Optimization nuclear fuel management

Aksenov, E.I., Vavilkin, V.N. and Sandler N.G. (2001) Safety inerease and optimization of naval spent nuclear fuel management, in Proceedings of international conference Environmental Problems of Complex Decommissioning of Nuclear Submarines , Severodvinsk, pp. 305-308 (in Russian). 

The mutual separation of actinide elements and the selective isolation of useful actinides from fission products are indispensable for the nuclear fuel cycle and have become important subjects of investigation for the development of advanced nuclear fuel reprocessing and TRU (TRans Uranium elements) waste management [1], A variety of research concerning the separation chemistry of actinides has so far been accumulated [2]. There are, however, only a few theoretical studies on actinides in solution[3-5]. Schreckenbach et a), discussed the stability of uranyl (VI) tetrahydroxide [UO,(OH) ] [3] and Spencer and co-workers calculated the optimized structures of some uranyl and plutonyl hydrates [AcO, nH,0 (Ac = U, Pu and n = 4,5,6)] [4],... 

Kl. Kearney, J. P. Simulation and Optimization Techniques for Nuclear In-Core Fuel Management Decisions, thesis submitted to the Department of Nuclear Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass., in partial fulfillment of requirements for the Ph.D. degree, 1973. 

For the electricity utility today operating an existing nuclear power plant, economic optimization means minimizing the costs of producing electricity, based on a high degree of plant reliability, operational flexibility and maximum fuel utilization. This will include the costs of spent fuel management. 

The reduction of fuel costs can be realized by a higher power density, higher burnup values, and an optimal fuel management, as stationary nuclear power plants have shown in the past. But the experience with these large power plants cannot be applied without modifications to nuclear ship reactors mainly because of the relatively small power requirements of ship units. 

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