Scientists expect 3D printing components to help recycle nuclear waste [according to the US Daily

Technology website reported on October 13, 2019] US Department of Energy Argonne National Laboratory scientists use additive manufacturing technology to more effectively recover spent fuel. Engineers recycle 95% of the waste in nuclear reactors in a variety of ways, with only 5% being stored as long-term waste. Now, scientists at the Argonne National Laboratory have printed 3D parts for the first time, paving the way for recycling more nuclear waste.

The recovery of 2% more nuclear waste does not seem to be large, but it will greatly reduce the amount of nuclear waste stored and the time it poses a hazard. The previous treatment technology produced 5% of nuclear waste, which was stored for hundreds of thousands of years. The current technology only produces 3% of nuclear waste, and the storage time is up to 1000 years. The research team faces the technical challenge of transforming laboratory technology into an industrial scale, which is the advantage of additive manufacturing technology, which has the advantage of preventing nuclear proliferation and flexibility.