Immobilization of High Level Nuclear Wastes: The Indian Scenario
Nuclear power stands as an immediate and sustainable soluton for satisfying the emerging energy crisis in India. Successful execution of any national ‘nuclear power program’ is keyed to its effective ‘high level nuclear waste’ management strategy. Towards
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Immobilization of High Level Nuclear Wastes: The Indian Scenario Pranesh Sengupta, C.P. Kaushik, and G.K. Dey
Abstract Nuclear power stands as an immediate and sustainable soluton for satisfying the emerging energy crisis in India. Successful execution of any national ‘nuclear power program’ is keyed to its effective ‘high level nuclear waste’ management strategy. Towards this, India has recently developed sodium-barium-borosilicate glass matrix to immobilize sulfate containing high level waste. Currently, efforts are underway to explore the possibilities of using the same matrix or its modified versions to condition nuclear wastes likely to be generated from ‘closed thorium fuel cycle’. Apart from conventionally used ‘hot wall induction furnace technology’, India has recently acquired expertise in operations of indegineously developed ‘Joule heated ceramic melter’ and ‘Cold crucible induction melter’ for development of suitable inert glass matrices.
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Introduction
Ensuring energy security to next generation is one of the most important and fundamental responsibilities we need to shoulder these days. Given the diminishing non-renewable energy resources and limited technological progresses achieved in the renewable energy sectors in India, Nuclear Energy appears to be the most promising ‘immediate’ solution to the impending energy crisis. Besides being sustainable and environment friendly (carbon free), the unique feature that makes nuclear energy so special among all other options is that the fuel materials get rejuvenated themselves while being spent. This specific phenomenon of nuclear fuel reduces the dependency of nuclear technology on the availability of fresh fuel materials in long run. Tables 2.1 and 2.2 summarize the various advantageous
P. Sengupta (*) Materials Science Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India e-mail: [email protected] C.P. Kaushik • G.K. Dey Waste Management Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India Mu. Ramkumar (ed.), On a Sustainable Future of the Earth’s Natural Resources, Springer Earth System Sciences, DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-32917-3_2, # Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013
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Table 2.1 Different energy resources being studied in India and their merits and demerits Resource and energy density (kWh/kg) Nuclear Fission energy 100 % 235 U: 24,513,889
Merits
Demerits
No greenhouse Large capital cost or acid rain effects Crucial safety and security related Natural U (0.7 % 235U) Fuel has very in fast breeder high energy issues reactor: 6,666,667 values Natural U (0.7 % 235U) Waste volume is in light water less and reactor: 123,056 concentrated Required Enriched U (3.5 % 235 U) in light water domestic reactor: 960,000 expertise is available Fusion energy Less radiation Various material based challenges level High energy output Non-renewables Coal Inexpensive Expensive air pollution controls (e.g. Hg, SO2 etc.) Anthracite 9.0 Contributes to acid rain and global warming Generates radioactive waste and hu
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