TY - JOUR
T1 - Measures of the environmental footprint of the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle
AU - Schneider, E.
AU - Carlsen, B.
AU - Tavrides, E.
AU - van der Hoeven, C.
AU - Phathanapirom, U.
PY - 2013/11
Y1 - 2013/11
N2 - Previous estimates of environmental impacts associated with the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle (FEFC) have focused primarily on energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Results have varied widely. This work builds upon reports from operating facilities and other primary data sources to build a database of front end environmental impacts. This work also addresses land transformation and water withdrawals associated with the processes of the FEFC. These processes include uranium extraction, conversion, enrichment, fuel fabrication, depleted uranium disposition, and transportation.To allow summing the impacts across processes, all impacts were normalized per tonne of natural uranium mined as well as per MWh(e) of electricity produced, a more conventional unit for measuring environmental impacts that facilitates comparison with other studies. This conversion was based on mass balances and process efficiencies associated with the current once-through LWR fuel cycle.Total energy input is calculated at 8.7×10-3 GJ(e)/MWh(e) of electricity and 5.9×10-3 GJ(t)/MWh(e) of thermal energy. It is dominated by the energy required for uranium extraction, conversion to fluoride compound for subsequent enrichment, and enrichment. An estimate of the carbon footprint is made from the direct energy consumption at 1.7kg CO2/MWh(e). Water use is likewise dominated by requirements of uranium extraction, totaling 154L/MWh(e). Land use is calculated at 8×10-3m2/MWh(e), over 90% of which is due to uranium extraction. Quantified impacts are limited to those resulting from activities performed within the FEFC process facilities (i.e. within the plant gates). Energy embodied in material inputs such as process chemicals and fuel cladding is identified but not explicitly quantified in this study. Inclusion of indirect energy associated with embodied energy as well as construction and decommissioning of facilities could increase the FEFC energy intensity estimate by a factor of up to 2.
AB - Previous estimates of environmental impacts associated with the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle (FEFC) have focused primarily on energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Results have varied widely. This work builds upon reports from operating facilities and other primary data sources to build a database of front end environmental impacts. This work also addresses land transformation and water withdrawals associated with the processes of the FEFC. These processes include uranium extraction, conversion, enrichment, fuel fabrication, depleted uranium disposition, and transportation.To allow summing the impacts across processes, all impacts were normalized per tonne of natural uranium mined as well as per MWh(e) of electricity produced, a more conventional unit for measuring environmental impacts that facilitates comparison with other studies. This conversion was based on mass balances and process efficiencies associated with the current once-through LWR fuel cycle.Total energy input is calculated at 8.7×10-3 GJ(e)/MWh(e) of electricity and 5.9×10-3 GJ(t)/MWh(e) of thermal energy. It is dominated by the energy required for uranium extraction, conversion to fluoride compound for subsequent enrichment, and enrichment. An estimate of the carbon footprint is made from the direct energy consumption at 1.7kg CO2/MWh(e). Water use is likewise dominated by requirements of uranium extraction, totaling 154L/MWh(e). Land use is calculated at 8×10-3m2/MWh(e), over 90% of which is due to uranium extraction. Quantified impacts are limited to those resulting from activities performed within the FEFC process facilities (i.e. within the plant gates). Energy embodied in material inputs such as process chemicals and fuel cladding is identified but not explicitly quantified in this study. Inclusion of indirect energy associated with embodied energy as well as construction and decommissioning of facilities could increase the FEFC energy intensity estimate by a factor of up to 2.
KW - Environmental impacts
KW - Nuclear fuel cycle
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84888287581&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.eneco.2013.01.002
DO - 10.1016/j.eneco.2013.01.002
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84888287581
SN - 0140-9883
VL - 40
SP - 898
EP - 910
JO - Energy Economics
JF - Energy Economics
ER -
