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Uranium Fuel Cycle

Uranium Fuel Cycle. Conventional Mining: Underground/Open Pit. Ranger, Australia, Northern Territories. Olympic Dam, South Australia. 2. ISR: Drilling – Well Construction. 3. ISR: Minimum Disturbance of Environment. 4. ISR Plant – Schematic. 5. ISR Plant – Beverley, South Australia. 6.

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Uranium Fuel Cycle

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  1. Uranium Fuel Cycle

  2. Conventional Mining: Underground/Open Pit Ranger, Australia, Northern Territories Olympic Dam, South Australia 2

  3. ISR: Drilling – Well Construction 3

  4. ISR: Minimum Disturbance of Environment 4

  5. ISR Plant – Schematic 5

  6. ISR Plant – Beverley, South Australia 6

  7. Ion Exchange Resins

  8. Beverley Plant – Impressions IX columns Filtration units Yellowcake Sampling The product

  9. BACKUP

  10. SiC-SiC Composite Cladding has Potential to Significantly Improve Safety of Light Water Reactors Fukushima Daiichi Zr + 2H2O  ZrO2 + 2H2 For Zircaloy, destruction by steam reaction occurs at lower temp than fuel melt SiC + 4H2O  SiO2 + CO2 + 4H2 For SiC/SiC, structural failure occurs at lower temp than steam reaction Eliminate hydrogen explosions At higher temps (~1400oC) Zircaloy reaction heat exceeds decay heat

  11. Comparison of EM2 vs Fukushima Plant To Earthquake & Tsunami 9.0 magnitude earth quake/tsunami: reactor vessels and containments are intact but all electrical power is severed air draft heat exchanger Fukushima EM2 Grade level Reactor Redundant shutdown cooling Turbine-generator Leak-tight, below-grade containment • Reactor cooling by natural convection – no power needed • Silicon-carbide clad does not react with helium coolant at high temperature • Walk-away safe – no external intervention needed • Without power, cooling systems are inoperable • Fuel heats up causing high pressure and hydrogen producing reactions from zircalloy clad • External means of cooling is needed until power to cooling systems is restored

  12. Fuel Resources for Electric Power Generation in the U.S.A. Depleted uranium (DU)/Used nuclear fuel (UNF) inventories U.S. Energy Reserves (Trillion Bbls Oil Energy Equivalent) Energy supplyfor > 300 years electric power generation 8 TBbl Depleted Uranium 1 TBbl Used Nuclear Fuel

  13. “Convert & Burn” reactor achieves a 30-year fuel life by converting 238U to 239Pu and burning in situ BeO reflector Graphite reflector Conversion Control drum location Starter B4C neutron Shield Core support floor 316L

  14. EM2 Changes the Game Relative to Nuclear Waste LWR Waste Disposal EM2 Waste Disposal • Deep geologic repository • Million year life • Large storage capacity • Long term heat • Long term radioactivity • Above ground storage • 400 year life • Small storage capacity • Short term heat • Short term radioactivity

  15. BACKUP 2

  16. ISR Mining Process Groundwater pumped to surface (at start-up) Small amount of acid and oxidant added Water pumped back into aquifer Uranium leached Water pumped to surface Uranium recovered by ion exchange (IX) Water recycled [up to 100 recycles (pore volume exchanges)] 16

  17. Leaching Chemistry Uranium ore Uranium as U(IV) fixed in minerals, e.g. pitchblende UO2, coffinite USiO4 Mobilization of uranium by oxidation and complexation Uranium needs to be oxidized to U(VI) to form soluble uranyl ions UO22- Leaching methods Alkaline (carbonate) leaching: UO2(CO3)22- and higher-order complexes Acidic (sulfuric acid) leaching: UO2(SO4)22- and higher-order complexes Application of oxidants: O2, H2O2 17

  18. Uranium Recovery Mining solution contains anionic uranyl complexes like UO2(CO3)22- or UO2(SO4)22- Recovery from mining solution by ion-exchange (IX) Resin (in form of beads at 0.5-1 mm diameter) Resin beds in big columns (about 2-4 m diameter, 3-10 m height) Mining fluid passes IX columns and recycles to wellfields Uranium is adsorbed on the resin Strip of uranium from IX resin by highly-ionic solution, e.g. salt solutions (NaCl) Further processing includes precipitation of uranium as uranium oxide, thickening, de-watering, drying, packaging 18

  19. ISR – Hydrogeology • For ISR mining, ore body must have following properties: • Ore body must be in an aquifer (sedimentary formation) • Aquifer sediments must be permeable • Aquifer should be vertically confined (above and below) by impermeable layers 19

  20. Beverley ISR Mine – Processing Plant

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