Thermal Treatment of Irradiated Graphite

Completed

Nuclear Fission and Fusion(Nuclear Fission, Nuclear supporting technologies)
Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(CO2 Capture and Storage, CO2 capture/separation)

Applied Research and Development

PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Chemistry)

Not Cross-cutting
Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Environmental dimensions)

Project Contact
Costain Oil, Gas & Process Limited

Collaborative Research & Development

Innovate UK

01 April 2015

30 September 2017

30 months

£747,259

South East

Competition Call: 1403_CRD2_ENE_GEN_DCNS - Developing the civil nuclear supply chain CRD. Activity Developing the civil nuclear supply chain ( CR&D)

Project Contact, Costain Oil, Gas & Process Limited

Project Contact, M-Decon
Project Contact, University of Manchester
Project Contact, Tetronics (International) Limited

A key challenge in the decommissioning of UK and international nuclear facilities is the management of irradiated graphite. Graphite is used as a neutron moderator, reflector, etc in most of the UK s reactors , and is a very bulky material which is difficult to remove intact from the reactor core at the end of life. If it is removed from the core it represents a large , and hence expensive, waste stream for storage and subsequent disposal. This has led to the current strategy of leaving graphite "in-situ" in shut down reactors until waste facilities become available. This proposal relates to a new and innovative method for accelerated graphite management which would convert the graphite to carbon dioxide which could then be incorporated in a carbon capture and storage scheme: such storage schemes are now under development in the UK at commercial scale. The small residue (5-10% of the original waste volume) containing the majority of the non-volatile radioactive material would be treated conventionally. The proposed project is an essential step in securing this new method of graphite management.A key challenge in the decommissioning of UK and international nuclear facilities is the management of irradiated graphite. Graphite is used as a neutron moderator, reflector, etc in most of the UK s reactors , and is a very bulky material which is difficult to remove intact from the reactor core at the end of life. If it is removed from the core it represents a large , and hence expensive, waste stream for storage and subsequent disposal. This has led to the current strategy of leaving graphite "in-situ" in shut down reactors until waste facilities become available. This proposal relates to a new and innovative method for accelerated graphite management which would convert the graphite to carbon dioxide which could then be incorporated in a carbon capture and storage scheme: such storage schemes are now under development in the UK at commercial scale. The small residue (5-10% of the original waste volume) containing the majority of the non-volatile radioactive material would be treated conventionally. The proposed project is an essential step in securing this new method of graphite management.A key challenge in the decommissioning of UK and international nuclear facilities is the management of irradiated graphite. Graphite is used as a neutron moderator, reflector, etc in most of the UK s reactors , and is a very bulky material which is difficult to remove intact from the reactor core at the end of life. If it is removed from the core it represents a large , and hence expensive, waste stream for storage and subsequent disposal. This has led to the current strategy of leaving graphite "in-situ" in shut down reactors until waste facilities become available. This proposal relates to a new and innovative method for accelerated graphite management which would convert the graphite to carbon dioxide which could then be incorporated in a carbon capture and storage scheme: such storage schemes are now under development in the UK at commercial scale. The small residue (5-10% of the original waste volume) containing the majority of the non-volatile radioactive material would be treated conventionally. The proposed project is an essential step in securing this new method of graphite management.A key challenge in the decommissioning of UK and international nuclear facilities is the management of irradiated graphite. Graphite is used as a neutron moderator, reflector, etc in most of the UK s reactors , and is a very bulky material which is difficult to remove intact from the reactor core at the end of life. If it is removed from the core it represents a large , and hence expensive, waste stream for storage and subsequent disposal. This has led to the current strategy of leaving graphite "in-situ" in shut down reactors until waste facilities become available. This proposal relates to a new and innovative method for accelerated graphite management which would convert the graphite to carbon dioxide which could then be incorporated in a carbon capture and storage scheme: such storage schemes are now under development in the UK at commercial scale. The small residue (5-10% of the original waste volume) containing the majority of the non-volatile radioactive material would be treated conventionally. The proposed project is an essential step in securing this new method of graphite management.

04/12/15