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The Fuel Cycle Implications of Nuclear Process Heat

Author

Listed:
  • Aiden Peakman

    (National Nuclear Laboratory, Chadwick House, Warrington WA3 6AE, UK
    School of Engineering, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GH, UK)

  • Robert Gregg

    (National Nuclear Laboratory, Chadwick House, Warrington WA3 6AE, UK)

Abstract

International and UK fuel cycle scenario analyses performed to date have focused on nuclear plants producing electricity without considering in detail the other potential drivers for nuclear power, such as industrial process heat. Part of the reason behind the restricted applications of nuclear power is because the assumptions behind the future scenario are not fully captured, for example how big are demands from different sectors? Here we present a means to fully capture the potential opportunities for nuclear power using Sankey diagrams and then, using this information, consider for the first time in the UK the fuel cycle implications of decarbonising industrial heat demand in the year 2050 with nuclear power using the ORION fuel cycle code to study attributes related to spent fuel, uranium demand and decay heat from the spent fuel. We show that even in high industrial energy demand scenarios, the sensitivity of spent fuel masses and decay heat to the types of reactor deployed is relatively small compared to the greater fuel cycle demands from large-scale deployment of nuclear plants for electricity production. However, the sensitivity of spent fuel volumes depends heavily on the extent to which High Temperature Reactor and Light Water Reactor systems operating on a once-through cycle are deployed.

Suggested Citation

  • Aiden Peakman & Robert Gregg, 2020. "The Fuel Cycle Implications of Nuclear Process Heat," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-19, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:22:p:6073-:d:448090
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Aiden Peakman & Bruno Merk, 2019. "The Role of Nuclear Power in Meeting Current and Future Industrial Process Heat Demands," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-16, September.
    2. Aiden Peakman & Bruno Merk & Kevin Hesketh, 2020. "The Potential of Pressurised Water Reactors to Provide Flexible Response in Future Electricity Grids," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-16, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Bader Alshuraiaan & Sergey Pushkin & Anastasia Kurilova & Magdalena Mazur, 2021. "Management of the Energy and Economic Potential of Nuclear Waste Use," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-14, June.
    2. Mohamed Hadri & Vincenzo Trovato & Agnes Bialecki & Bruno Merk & Aiden Peakman, 2021. "Assessment of High-Electrification UK Scenarios with Varying Levels of Nuclear Power and Associated Post-Fault Behaviour," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-23, March.

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