Physics Commons^™

Nuclear Criticality, Shielding, And Thermal Analyses Of Separations Processes For The Transmutation Fuel Cycle, William Culbreth, Denis Beller

Separations Campaign (TRP)

The remediation of nuclear waste created by conventional fission reactors will rely upon the separation of the waste products for further treatment. The UREX+ process now under review will involve the use of an aqueous chemical process to separate out depleted uranium resulting in a product containing minor actinides, fission products, cesium, strontium, technetium, and iodine. The radioactive decay of strontium and cesium produces roughly half of the thermal and gamma production in spent fuel and the relatively short halflife of isotopes of both of these elements requires storage for about 300 years before heat and radiation decreases to safe …