University of Liverpool, School of Engineering, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
National Nuclear Laboratory, Chadwick House, Warrington, United Kingdom.
PLoS One. 2018 Mar 1;13(3):e0192020. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192020. eCollection 2018.
The PUREX technology based on aqueous processes is currently the leading reprocessing technology in nuclear energy systems. It seems to be the most developed and established process for light water reactor fuel and the use of solid fuel. However, demand driven development of the nuclear system opens the way to liquid fuelled reactors, and disruptive technology development through the application of an integrated fuel cycle with a direct link to reactor operation. The possibilities of this new concept for innovative reprocessing technology development are analysed, the boundary conditions are discussed, and the economic as well as the neutron physical optimization parameters of the process are elucidated. Reactor physical knowledge of the influence of different elements on the neutron economy of the reactor is required. Using an innovative study approach, an element priority list for the salt clean-up is developed, which indicates that separation of Neodymium and Caesium is desirable, as they contribute almost 50% to the loss of criticality. Separating Zirconium and Samarium in addition from the fuel salt would remove nearly 80% of the loss of criticality due to fission products. The theoretical study is followed by a qualitative discussion of the different, demand driven optimization strategies which could satisfy the conflicting interests of sustainable reactor operation, efficient chemical processing for the salt clean-up, and the related economic as well as chemical engineering consequences. A new, innovative approach of balancing the throughput through salt processing based on a low number of separation process steps is developed. Next steps for the development of an economically viable salt clean-up process are identified.
基于水相过程的 PUREX 技术是当前核能系统中领先的后处理技术。它似乎是轻水堆燃料和固体燃料应用中最发达和成熟的工艺。然而，核能系统的需求驱动发展为液体燃料反应堆开辟了道路，通过应用与反应堆运行直接相关的集成燃料循环来实现颠覆性技术发展。分析了这种创新后处理技术发展新概念的可能性，讨论了边界条件，并阐明了该过程的经济和中子物理优化参数。需要反应堆物理知识来了解不同元素对反应堆中子经济性的影响。利用创新的研究方法，开发了一种盐净化的元素优先顺序列表，该列表表明分离钕和铯是可取的，因为它们对临界损失的贡献几乎达到 50%。此外，从燃料盐中分离锆和钐将去除由于裂变产物导致的临界损失的近 80%。理论研究之后，对不同的、需求驱动的优化策略进行了定性讨论，这些策略可以满足可持续反应堆运行、盐净化的有效化学处理以及相关的经济和化学工程后果之间的冲突利益。开发了一种基于少量分离过程步骤的基于盐处理的吞吐量平衡的新的、创新方法。确定了开发经济上可行的盐净化工艺的下一步步骤。
