Energy & CivilizationStudent Project Showcase: Fall 2020

Group Members

Alan Kim, Jacob Channell

Presentation

Project Report

Executive Summary

This report focuses on the specific method by which the cost of electricity output from nuclear energy can be significantly lowered through the utilization of nuclear waste––produced from power generation––as fuel in novel reactors and the long-term reduction of the need for uranium mining, enrichment, reprocessing, and waste handling in order to increase the demand, and effectively dependence, of nuclear energy in the United States.

To begin, we recognize the notable role that nuclear energy plays in facilitating the transition away from fossil fuel-based electricity production toward energy production with less CO2 emission and pollution. By recognizing the inherent cost-saving measures of nuclear reactor technologies that utilize nuclear waste, we examine and analyze the following three reactors by order of progression toward our proposed solution: conventional breeder reactor, small modular sodium fast reactor, and traveling wave reactor. Each section consists of various levels of detail with regard to fuel cycle, technology, economics, and policies. To conclude the analysis portion of this report, we perform static comparative analysis between each of the three reactors and the current status and solutions within the nuclear energy industry, including conventional light- water reactors and geological repositories.

Ultimately, we propose a four-tiered, systems-based approach to achieve the following objectives: reduce nuclear waste production and total volume, reduce the cost of electricity generated by nuclear reactors, improve nuclear reactor safety, and increase nuclear energy dependence in the U.S. over several decades. Given these objectives, we recommend a policy- focused approach to progress the innovation of the traveling wave reactor, as we deem this technology to be most capable of achieving the objectives. Through our research, we found that the traveling wave reactor grants optimal safety measures––as it is built underground––relies on depleted or naturally-occurring uranium-238 (as well as spent nuclear fuel) for power generation, produces a fifth of the nuclear waste produced by conventional light-water reactors per fuel cycle, and is projected to cost approximately 80% less than a conventional reactor with comparable energy capacities to construct and operate. A policy-approach to commercialize this technology will be essential in fulfilling the broader objective of increasing the proportion of total U.S. electricity consumption in which nuclear energy supplies energy.

Final Paper: Nuclear Energy and Waste Management in the United States- Novel reactors’ roles in facilitating the transition toward more benign energy production