Management of the nuclear fuel cycle

The in-core fuel management including core burn-up optimization and fuel reloading optimization is reviewed. The former is the control of power distribution in a core to minimize the fuel cost for one core life under the constraint of power and temperature limits. The latter is the selection of reloaded fuel fraction and its loading pattern to minimize the fuel cost for total plant life. The computer code OPROD for in-core fuel management and BWR core management programs are introduced. Concerning upstream fuel management, it is considered that the total amount of about 177,000 tons of natural uranium from abroad is able to operate nuclear power reactors in Japan until 1990. The exploration of uranium mines in foreign countries has been conducted, and the direct production of UF4 by a wet process was developed by PNC. The present status of the recovery of uranium from sea water, uranium enrichment service contract with USDOE, the domestic project of uranium enrichment by gas centrifuge method and laser method, the fabrication of LWR fuel elements with the capacity of about 1,000 tons/yr and the production of MOX fuel for ''Fugen'' and ''Joyo'' are explained. As for the management of fuel reprocessing and plutonium utilization, the PNC reprocessing plant of 210 tons/yr has been operated, and the construction of a 1200 tons/yr plant is planned. Since 1978, the Tokai Advanced Safeguards Technology Exercise (TASTEX) has been performed in the international cooperation. The present status of radioactive waste management in Japan is introduced including the R and D programs on high-level waste management. (Nakai, Y.)