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A state-run nuclear group may also be pursuing fast reactors
The Associated Press and other wire services reported Jan 3 that China has begun to reprocess spent nuclear fuel. The technology, tested at the China National Nuclear Corp (CNNC) plant in the Gobi desert in remote Gansu province, enables the re-use of materials from irradiated fuel.
If deployed on an industrial scale, would be able to boost the supply of uranium for the nation’s nuclear reactors.
China has been stockpiling uranium for its hugely ambitious nuclear build of as much as 40-80 GWe in the next decade.
There are few confirmed details about China’s reprocessing technology so far. China has made a point of saying the process is a secret. It is unclear if China has made improvements to the reprocessing processes that are used in France and are being developed for use in Japan.
According to the AP report;
"Wang Junfeng, project director for the state-run China National Nuclear Corporation, told CCTV the Chinese scientists had employed a chemical process that was effective and safe. CCTV said the country now had enough fuel to last up to 70 years and the new technology could yield enough to last for 3,000 years."
Not a breakthrough?
This development is most likely not a breakthrough, but the execution of an 800-to-1000 tonne/year plant that is part of the deal inked in 2007 with Areva. That deal also includes two 1600 MW EPR reactors, uranium enrichment technology, and 20% of Areva’s uranium output from Canadian mines.
I reported in November 2007 in Fuel Cycle Week . . .
“France and China will become long-term partners in spent nuclear fuel reprocessing. Areva signed a separate agreement with China National Nuclear Corporation to begin a feasibility study to build a spent fuel reprocessing plant. The plant could be worth EU$15 billion / US$22.3 billion at today's exchange rates according to a report from the Bloomberg wire service.”
World Nuclear News has an update, published on 12/10/10, which confirms my FCW report from 2007. WNN reported “The China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE) says the country will develop an industrial reprocessing plant of about 1000 t/yr in operation” by 2021.
Background on pilot reprocessing plant
NTI reported in 2009 a pilot (50 tonnes/yearr) reprocessing plant using the Purex process was opened in 2006 at Lanzhou Nuclear Fuel Complex. (located 25 km northeast of Lanzhou, Gansu Province 103.41E/36.03N). It is reported to be capable of expansion to 100 tonne/year.
NTI also reported the Lanzhou Nuclear Fuel Complex, may eventually be combined with an industrial-scale reprocessing plant, and will be used to store spent fuel after its completion. According to CNNC official Sun Donghui, separated plutonium would initially serve in MOX fuel for an experimental 25 MWe fast breeder reactor (FBR) and also used in conventional PWRs.
China’s big bet on fast reactors
The Chinese statement about the enormous extension of uranium supplies strongly suggests fast reactors have to be in the picture.
A nuclear expert on fast reactors told this blog today "the French "MOX-in-LWR " does NOT close the fuel cycle."
He added, “The best it can do is to increase the uranium utilization by about 20%-40% still leaving unused about 99% of the energy in the mined uranium.”
The only way to further close the uranium cycle is by means of fast reactors most likely using metal-cooled systems such as liquid sodium.
An 800-1000 tonne/year plant is thought by some experts to be about as large a plant as can be efficiently managed with current technology.
France, the U.K. and Russia, operate reprocessing facilities to manage spent fuel and as a source of material for future nuclear fuel supply. Japan is building a reprocessing plant, but has had several setbacks getting it to work.
The U.S. stopped reprocessing fuel many years ago and also deep sixed its fast reactor program including the Integral Fast Reactor. An ill-fated effort to revive these technologies during the Bush administration went nowhere with Congress.
Prior coverage on this blog
- July 2010 - China's big bet on fast reactors
- April 2009 – GNEP drifts off into limbo
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