DAWNMANTLE - Decontamination and waste minimisation strategies for and using advanced molten salt nuclear technologies

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Molten salt reactors and pyroprocessing technologies are likely to be key components in future nuclear fuel cycles. The attraction of these technologies can be argued is predominantly based upon the inherent safety imparted by the use of molten salt media (e.g. reduced criticality risk allowing small plant footprints; reduced likelihood of volatile radioactive species formation compared to oxide fuel reactors; plant operation at atmospheric pressures; negligible radiation degradation of molten salt media). These technologies also have the potential to be applied to current and near future decommissioning programmes such as decontaminating materials and minimizing waste volumes requiring managed disposal. Contaminated metals make up a significant proportion of the waste inventory as components (such as pipework, vessels and structural beams etc.) become contaminated during nuclear operations. In 2016, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority reported that there is approximately 32,000 tonnes of contaminated intermediate level waste (ILW) stainless steel in the UK alone. At a current predicted rate of ~£70,000/m3 to dispose of ILW, this volume of waste adds up to a considerable cost liability.This project aims to assess materials requirements that will allow the deployment of advanced molten salt technologies in current decommissioning programmes and across various operations in future nuclear fuel cycles, and determine whether these technologies can provide benefit the nuclear energy sector. This will be achieved by a cradle-to-grave approach by assessing the nature of all materials that come in contact with radioactive material with these approaches and attempting to provide safe and effective waste management options for all waste streams.