Abstract
The concept of plasma separation of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste is presented. An approach that is based on using an accelerating potential to overcome the energy and angular spread of plasma ions at the separation region inlet and utilizing a potential well to separate spatially the ions of different masses is proposed. It is demonstrated that such separation may be performed at distances of about 1 m with electrical potentials of about 1 kV and a magnetic field of about 1 kG. The estimates of energy consumption and performance of the plasma separation method are presented. These estimates illustrate its potential for technological application. The results of development and construction of an experimental setup for testing the method of plasma separation are presented.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
World Nuclear Association, World Nuclear Power Reactors and Uranium Requirements. http://www. world-nuclear.org/info/Facts-and-Figures/World-NuclearPower-Reactors-and-Uranium-Requirements.
World Nuclear Association, Processing of Used Nuclear Fuel. http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/ Nuclear-Fuel-Cycle/Fuel-Recycling/Processing-ofUsed-Nuclear-Fuel.
O. Kryukov, Report by the Director for Public Policy on Radioactive Waste, Spent Nuclear Fuel and Nuclear Decommissioning, Public Council of Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation (June 5, 2014). http:// wwwatomic-energyru/news/2014/06/09/49463 [in Russian].
Nuclear Technology Review 2013—Report by the Director General, IAEA, GC(57)/INF/2 (2013). http:// wwwiaeaorg/About/Policy/GC/GC57/Documents.
S. Chu, Letter from Secretary to Energy Department Employees (February 1, 2013). http://energygov/articles/letter-secretary-steven-chu-energy-departmentemployees.
Yu. G. Lavrinovich and A. V. Bichkov, Waste Management of Non-aqueous Methods of Reprocessing Spent Nuclear Fuel: A Review (RIAR, Dmitrovgrad, 2012) [in Russian].
A. Yu. Shadrin, in Proceedings of the 5th Regional Public Dialogue on Nuclear Facilities, Society and Security 2012, Tomsk, November 29, 2012. http://www. osatomru/projects/regional-public-forum-dialogue/ v-regional-forum-dialogue/presentation-of-the-vregional-social-forum-dialogue [in Russian].
R. Freeman, S. Agnew, F. Anderegg, B. Cluggish, J. Gilleland, R. Isler, A. Litvak, R. Miller, R. O’Neill, T. Ohkawa, S. Pronko, S. Putvinski, L. Sevier, A. Sibley, K. Umstadter, T. Wade, and D. Winslow, AIP Conf. Proc. 694, 403 (2003).
V. M. Bardakov, G. N. Kichigin, N. A. Strokin, and E. O. Tsaregorodtsev, Tech. Phys. 55, 1504 (2010).
Y. Korobkin, N. Lebedev, and V. Paperny, Tech. Phys. Lett. 38, 254 (2012).
V. A. Zhil’tsov, V. M. Kulygin, N. N. Semashko, A. A. Skovoroda, V. P. Smirnov, A. V. Timofeev, E.G. Kudryavtsev, V. I. Rachkov, and V. V. Orlov, At. Energy 101, 755 (2006).
V. P. Smirnov, A. A. Samokhin, N. A. Vorona, and A. V. Gavrikov, Plasma Phys. Rep. 39, 456 (2013).
C. E. Ahlfeld, J. D. Wagoner, D. L. Sevier, and R. L. Freeman, in Proceedings of the 21st IEE/NPS Symposium on Fusion Engineering, 2005, p. 1.
A. Litvak, S. Agnew, F. Anderegg, B. Cluggish, R. Freeman, J. Gilleland, R. Isler, W. Lee, R. Miller, T. Ohkawa, S. Putvinski, L. Sevier, K. Umstadter, and D. Winslow, in Proceedings of the 30th EPS Conference on Controlled Fusion and Plasma Physics, St.-Petersburg, July 7–11, 2003, ECA, Vol. 27A, p. O–1.6A.
A. I. Morozov and V. V. Savel’ev, Plasma Phys. Rep. 31, 417 (2005).
T. Ohkawa and R. L. Miller, Phys. Plasmas 9, 5116 (2002).
A. I. Morozov, Introduction to Plasma Dynamics (Nauka, Moscow, 2008) [in Russian].
A. A. Bekhtenev and V. I. Volosov, Nucl. Fusion 20, 579 (1980).
V. M. Bardakov, Vo Nhu Dan, G. N. Kichigin, and N. A. Strokin, Nucl. Power Eng., No. 2, 3 (2011).
A. M. Yegorov, V. B. Yuferov, S. V. Shariy, V. A. Seroshtanov, O. S. Druy, V. V. Yegorenkov, E. V. Ribas, S. N. Khizhnyak, and D. V. Vinnikov, Vopr. At. Nauki Tekh., Ser. 15: Fiz. Plazmy, No. 1 (59), 122 (2009).
A. V. Timofeev, Plasma Phys. Rep. 33, 890 (2007).
Yu. V. Kovtun, E. I. Skibenko, and V. B. Yuferov, Vopr. At. Nauki Tekh., No. 2, 149 (2008).
R. Kh. Amirov, N. A. Vorona, A. V. Gavrikov, S. N. Zhabin, G. D. Lizyakin, V. P. Polistchook, I. S. Samoylov, V. P. Smirnov, R. A. Usmanov, and I. M. Yartsev, Tr. Mosk. Fiz. Tekh. Inst. 6, 136 (2014).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Original Russian Text © N.A. Vorona, A.V. Gavrikov, A.A. Samokhin, V.P. Smirnov, Yu.S. Khomyakov, 2014, published in Yadernaya Fizika i Inzhiniring, 2014, Vol. 5, Nos. 11–12, pp. 944–951.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Vorona, N.A., Gavrikov, A.V., Samokhin, A.A. et al. On the possibility of reprocessing spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste by plasma methods. Phys. Atom. Nuclei 78, 1624–1630 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063778815140148
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063778815140148