage, Transportation, Disposal and Reprocessing
  • Current Issues: Proliferation, Actinide Burning and Repository Siting
3, 4

In-core AspectS (PWR as example)

  • Linear Reactivity Model of Core Behavior and Refueling Strategy
  • Neutronic Effects of Fissile and Fertile Constituents: U-235/U-233/Pu-239; U-238, Th-232
  • Effects of Neutron Spectrum
  • Burnable Poison Physics
5, 6

Core Design Criteria and Constraints

  • Limiting Transients & Accidents
  • Reactivity Control and Reactivity Feedback Coefficients (CRD's and Soluble Poison) Fuel and Clad Endurance
  • Thermal-Hydraulic Considerations (DNB, Fuel)
7, 8

Fuel Cycle and Operational Economic Analysis

  • Overall Busbar Cost Model
  • Fuel Cycle Cost Model
  • Selection of Cycle Length
  • PWR vs BWR
9, 10

Physics and Fuel Cycle Characteristics and Limits of Other
Thermal Reastors

  • CANDU
  • HTGR
11

Physics, Core Design, and Fuel Cycle Characteristics of Fast Spectrum Systems (â, Doppler, Fuel and Implications)

  • Na Cooled
  • Pb/Bi Cooled
  • Gas Cooled
12, 13

Proliferation and the Fuel Cycle

  • Weapons Materials
  • Intrinsic Proliferation Resistance
  • Extrinsic Proliferation Measures
  • International Agreement (NPT, START Bilaterals)
  • International Safeguards
  • Integrated Examples of Reactors and Fuel Cycles
14, 15 1st Project Presentations
16, 17

High Level Waste Disposal

  • Geological Repository Requirements and Concepts Worldwide (Yucca Mountain)
  • Performance Metrics
  • Once through Assembly Disposal vs. Reprocessing Waste Form Disposal
  • Interim Storage (Thermal Limit)
  • Other Concepts: Sub-seabed Disposal, Deep Bore Holes
  • LLW Disposal
18, 19

Actinide Transmutation

  • Hazard Indices vs. Time
  • Accelerator Driven Concepts
  • Reactors Burning Plutonium and Minor Actinides
  • Fuel Cycle Economics
  • Fission Product Transmutation
20

Reprocessing Options

  • PUREX & Wet Separations
  • PYROREPROCESSING
  • AIROX - DUPIC
21

Defense Wastes

  • Types of Wastes
  • Storage Conditions
  • Plans for Disposition, WIPP + YM
22, 23

Special Applications

  • Plutonium Recycle
  • Weapons Surplus Pu Burning
  • Thorium Fueling: Uniform vs. Seed/Blanket
  • Tritium Production
24, 25
Invited Guests

Contemporary Issues: Extra Long Fuel Cycle for Buttoned up Reactors

  • IRIS
  • Electric Breeder, Energy Amplifier
  • Accelerator Power Plants
  • Geopolitical Issues
  • Global Materials Management
26, 27 Final Presentations of Class Papers