Nuclear Waste Limbo

It is awfully quiet in the media, but it appears there is new reactor technology that can utilize the "waste" from conventional reactors as fuel--thus use a lot of the Yucca Mountain, and many other sites, storage as fuel. The storage thus becomes an asset instead of a liability.

As I understand it, this new technology, the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) and others can use as fuel U-238, Th, and the "used fuel" from the conventional reactors. Th is much more plentiful than U. This new technology uses fast rather than thermal neutrons. "Integral" in the name means that the fuel reprocessing is done on-site--cross-country transportation is not needed. The fuel seems to be a liquid salt. This technology also prevents proliferation, because the U and PU in it are not usable for weapons. The much smaller amount of waste also has a much shorter half-life, meaning it doesn't have to be sequestered nearly as long.

As proposed by some, the nuclear reactor could replace the coal-burning portion of a generating plant, thus keeping the infrastructure consisting of generators, transformers, transmission lines, towers, etc.

I need to learn more about this--whether it is really usable, or maybe just a dream. Can anyone suggest non-media (because they are often prejudiced) places to learn more about this?

Why not put high level waste in an insulated container and pass a coolant through?

The resultant hot stream can then be used for base load power generation.

Occasional reprocessing of the high level material will concentrate it, while the waste stream will contain non radioactive materials which have a commercial value.

Fast neutron reactors have been proposed and experimented with for years with limited success.

Molten salt reactors (U dissolved in molten fluoride) show some promise as do inherently safe designs.

Waste inactivation has been basically solved with synrock and borosilicate glass encapsulation. The major problems here are essentially political, not technical.

I recently lost all my bookmarks, otherwise I would have been able to give some reasonable references to learn more of the various reactor types.

The big worry about weapons grade Pu becoming available from spent reactor material is false. The Pu produced in commercial reactors is unsuitable for enrichment to weapons grade as it contains too many non fissile isotopes of Pu to allow enrichment to that level.

Weapons grade is produced from fuel which has been deliberately under burnt to avoid this isotope problem.