spent nuclear fuel

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

Uranium fuel assemblies that have been used in a nuclear reactor and removed after their fissile content has been depleted to the point of insufficient reactivity; spent fuel remains intensely radioactive for thousands of years and contains uranium, plutonium, and fission products

History and origin

The term reflects the analogy with 'spent' ammunition or fuel; management of spent fuel is one of the major challenges of the nuclear fuel cycle

Examples

• Most spent nuclear fuel worldwide is stored in cooling pools at reactor sites awaiting permanent disposal.
• The deep geological repository is considered the long-term solution for spent nuclear fuel.

Synonyms: used nuclear fuel, irradiated fuel, high-level nuclear waste (informal)