Argonne explains nuclear recycling in 4 minutes

Currently, when using nuclear energy only about five percent of the uranium used 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 Argonne National Laboratory address many of those issues.

[benkleschinsky]

This should have one million views. The truth will set you free.

[encryptlakegames]

2:36 thats basically electroplating ive grown silver and copper crystals this way in high school. You realize they knew how to do this back in the 70s. Look into Galen winsor he use to work in this field and said (in the 70s) that "nuclear waste" wasnt waste.

[JoseFernandez-yzsf]

We should resume the research on Molten Salt Th90 Reactors. This research was started during the 1960s in the Oak Ridge national lab. In Tennessee. Read the book Superfuel by Richard Martin.

[stevenmayhew]

With nuclear recycling, for every 20 spent fuel rods, we have enough leftover uranium for 19 new fuel rods.

[samuelefesoa]

Very nice. We should start using this.

[LHMF]

Thats amazed me! it should be use in every reactors!

[peterurbahns]

Wow guys, keep it up. Germany needs to do this. I want low electric bill when I grow up. ;)

[waynethebrain]

Great video, it's definitely the future 🧐

[noahokas]

What is an example equation for the pyroprocessing?

[jpcabala]

Could this process be used to generate hydrogen? (like for Hydrogen Cell vehicles)

[ashman]

0:40 I guess the recycling plant, buildings, employee energy and waste streams, construction and dismantling costs, energy usage, natural plant displacement, and geometrically infinite cleanup and disposal pyramid ... all will fit into your soda can of deadly toxic waste.

[thepowerofdreams]

Question, can this be used to reprocess the breeded fuel from the Fast Reactors and fueling light water reactors and then Candu?

let's say i have a Fast Spectrum reactors that uses around a 1000KG of fuel and produces 250KG extra kilograms

is possible to use the pyroprocessing to use that in a normal pressurized light water reactor, until it has a 1.6% enrichment and then it has to be processed again to use it in a Candu reactor?

[jamescampbell]

Couldn't we be using the energy from fission reactions to also power a fusion reaction, not to generate electricity, but to process the currently unsuitable transuranic material back into a fissile material?

[Capthrax]

is there any regent waste or build up of containments in the separation process?

[stevenmiles]

Thank you for your research and development. You have resolved one of the difficult problems faced in our use of nuclear power. This is a very good video as it has explained and answered most of my questions. Obviously the efficiency of this process is vital to it's effectiveness. In your video you explain your research is looking for an effective method of separating the usable uranium from the spent rods. It appears you are on your way to increasing the efficiency of this process.

[TheHadesShade]

So if this recycling works so well and simple as you showed in this video, has it already been put to practice? And has there been any improvement on it in the last 8 years? Please respond @Argonne National Laboratory .

[NBERLS]

I'm sure this is a dumb question but, it's bugging me and I have to ask it. Why not use a centrifuge to separate the actinides from nuclear waste? The video talks about first converting the old fuel into a salt. Salts can be melted. Liquids can be centrifuged to separate the heavier components. The unspent uranium and other actinides are all very heavy elements and would want to go to the bottom of the centrifuge. From there you collect them, convert them back into metals, and back into the reactor they go. Why won't this work?

[kirilsamer]

somebody can tell me, if the atom of uranium was slit,  it become Ba and Kr and it chain reaction so the uranium in the reactor  will spent so we have to put the uranium more in the fuel rod? sorry 4 gra and spell

[Datenpapst]

When will this be available for every nation?

[Unknown_Ooh]

Doesn't uranium have to be mined from the earth?