Options for Reprocessing and Recycling of Partially Used Nuclear Fuel from Small Modular Reactors

Abstract

Reprocessing and recycling of Partially Used Nuclear Fuel (PUNF) appears to be a necessary option and strategy to ensure the long-term economic sustainability of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), and likely also advanced reactors and micro-reactors. The objective of this paper is to assess the fuel reprocessing and recycling techniques that are capable of being used for SMRs and to explore the potential options for Canada. The SMR fuel nature and types influence the selection of processing technologies and the economy of PUNF recycling. The higher the complexity of a reprocessing technique and procedure, the higher the cost is. Among a variety of available reprocessing techniques, the aqueous-based reprocessing of PUNF is dominant and has been conducted at commercial-scale. Pyro-processing technologies are considered to be some of the most promising alternatives for future nuclear systems in terms of a reduced environment footprint, improved safety, efficient recycling, and nuclear proliferation resistance. Fluoride volatility (FV) methods can offer a very high process throughput in a very small footprint and appears to be one of the most promising techniques for reprocessing diverse SMR spent fuel types and structures. The DUPIC (Direct Use of PWR fuel In CANDU) and similar approaches have higher proliferation resistance than other recycling technologies, as there is no chemical or metallurgical separation of fission products from used oxide fuel. The fluoride volatility and DUPIC techniques appear to be highly promising for near-term commercial development in Canada.