Technical study report on fuel fabrication system. The report of the feasibility study on commercialized FBR recycle system (phase 1)

The feasibility study on commercialized FBR recycle system is performed for developing the FBR recycle system which ensures safety, economic competitiveness, efficient utilization of resources, reduction of environmental burden and enhancement of nuclear non-proliferation under consistency of FBR reactor and fuel cycle systems. In this study, a conceptual design study was conducted for fuel fabrication systems of pellet process, vibropack process for oxide and nitride fuel, casting process for metal fuel and coated particle process. The system characteristics evaluation was also conducted, and technical issues in each process were extracted. This report describes the results of two years' study in phase 1. As the results of conceptual design study and system characteristics evaluation in phase 1, attainable prospects were obtained for each fuel fabrication system, and technical issues for practical use were made clear. Concerning the economic matter in system characteristics evaluation, it became clear that the economical goal would be achieved in 200tHM/y scale plants of every system, but further rationalization studies are necessary for 50tHM/y scale plants. Moreover, from the viewpoint of reduction of environmental burden, the improved RIAR process and fluoride volatility process of vibropack process are superior to the others. But it is also clarified that the fluoride volatility process and coated particle process have much more technical issues for practical use than the others. (author)