Spent reactor fuel assemblies are highly radioactive and, initially, must be stored in specially designed pools of water. The water cools the fuel and acts as a radiation shield.
Spent reactor fuel assemblies can also be stored in specially designed dry storage containers. An increasing number of reactor operators now store their older spent fuel in dry storage facilities using special outdoor concrete or steel containers with air cooling. The United States does not currently have a permanent disposal facility for high-level nuclear waste. When a nuclear reactor stops operating, it must be decommissioned.
Decommissioning involves safely removing from service the reactor and all equipment that has become radioactive and reducing radioactivity to a level that permits other uses of the property. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has strict rules governing nuclear power plant decommissioning that involve cleanup of radioactively contaminated power plant systems and structures and removing the radioactive fuel.
A dry storage cask for spent nuclear reactor fuel. Some spent fuel storage canisters are designed to be placed vertically in robust above-ground concrete or steel structures.
Source: U. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Public Domain. Nuclear explained Nuclear power and the environment. What is energy? Units and calculators. Use of energy. Energy and the environment. Also in What is energy? Forms of energy Sources of energy Laws of energy.
Also in Units and calculators explained Units and calculators Energy conversion calculators British thermal units Btu Degree days. Also in U. Saskatchewan uranium mining emits few greenhouse gases, study shows. Retrieved November 12, from www. But scientists need to find a way to remove However, trafficking of the nuclear materials to furnish them with fuel remains a serious issue as ScienceDaily shares links with sites in the TrendMD network and earns revenue from third-party advertisers, where indicated.
Print Email Share. Boy or Girl? There are still uncertainties, especially when it comes to making judgements about how to deal with radioactive decay processes that will continue for thousands of years.
Our results are also often based on average conditions, and do not take into account extreme events such as reactor accidents or nuclear waste spills. Festival of Social Science — Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire. Edition: Available editions United Kingdom. Become an author Sign up as a reader Sign in.
Manfred Lenzen , University of Sydney. Manage Print Subscription. Main Menu Search thestarphoenix. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Try refreshing your browser, or tap here to see other videos from our team. Latest National Stories. Saskatoon StarPhoenix Afternoon Headlines We deliver the local news you need in these turbulent times on weekdays at 3 p.
0コメント