Trends Towards Sustainability in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle


Book Description

Interest in expanding nuclear power to cope with rising demand for energy and potential climate change places increased attention on the nuclear fuel cycle and whether significant moves are being taken towards ensuring sustainability over the long term. Future nuclear power programme decisions will be increasingly based on strategic considerations involving the complete nuclear fuel cycle, as illustrated by the international joint projects for Generation IV reactors. Currently, 90% of installed reactors worldwide operate on a once-through nuclear fuel cycle using uranium-oxide fuel. While closing the fuel cycle has been a general aim for several decades, progress towards that goal has been slow. This report reviews developments in the fuel cycle over the past ten years, potential developments over the next decade and the outlook for the longer term. It analyses technological developments and government actions (both nationally and internationally) related to the fuel cycle, and examines these within a set of sustainability parameters in order to identify trends and to make recommendations for further action




A New Approach to the Nuclear Fuel Cycle


Book Description

The Nuclear Threat Initiative and the Center for Strategic and International Studies joined to launch the New Approaches to the Fuel Cycle project. This project sought to build consensus on common goals, address practical challenges, and engage a spectrum of actors that influence policymaking regarding the nuclear fuel cycle. The project also tackled one of the toughest issues—spent nuclear fuel and high level waste—to see if solutions there might offer incentives to states on the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle and address the inherent inertia and concerns about additional burdens and restrictions that have stalled past efforts to improve the robustness of the nonproliferation regime. This report presents the group’s conclusions that a best-practices approach to the nuclear fuel cycle can achieve these objectives and offer a path to a more secure and sustainable nuclear landscape.




Nuclear Power and Sustainable Development


Book Description

Transforming the energy system is at the core of the dedicated sustainable development goal on energy within the new United Nations development agenda. This publication explores the possible contribution of nuclear energy to addressing the issues of sustainable development through a large selection of indicators. It reviews the characteristics of nuclear power in comparison with alternative sources of electricity supply, according to economic, social and environmental pillars of sustainability. The findings summarized in this publication will help the reader to consider, or reconsider, the contribution that can be made by the development and operation of nuclear power plants in contributing to more sustainable energy systems.




The Future of Nuclear Fuel Cycle


Book Description

"In this analysis we have presented a method that provides insight into future fuel cycle alternatives by clarifying the complexity of choosing an appropriate fuel cycle in the context of the distribution of burdens and benefits between generations. The current nuclear power deployment practices, together with three future fuel cycles were assessed."--Page 227.




Sustainability of Life Cycle Management for Nuclear Cementation-Based Technologies


Book Description

Sustainability of Life Cycle Management for Nuclear Cementation-Based Technologies, edited by Dr. Rahman and Dr. Ojovan, presents the latest knowledge and research on the management of cementitious systems within nuclear power plants. The book covers aging, development and updates on regulatory frameworks on a global scale, the development of cementitious systems for the immobilization of problematic wastes, and the decommissioning and decontamination of complex cementitious systems. The book's editors and their team of experts combine their practical knowledge to provide the reader with a thorough understanding on the sustainability of lifecycle management of cementitious systems within the nuclear industry. Sections provide a comparative tool that presents national regulations concerning cementitious systems within nuclear power plants, check international and national evaluation results of the sustainability of different systems, help in the development of performance test procedures, and provide a guide on aging nuclear power plants and the long-term behavior of these systems in active and passive safety environments. - Presents the latest information on the behavior of different cementitious systems used in the nuclear industry in one comprehensive resource - Includes scientific justifications of system behavior during the design, operation, maintenance and decommissioning phases - Aids the reader in the development of evaluation tests for problematic wastes




Nuclear Energy Today


Book Description

As energy demand increases in line with the expansion of the world's leading economies and the growth of developing economies, a key challenge remains of how to provide the energy levels required while protecting our environment and conserving natural resources. Nuclear energy is a complex and controversial technology but also has the potential to provide considerable benefits. This publication explores a range of issues involved in the use of nuclear energy, including safety aspects, whether its use is economically competitive, its role in meeting greenhouse gas reduction targets, how to manage the radioactive waste it generates, whether its use increase the risk of proliferation of nuclear weapons, security of resources, and its potential role in the future.




Nuclear Energy Outlook 2008


Book Description

Using the most current data and statistics available, this Outlook provides projections up to 2050 to consider growth scenarios and potential implications on the future use of nuclear energy.




Nuclear Fuel Cycle


Book Description

The present book describes the various processes involved in different stages of the entire nuclear fuel cycle, which include exploration of uranium, thorium, and other nuclear materials, mining and milling of ores, conversion of the separated nuclear material into nuclear grade, fabrication of different types of nuclear fuels and their physical as well as chemical quality control, thermodynamics of the interaction among fuel and fission products during reactor operation, post irradiation examination, spent fuel reprocessing, radioactive waste management, accounting and control of nuclear materials, and safety aspects involved in handling and transportation of nuclear materials. The book provides the fundamental knowledge to the practicing nuclear scientists and engineers, young researchers, and postgraduate students interested in pursuing a career in nuclear industry in general and those engaged in human resource development in the field of nuclear science and technology in particular. It can also be prescribed as a textbook for a course on nuclear fuel cycle at postgraduate level.




Thorium Fuel Cycle


Book Description

Provides a critical review of the thorium fuel cycle: potential benefits and challenges in the thorium fuel cycle, mainly based on the latest developments at the front end of the fuel cycle, applying thorium fuel cycle options, and at the back end of the thorium fuel cycle.




United Nations Resource Management System


Book Description

The United Nations Resource Management System (UNRMS) is designed as a unifying framework for the integrated management of resources.