The credit analysis of recycling beryllium and uranium in BeO-UO 2 nuclear fuel

This study quantifies the credits of beryllium and uranium which are used as the raw materials for BeO-UO ₂ nuclear fuel by analyzing the influence of their credits on the nuclear fuel cycle cost was analyzed, where the credit was defined as the value of raw materials recovered from spent fuel and the raw materials that were re-cycled. The credits of beryllium and uranium at 60 MWD/kg burn-up were -0.22 Mills/kWh and -0.14 Mills/kWh, respectively. These findings were based on the assumption that the optimal mixing proportion of beryllium in the BeO-UO ₂ nuclear fuel is 4.8 wt%. In sum, the present study verified that the credits of beryllium and uranium in relation to BeO-UO ₂ nuclear fuel are significant cost drivers in the cost of the nuclear fuel cycle and in estimating the nuclear fuel cycle of the reprocessing option for spent nuclear fuels. © 2012 Atomic Energy Society of Japan. All rights reserved.