Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika

The peer-reviewed scientific and technology journal. ISSN: 0204-3327

Multi-Criteria Approaches to Economic Optimization of Cascade Schemes for Recycled Uranium Enrichment

11/19/2020 2020 - #04 Economics of nuclear power

Rodionova E.V. Nevinitsa V.A. Smirnov A.Yu.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2020.4.11

UDC: 621.039.31

The possibility of multiple using of regenerated uranium is presented in the article. Additional regenerate enrichment is carried out using a modified double cascade. An algorithm for selecting a set of cascade parameters is proposed. It minimizes the consumption of natural uranium, separation operations, and the minimum amount of highly enriched fraction sent to waste.

The article considers the possibility of using multiple use of reсycled uranium. It is shown that the problem of purifying recycled uranium from the 232U isotope can be solved by using double cascade schemes. Since approximately the same neutron-physical properties of the fuel of a light-water reactor of the VVER-1200 type can be obtained with a very large combination of enrichment values pairs of the first and second stages, the main problem is to choose the optimal parameters of the cascade scheme (the values of the enrichment of the first and second stages). In this study, we consider the problem of choosing the optimal parameters of the enrichment cascade by the example of fabrication a set of fuel assemblies for reloading a single VVER-1200 reactor. Additional enrichment of the recycled uranium is carried out using a modified double cascade. A multi-criteria algorithm for selecting a set of cascade parameters is proposed, which minimizes the consumption of natural uranium, the separation work expenditures, and the minimum amount of the highly enriched 235U fraction sent to waste along with the 232U isotope extracted from recycled uranium. It is shown that the mass of the highly enriched fraction contaminated with the 232U isotope (i.e., the fraction containing waste of the recycled uranium purification from the 232U isotope) decreases, as well as the loss of the 235U isotope with an increase in the enrichment value of the second stage from 20% to 90%.

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double cascade separate work units optimization economy natural real indicators recycled uranium close fuel cycle natural uranium

Link for citing the article: Rodionova E.V., Nevinitsa V.A., Smirnov A.Yu. Multi-Criteria Approaches to Economic Optimization of Cascade Schemes for Recycled Uranium Enrichment. Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika. 2020, no. 4, pp. 117-129; DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2020.4.11 (in Russian).

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