Measures of the Environmental Footprint of the Front End of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle

Carlsen, Brett ; Tavrides, Emily ; Schneider, Erich

Idaho National Laboratory

关键词: Water Environmental Impacts;    Energy Consumption;    Environmental Impacts;    Uranium;    Environmental Impacts;   

DOI  :  10.2172/1004274
RP-ID  :  INL/EXT-10-20652
RP-ID  :  DE-AC07-05ID14517
RP-ID  :  1004274

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

Previous estimates of environmental impacts associated with the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle have focused primarily on energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Results have varied widely. Section 2 of this report provides a summary of historical estimates. This study revises existing empirical correlations and their underlying assumptions to fit to a more complete set of existing data. This study also addresses land transformation, water withdrawals, and occupational and public health impacts associated with the processes of the front end of the once-through nuclear fuel cycle. These processes include uranium mining, milling, refining, conversion, enrichment, and fuel fabrication. Metrics are developed to allow environmental impacts to be summed across the full set of front end processes, including transportation and disposition of the resulting depleted uranium.