A new review paper from the Dalton Nuclear Institute at The University of Manchester uses a Tube map design to examine how closing the nuclear fuel cycle—recycling and reusing materials from used fuel—improves the sustainability of nuclear energy.
Titled "Sustainability of Nuclear Energy—A Critical Review of Closed Fuel Cycle Options," the review compares six fuel cycle pathways of varying complexity, from the simplest once-through cycle, in which all spent fuel is treated as waste, to more advanced options incorporating multiple stages of recycling. The findings are published in the journal Sustainability.
To make the comparison accessible, the authors present the six options as a "Tube map," modeled on the London Underground—a first for the field.
Today's nuclear reactors already compare well with renewable technologies when it comes to many sustainability metrics. However, the review finds that closing the fuel cycle could further improve sustainability, delivering benefits for natural resource use, environmental footprint, management of high-level radioactive waste and energy security.
Co-author Professor Robin Taylor, of the Dalton Nuclear Institute and the U.K. National Nuclear Laboratory, said, "Closing the fuel cycle does come with real challenges, including those around safety, security and cost. However, by drawing on the U.K.'s own experience as a case study, our review finds that these challenges can be addressed and do not necessarily rule out the benefits of reusing nuclear fuel."
