Question

Describe the current practices for dealing with spent fuel rods.

Short answer

The current practices for dealing with spent fuel rods include immediate storage in spent fuel pools, potential reprocessing or recycling, longer-term dry storage and final disposal in a deep geological repository.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding the Concept

Spent fuel rods refer to the bundles of nuclear fuel that have been used in a power reactor until they need to be replaced because they have become inefficient and highly contaminated. Understanding the concept of spent fuel rods is the first step to knowing how they are managed.

Temporary Storage

After immediate removal from the reactor, spent fuel rods are initially stored in spent fuel pools, which are deep, water-filled basins. The water serves two main purposes: it cools the rods and it protects the workers from radiation.

Retasking or Reprocessing

Some countries like France practice reprocessing where spent fuel rods are retasked. The remaining usable material is extracted from the spent fuel and recycled into new fuel.

Long-Term Storage

After some time in the pool, the spent fuel is often moved to dry storage, which is generally on-site. Dry casks are sealed and filled with an inert gas. They are then stored on a concrete pad at a nuclear power plant site.

Disposal

Disposal involves the placement of spent fuel in a specially designed repository where it will be safely and permanently shielded from the environment. This usually involves deep geological repositories.