Speaker
Description
Sourcing oxidic high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) from down blended highly enriched uranium (HEU) has no prospects. Therefore, correspondingly enriched UF6 must be considered as main input material for fuel production plants. NUKEM gained experience as operator of fabrication plants for all common fuel types. Designs for facilities can be offered based on this knowledge.
Deconversion from UF6 into an oxidic form is achieved via AUC conversion. This process yields UO2 with beneficial properties, which can be directly utilized for light water SMR pellets. UO2 can be fluorinated to UF4, which is ready to be applied in a molten-salt SMR. Finally, metallic uranium can be produced via calciothermic reduction of UF4. Uranium metal can be alloyed to fuel SMRs like the sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR). Alternatively, UO2 can be calcined to yield the raw material of HTR TRISO-fuel production plants. Beginning from the dissolution of U3O8, fuel compacts or pebbles can be manufactured.
The prerequisite of a criticality-safe process keeping state-of-the-art radioprotection standards is fulfilled for HALEU material up to 20 % enrichment. Reprocessing of uranium and chemicals for zero emission is included within the process. NUKEM is capable to design industrial scale facilities with throughputs of several tons of uranium per year.
| Country OR International Organization | Deutschland |
|---|---|
| Email address | marina.sokcic-kostic@nukemtechnologies.de |
| Confirm that the work is original and has not been published anywhere else | YES |
