Progress in Head-End Reprocessing of Spent FuelsFrom HighTemperature Gas-Cooled Reactor

The reprocessing of hightemperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) spent fuels is in favor of the sustainable development of nuclear energy because it is a strategy to realize the maximal use of nuclear resource and the minimum disposal of nuclear waste. The head-end of HTGR spent fuels reprocessing is different from that of the LWR spent fuels reprocessing because of the special structure of HTGR spent fuels. The dismantling of the graphite spent fuel and the smash of the coated granule are the most difficult process in the headend of the reprocessing. Most of research work is focused on this area. The main methods to treat the graphite include the mechanical grinding, fluid bed burning, and melting, etc. The mechanical grinding method was studied to smash SiC. Some new techniques such as pulse currents method and jet grinding are under investigation. The jet grinding is a promising method. The main pyroreprocessing technology for HTGR spent fuels is the fluoride method. Up to now no ideal technology can solve the problem in the head-end of the reprocessing. It is necessary to speed the further study and develop the new methods.