Spent (irradiated) fuel elements (cartridges) of nuclear reactors

HS v2022 Code: 284450

About spent (irradiated) fuel elements (cartridges) of nuclear reactors

HS code 284450 covers spent (irradiated) fuel elements, also known as cartridges, from nuclear reactors. This industry plays a critical role in the nuclear power sector, which is a key component of the global energy infrastructure. The proper handling and disposal of spent nuclear fuel is essential for ensuring the safety and sustainability of nuclear power generation.

Production process

Spent nuclear fuel is produced as a byproduct of the nuclear fission process that occurs in nuclear reactors. After the fuel has been used to generate electricity, it becomes highly radioactive and must be carefully removed from the reactor core. The spent fuel is then typically stored in specialized cooling pools or dry cask storage facilities, where it undergoes a period of radioactive decay and cooling before being transported to a reprocessing facility or a permanent disposal site.

Production inputs

The main inputs required for the production and management of spent nuclear fuel include the nuclear reactors themselves, as well as specialized equipment and facilities for the storage, transportation, and eventual disposal or reprocessing of the spent fuel. This includes items such as cooling pools, dry cask storage containers, transportation casks, and various types of handling and processing equipment.

Production outputs

The primary output of this industry is the spent nuclear fuel itself, which may be further processed for reuse or permanently disposed of in a geological repository. The spent fuel may be consumed by 284410 Uranium natural, 284420 Uranium enriched in U235, or 284430 Uranium depleted in U235 industries, which may reprocess the spent fuel to extract and reuse the remaining fissile materials.

Revisions to 284450

Classification codes are adjusted frequently. The code may have been revised or replaced between system versions. The table below shows the history (newest to oldest) of the code 284450. The most recent 1 version of this code (284450) is in the HS v2022 system (this version):

This page shows the most recent version of code 284450.

Family tree for spent (irradiated) fuel elements (cartridges) of nuclear reactors

    graph LR
    A["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/28'>28: Inorganic chemicals; organic and inorganic compounds of precious metals; of rare earth metals, of radio-active elements and of isotopes</a>"]
A --> B["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/2844'>2844: Radioactive chemical elements and radioactive isotopes (including the fissile or fertile chemical elements and isotopes); and their compounds; mixtures and residues containing these products</a>"]
B --> C["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/284450'>284450: Spent (irradiated) fuel elements (cartridges) of nuclear reactors</a>"]

    B --> D["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/284410'>284410: Uranium; natural uranium and its compounds, alloys, dispersions (including cermets), ceramic products and mixtures containing natural uranium or natural uranium compounds</a>"]
B --> E["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/284420'>284420: Uranium; enriched in U235, plutonium, their compounds, alloys dispersions (including cermets), ceramic products and mixtures containing uranium enriched in U235, plutonium or compounds of these products</a>"]
B --> F["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/284430'>284430: Uranium; depleted in U235, thorium, their compounds, alloys, dispersions (including cermets), ceramic products and mixtures containing uranium depleted in U235, thorium; compounds of these products</a>"]
B --> G["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/284441'>284441: Radioactive elements; tritium and its compounds; alloys, dispersions (including cermets), ceramic products and mixtures containing tritium or its compounds</a>"]
B --> H["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/284442'>284442: Radioactive elements; actinium-225, 227, californium-253, curium-240, 241, 242, 243, 244, einsteinium-253, 254, gadolinium-148, polonium-208, 209, 210, radium-223, uranium-230 or 232, compounds; alloys, dispersions, ceramic products and mixtures</a>"]
B --> I["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/284443'>284443: Radioactive elements, isotopes and compounds; other alloys, dispersions (including cermets), ceramic products and mixtures containing these elements, isotopes or compounds</a>"]
B --> J["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/284444'>284444: Radioactive elements, isotopes, compounds n.e.c. in heading no. 2844, alloys, dispersions (including cermets), ceramic products, mixtures containing the elements, isotopes, compounds; radioactive residues</a>"]

    

    %% Color coordination by level

    classDef level1 color:#000,fill:#a8f9ff,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
    classDef level2 color:#000,fill:#e0a458,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    classDef level3 color:#000,fill:#419d78,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    classDef level4 color:#000,fill:#c04abc,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    classDef level5 color:#000,fill:#f1c40f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    classDef level6 color:#000,fill:#f1c40f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    classDef highlight color:#000,fill:#fff,stroke:#000,stroke-width:5px



  %% Apply classes
  class A level2
class B level4
class C level6
class D level6
class E level6
class F level6
class G level6
class H level6
class I level6
class J level6

  class C highlight

  %% class A level1
  %% class B,C level2
  %% class D,E,F,G,H,I level2
  %% class J,K,L,M,N,O,P level3
  %% class C highlight