Conditions for Reaching Radiation Equivalence of Native Raw Materials and Long-Lived Radioactive Waste in Nuclear Energy in Russia

• Published in: Atomic energy (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 129; no. 4; pp. 188 - 193
• Main Authors: Lopatkin, A. V., Platonov, I. V., Popov, V. E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.02.2021; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Actinides; Computer applications; Energy industry; Energy management systems; Equivalence; Fast nuclear reactors; Fission products; Hadrons; Heavy Ions; Nuclear Chemistry; Nuclear Energy; Nuclear engineering; Nuclear fuels; Nuclear Physics; Nuclear power plants; Nuclear reactors; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Radiation; Radioactive pollution; Radioactive wastes; Radiochemistry; Raw materials; Reactors; Regeneration; Reprocessing; Spent nuclear fuels; Spent reactor fuels; Thermal reactors; Uranium; Russia
• ISSN: 1063-4258; 1573-8205
• DOI: 10.1007/s10512-021-00732-9

The basic requirements of regeneration of spent fuel from BREST reactors in order to reach radiation equivalence in the nuclear energy system are presented. It is shown on the basis of computational modeling of scenarios for the development and long-term operation of the nuclear energy system, including nuclear power plants with thermal and fast reactors, that radiation equivalence of waste and natural uranium can be reached. At the same time, the requirements of radiochemical technology also extend to the reprocessing of spent fuel from thermal reactors. The effect of the content of actinides and fission products in the waste on the hold-up period to reach radiation equivalence is shown.