Are there technology gaps in the current technology?
Improvements to the nuclear energy production process are especially needed in the area of fuel recycling. Enabling fast reactors and thermal reactors to work together to utilize uranium to its fullest will not only extend the useful life of nuclear fuel, it will drastically shorten its life in waste repositories, perhaps down to only 1,000 years. These improvements would help make nuclear energy a more sustainable process.
Some other R&D needs identified by the Nuclear Energy Research Advisory Committee and the Generation IV International Forum, include:
- Development of a new extraction agent to extract uranium from spent fuel and separate it from toxic byproducts
- Separation of more hazardous nuclear byproducts, such as cesium and strontium, from other waste to aid in their safe storage and disposal
- Testing and development of new nuclear fuels for safety and efficiency
- Investigation of potential applications of reactor heat, such as water purification, petroleum refining, and manufacture of iron and glass
- Development of emergency preparedness guidelines tailored to each reactor
- Research of aging phenomenon in older reactors
- Encouragement for young engineers and students considering careers in nuclear energy
Research by Margaret Rich
