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Nuclear Fission Reactors pp 152–190Cite as

Technical Aspects of Nuclear Fuel Cycles

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Part of the book series: Topics in Energy ((TENE))

Abstract

After discharge from the reactor core, the fuel elements are stored on the reactor site for a period of at least one year to allow for radioactivity decay and cooling. The reactor plant proper usually has a fuel storage capacity of at least three years’ discharge volume in addition to a full standby core inventory. The use of compact storage racks with neutron absorbers allows this storage capacity even to be extended to nine years’ discharge volume. Spent fuel elements are then transported in spent fuel casks either to intermediate storage facilities or to storage pools at reprocessing plants. Table 7–1 shows the fuel characteristics of discharged fuel elements for different converter reactors and LMFBR’s. The total activity, expressed in Ci/kg, for various times after discharge is very similar for fuel of converter and breeder reactors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Neutronenphysik und Reaktortechnik, Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Federal Republic of Germany

    Prof. Dr. Günther Kessler

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  1. Prof. Dr. Günther Kessler
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© 1983 Springer-Verlag Wien

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Kessler, G. (1983). Technical Aspects of Nuclear Fuel Cycles. In: Nuclear Fission Reactors. Topics in Energy. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-7622-1_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-7622-1_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-7091-7624-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-7091-7622-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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