Spent nuclear fuel
Spent nuclear fuel, often referred to as used nuclear fuel, is nuclear fuel that has been irradiated in a nuclear reactor (usually at a nuclear power plant). It is no longer useful in sustaining a nuclear reaction in an ordinary thermal reactor and depending on its point along the nuclear fuel cycle, it may have considerably different isotopic constituents.
Description[edit | edit source]
The terms spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste are often used interchangeably. Spent nuclear fuel is produced by nuclear reactors after the nuclear fuel has been used and is no longer efficient in producing electricity. It is highly radioactive and dangerous.
Radioactivity and decay heat[edit | edit source]
Spent nuclear fuel is characterized by two major factors: radioactivity and decay heat. Both factors require the fuel to be handled with great care and managed properly. The radioactivity in the spent fuel is due to the presence of unstable isotopes, which undergo radioactive decay. The decay heat is the heat produced as a result of this radioactive decay.
Management[edit | edit source]
The management of spent nuclear fuel is a critical aspect of nuclear power generation. This involves the storage, disposal, and potential reprocessing of the spent fuel. The spent fuel is typically stored in spent fuel pools and dry cask storage, before being disposed of in a deep geological repository.
Reprocessing[edit | edit source]
Reprocessing is a method that can be used to manage spent nuclear fuel. It involves separating the valuable components, such as unused uranium and plutonium, from the waste products. This can then be used to create new fuel.
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
External links[edit | edit source]
- Spent Fuel Storage in Pools and Dry Casks Key Points and Questions & Answers - U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Spent nuclear fuel Resources | |
---|---|
|
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD