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Nuclear fuel recycling could offer plentiful energy

Phys.org -- Imagine the mess if we mined one ton of coal, burned five percent of it for energy, and then threw away the rest.

That is what happens with uranium for nuclear fuel today. Currently, only about five percent of the uranium in a fuel rod gets fissioned for energy; after that, the rods are taken out of the reactor and put into permanent storage.

There is a way, however, to use almost all of the uranium in a fuel rod. Recycling used nuclear fuel could produce hundreds of years of energy from just the uranium we’ve already mined, all of it carbon-free. Problems with older technology put a halt to recycling used nuclear fuel in the United States, but new techniques developed by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory address many of those issues.

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Submitted Jun 26, 2012 By: drpepperTX

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DrCashFlow Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:7,064 Points:1,626,250 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Jun 29, 2012 5:32:13 AM Ignore DrCashFlow Report Abuse time will tell how realistic this is
Dodge_Me Champion Author Atlanta Posts:2,214 Points:555,480 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Jun 27, 2012 11:48:48 PM Ignore Dodge_Me Report Abuse Hmm
sparky808 Champion Author Honolulu Posts:2,998 Points:597,735 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Jun 27, 2012 1:21:24 PM Ignore sparky808 Report Abuse Thank you for posting.
GOBUTLER Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:1,425 Points:389,085 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: Jun 27, 2012 8:38:35 AM Ignore GOBUTLER Report Abuse Interesting..
justmedc Veteran Author Michigan Posts:382 Points:174,045 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jun 27, 2012 1:17:56 AM Ignore justmedc Report Abuse ok
kcboy Champion Author Utah Posts:3,968 Points:1,507,800 Joined:Jun 2005	Message Posted: Jun 27, 2012 12:08:16 AM Ignore kcboy Report Abuse Great
rahcat Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:2,468 Points:662,200 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Jun 27, 2012 12:06:34 AM Ignore rahcat Report Abuse Hush.....don't tell the greenies.
pastorpaulcg Champion Author Virginia Posts:3,615 Points:775,785 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Jun 27, 2012 12:02:09 AM Ignore pastorpaulcg Report Abuse Cool
jem069 Champion Author Detroit Posts:2,538 Points:687,080 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Jun 27, 2012 12:01:21 AM Ignore jem069 Report Abuse ok
Jeeputtputt Champion Author Ohio Posts:3,002 Points:677,465 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:57:05 PM Ignore Jeeputtputt Report Abuse if a way, DO IT.. article out of context
DeeLA Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:4,813 Points:1,364,355 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:52:39 PM Ignore DeeLA Report Abuse Good.
WinderGuy Champion Author Georgia Posts:2,864 Points:931,630 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:48:30 PM Ignore WinderGuy Report Abuse Ok
WIPACKERFAN Champion Author Chicago Posts:8,799 Points:1,842,475 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:46:03 PM Ignore WIPACKERFAN Report Abuse Go for it.
js0743 All-Star Author Georgia Posts:981 Points:457,880 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:44:55 PM Ignore js0743 Report Abuse Sounds pretty interesting
MRED3 Champion Author Jacksonville Posts:4,008 Points:930,985 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:43:34 PM Ignore MRED3 Report Abuse OK
dabbadu Champion Author New York Posts:1,056 Points:660,255 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:40:55 PM Ignore dabbadu Report Abuse I'm highly skeptical!
ty58 Veteran Author Akron Posts:320 Points:484,530 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:39:32 PM Ignore ty58 Report Abuse there's good and bad in it all but we live and we learn
monieet All-Star Author California Posts:959 Points:529,105 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:39:28 PM Ignore monieet Report Abuse OK!
tidalwave3 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:1,302 Points:1,462,810 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:37:49 PM Ignore tidalwave3 Report Abuse Recycled Uranium, could that be a new Green Energy ?
kretty01 Rookie Author Twin Cities Posts:34 Points:62,020 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:36:52 PM Ignore kretty01 Report Abuse This is important information that should be passed on to congress. Are out representatives and senators even aware of this remarkable and well thought out recycling potential?
jrsva Champion Author Virginia Posts:9,851 Points:1,612,230 Joined:Jan 2006	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:33:59 PM Ignore jrsva Report Abuse Something has to be done with all of the nuclear waste we are accumulating. This sounds like a good option. Let’s just be really positive to get it right the first time. Nuclear screwup = very bad deal.
BoerneWatch Champion Author San Antonio Posts:15,536 Points:2,452,965 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:32:17 PM Ignore BoerneWatch Report Abuse Other countries have been doing something like this for years.
wildddkattt80 Champion Author Phoenix Posts:2,143 Points:432,145 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:31:01 PM Ignore wildddkattt80 Report Abuse Ask Japan about that
billey32 Champion Author Oklahoma Posts:1,359 Points:351,210 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:27:13 PM Ignore billey32 Report Abuse K
Rooster922 Champion Author Wilmington Posts:3,788 Points:656,070 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:23:26 PM Ignore Rooster922 Report Abuse Really!
Schnappi Rookie Author Atlanta Posts:71 Points:115,875 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:23:09 PM Ignore Schnappi Report Abuse I guess we are not learning from disasters
Mustache_33 All-Star Author Toronto Posts:900 Points:181,455 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:22:45 PM Ignore Mustache_33 Report Abuse hmm
mstearno Champion Author Dayton Posts:8,066 Points:1,731,235 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:17:38 PM Ignore mstearno Report Abuse ask Iran I'm sure they'll have plenty
Beaveronparade Champion Author Hartford Posts:2,105 Points:635,050 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:16:25 PM Ignore Beaveronparade Report Abuse Now this sounds very interesting. I say recycle it.
tippybuddy Champion Author Ontario Posts:1,523 Points:207,740 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:16:19 PM Ignore tippybuddy Report Abuse ok really
serrog Champion Author Nova Scotia Posts:5,564 Points:1,512,130 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:15:26 PM Ignore serrog Report Abuse Oh boy
weenerdog Champion Author Detroit Posts:9,456 Points:1,883,915 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:15:23 PM Ignore weenerdog Report Abuse really?
petrpuck All-Star Author Hamilton Posts:559 Points:418,410 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:14:48 PM Ignore petrpuck Report Abuse say what ?
DEG Champion Author Las Vegas Posts:17,620 Points:3,494,705 Joined:Jul 2003	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:10:50 PM Ignore DEG Report Abuse Harry Reid will squash this idea. Nevada could significantly benefit from nuclear fuel recycling and storage in Yucca mountain.
abcdMA Champion Author Worcester Posts:7,922 Points:1,574,980 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:10:35 PM Ignore abcdMA Report Abuse technology for better living
clermont40miles Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:10,569 Points:1,771,920 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:10:32 PM Ignore clermont40miles Report Abuse Get with it. Recycle that fuel. Build the nukes. Let the greenies walk. Let them freeze. Let them go broke. Let them go first. Green is red.
DustyHorse Champion Author Virginia Posts:6,085 Points:1,391,805 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:09:05 PM Ignore DustyHorse Report Abuse OK, let's see if we can make it work.
MG_Sputnik Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:7,305 Points:1,959,655 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 11:00:05 PM Ignore MG_Sputnik Report Abuse No way big oil will want this.
walkingtall Champion Author Toronto Posts:3,994 Points:1,120,705 Joined:Nov 2004	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 10:57:34 PM Ignore walkingtall Report Abuse You'll never get this past the environmentalists.
letterchunker Champion Author Texas Posts:2,245 Points:667,675 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 10:52:36 PM Ignore letterchunker Report Abuse ok
suzmar Champion Author Texas Posts:2,212 Points:871,990 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 10:52:35 PM Ignore suzmar Report Abuse You will never get this past the environmentalist greenies.
sillywagon Champion Author New York Posts:14,883 Points:1,440,370 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 10:51:09 PM Ignore sillywagon Report Abuse Sounds like a solution to the main criticism of nuclear power. The recycling with a fast reactor would get energy from nuclear waste, and in the process reduce it's volume by 80% and reduce the length of the wastes half life of radioactivity. This would be a good source for domestic energy. Will NIMBY's prevent this? I fear the destructive potential of NIMBY's more then I do nuclear power.
Number43 Champion Author Lexington Posts:8,697 Points:1,638,170 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 10:50:31 PM Ignore Number43 Report Abuse Sounds like a good thing.
satrn38mpg Champion Author Raleigh Posts:5,067 Points:1,053,040 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 10:43:41 PM Ignore satrn38mpg Report Abuse at what cost >>
RUNNINONEMPTYFL Champion Author Florida Posts:1,408 Points:460,700 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 10:41:31 PM Ignore RUNNINONEMPTYFL Report Abuse Here we go again...
bonzoonfmb Champion Author Florida Posts:1,782 Points:643,835 Joined:Feb 2010	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 10:38:02 PM Ignore bonzoonfmb Report Abuse Sounds good. Japan will be sending the West Coast of the U.S. some supplies shortly. Oregon and Washington should set up some pilot plants to process all the nuclear fuel rods that will soon be washing up on their shores along with the rest of the earthquake/tsunami flotsam. /fuel rods float don't they?
OGW Champion Author London Posts:5,324 Points:1,531,150 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 10:33:12 PM Ignore OGW Report Abuse Safest and best thing to do is to close ALL nuclear facilities and soon!
carman11 Champion Author North Carolina Posts:3,337 Points:691,725 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 10:32:13 PM Ignore carman11 Report Abuse Don't have this problem with natural gas.
UC2 Champion Author Ventura Posts:1,305 Points:318,255 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 10:30:33 PM Ignore UC2 Report Abuse and potentially more dangers as well
AKmailman Champion Author Alaska Posts:5,628 Points:1,557,340 Joined:Jul 2004	Message Posted: Jun 26, 2012 10:30:12 PM Ignore AKmailman Report Abuse how about a nuke powered car ?