Nuclear knowledge:how much energy does it take to contain one spent rod

Question

from the time it's put in containment until it's done cooling off? isn't there a concern that at some point we will have to run nuclear facilities just to contain the waste? wouldn't future generations be facing a huge dilemma?

Answer 1

There is no significant energy consumption involved in the storage of nuclear wastes.  They just sit there until the radioactivity has subsided to a nominally safe level, which is dependent on the particular radioactive material's half-life.

Answer 2

I don't think that nuclears and green living are closely related.

And this is three questions, which do I answer?

Answer 3

I don't know where you got the idea that it takes an energy field to contain radiation.  Some sci-fi movie no doubt.

The three factors used for radiation protection are time, distance and shielding.  The rods would be placed in shielded flasks, then kept in a remote area for a long time.

Answer 4

i think you're not asking the question correctly.

maybe i'd have asked, "how much heat is generated by a spent fuel rod, and what is needed to safely dissipate that heat?"

and my answer is, i don't know.

i do know that considerable planning has gone into yucca mountain, and i cannot imagine that the problem of heat disbursal has not been addressed.

the good and bad news is that they're not using water.

water is easily the best medium for disposing of heat.

but they are, quite properly, intending that no water get into the site.

Answer 5

1) none

2) No

3) and any other thing like no energy isn't a dilemma?