Optimal waste loading in high-level nuclear waste glass from high-burnup spent fuel for waste volume and geological disposal footprint reduction

Abstract

AbstractThe effects of waste loading in vitrified high-level nuclear waste (HLW) from the reprocessing of high-burnup spent fuel (56 GWd/tHM) on waste volume reduction (i.e., number of HLW canisters produced) and decay heat generation were investigated to minimize the repository footprint. As the waste loading increases, the number of canisters produced decreases; however, the decay heat and subsequent footprint per canister increase. The best estimate waste loading observed was 23 wt% (including 10 wt% Na2O), wherein the repository footprint minimizes to 60.0 m2/tHM. These results are slightly higher than those for standard HLW (55.5 m2/tHM). However, upon comparing the repository footprint with electric power generation, the benefit of optimization was that the footprint for high-burnup HLW (131 m2/TWh) was 13% smaller than that of standard HLW (151 m2/TWh). Graphical abstract Repository footprint of the vitrified HLW as a function of waste loading for different cooling times. a, b Footprint per tons of heavy metal (tHM), c, d footprint per electricity generation (tera watt-hour, TWh). a, c 45 GWd/tHM, b, d 56 GWd/tHM.