Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 146
Book Description
Issues affecting the implementation, public perception and acceptance of nuclear power include: proliferation, radioactive waste, safety, and economics. The thorium cycle directly addresses the proliferation and waste issues, but optimization studies of core design and fuel management are needed to ensure that it fits within acceptable safety and economic margins. Typical pressurized water reactors, although loaded with uranium fuel, produce 225 to 275 kg of plutonium per gigawatt-year of operation. Although the spent fuel is highly radioactive, it nevertheless offers a potential proliferation pathway because the plutonium is relatively easy to separate, amounts to many critical masses, and does not present any significant intrinsic barrier to weapon assembly. Uranium 233, on the other hand, produced by the irradiation of thorium, although it too can be used in weapons, may be ''denatured'' by the addition of natural, depleted or low enriched uranium. Furthermore, it appears that the chemical behavior of thoria or thoria-urania fuel makes it a more stable medium for the geological disposal of the spent fuel. It is therefore particularly well suited for a once-through fuel cycle. The use of thorium as a fertile material in nuclear fuel has been of interest since the dawn of nuclear power technology due to its abundance and to potential neutronic advantages. Early projects include homogeneous mixtures of thorium and uranium oxides in the BORAX-IV, Indian Point I, and Elk River reactors, as well as heterogeneous mixtures in the Shippingport seed-blanket reactor. However these projects were developed under considerably different circumstances than those which prevail at present. The earlier applications preceded the current proscription, for non-proliferation purposes, of the use of uranium enriched to more than 20 w/o in 235U, and has in practice generally prohibited the use of uranium highly enriched in 235U. They were designed when the expected burnup of light water fuel was on the order of 25 MWD/kgU--about half the present day value--and when it was expected that the spent fuel would be recycled to recover its fissile content.
OPTIMIZATION OF HETEROGENEOUS UTILIZATION OF THORIUM IN PWRS TO ENHANCE PROLIFERATION RESISTANCE AND REDUCE WASTE.
Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 146
Book Description
Issues affecting the implementation, public perception and acceptance of nuclear power include: proliferation, radioactive waste, safety, and economics. The thorium cycle directly addresses the proliferation and waste issues, but optimization studies of core design and fuel management are needed to ensure that it fits within acceptable safety and economic margins. Typical pressurized water reactors, although loaded with uranium fuel, produce 225 to 275 kg of plutonium per gigawatt-year of operation. Although the spent fuel is highly radioactive, it nevertheless offers a potential proliferation pathway because the plutonium is relatively easy to separate, amounts to many critical masses, and does not present any significant intrinsic barrier to weapon assembly. Uranium 233, on the other hand, produced by the irradiation of thorium, although it too can be used in weapons, may be ''denatured'' by the addition of natural, depleted or low enriched uranium. Furthermore, it appears that the chemical behavior of thoria or thoria-urania fuel makes it a more stable medium for the geological disposal of the spent fuel. It is therefore particularly well suited for a once-through fuel cycle. The use of thorium as a fertile material in nuclear fuel has been of interest since the dawn of nuclear power technology due to its abundance and to potential neutronic advantages. Early projects include homogeneous mixtures of thorium and uranium oxides in the BORAX-IV, Indian Point I, and Elk River reactors, as well as heterogeneous mixtures in the Shippingport seed-blanket reactor. However these projects were developed under considerably different circumstances than those which prevail at present. The earlier applications preceded the current proscription, for non-proliferation purposes, of the use of uranium enriched to more than 20 w/o in 235U, and has in practice generally prohibited the use of uranium highly enriched in 235U. They were designed when the expected burnup of light water fuel was on the order of 25 MWD/kgU--about half the present day value--and when it was expected that the spent fuel would be recycled to recover its fissile content.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 146
Book Description
Issues affecting the implementation, public perception and acceptance of nuclear power include: proliferation, radioactive waste, safety, and economics. The thorium cycle directly addresses the proliferation and waste issues, but optimization studies of core design and fuel management are needed to ensure that it fits within acceptable safety and economic margins. Typical pressurized water reactors, although loaded with uranium fuel, produce 225 to 275 kg of plutonium per gigawatt-year of operation. Although the spent fuel is highly radioactive, it nevertheless offers a potential proliferation pathway because the plutonium is relatively easy to separate, amounts to many critical masses, and does not present any significant intrinsic barrier to weapon assembly. Uranium 233, on the other hand, produced by the irradiation of thorium, although it too can be used in weapons, may be ''denatured'' by the addition of natural, depleted or low enriched uranium. Furthermore, it appears that the chemical behavior of thoria or thoria-urania fuel makes it a more stable medium for the geological disposal of the spent fuel. It is therefore particularly well suited for a once-through fuel cycle. The use of thorium as a fertile material in nuclear fuel has been of interest since the dawn of nuclear power technology due to its abundance and to potential neutronic advantages. Early projects include homogeneous mixtures of thorium and uranium oxides in the BORAX-IV, Indian Point I, and Elk River reactors, as well as heterogeneous mixtures in the Shippingport seed-blanket reactor. However these projects were developed under considerably different circumstances than those which prevail at present. The earlier applications preceded the current proscription, for non-proliferation purposes, of the use of uranium enriched to more than 20 w/o in 235U, and has in practice generally prohibited the use of uranium highly enriched in 235U. They were designed when the expected burnup of light water fuel was on the order of 25 MWD/kgU--about half the present day value--and when it was expected that the spent fuel would be recycled to recover its fissile content.
Optimization of Heterogeneous Utilization of Thorium in PRWs to Enhance Proliferation Resistance & Reduce Waste
Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description
Typical pressurized water reactors, although loaded with uranium fuel, produce 225 to 275 kg of plutonium per gigawatt year of operation. Although the spent fuel is highly radioactive, it nevertheless offers a potential proliferation pathway because the plutonium is relatively easy to separate, amounts to many critical masses, and aside from the alpha (n reaction on the 240 Pu isotope) does not present any significant intrinsic barrier to weapon assembly.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description
Typical pressurized water reactors, although loaded with uranium fuel, produce 225 to 275 kg of plutonium per gigawatt year of operation. Although the spent fuel is highly radioactive, it nevertheless offers a potential proliferation pathway because the plutonium is relatively easy to separate, amounts to many critical masses, and aside from the alpha (n reaction on the 240 Pu isotope) does not present any significant intrinsic barrier to weapon assembly.
Optimization of Heterogeneous Utilization of Thorium in PRWs to Enhance Proliferation Resistance & Reduce Waste
Author: Mujid Kazimi
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 5
Book Description
Typical pressurized water reactors, although loaded with uranium fuel, produce 225 to 275 kg of plutonium per gigawatt year of operation. Although the spent fuel is highly radioactive, it nevertheless offers a potential proliferation pathway because the plutonium is relatively easy to separate, amounts to many critical masses, and aside from the alpha (n reaction on the 240 Pu isotope) does not present any significant intrinsic barrier to weapon assembly.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 5
Book Description
Typical pressurized water reactors, although loaded with uranium fuel, produce 225 to 275 kg of plutonium per gigawatt year of operation. Although the spent fuel is highly radioactive, it nevertheless offers a potential proliferation pathway because the plutonium is relatively easy to separate, amounts to many critical masses, and aside from the alpha (n reaction on the 240 Pu isotope) does not present any significant intrinsic barrier to weapon assembly.
U.S. Department of Energy Performance and Accountability Report: Fiscal Year 2000
Author:
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
ISBN: 1428918337
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 313
Book Description
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
ISBN: 1428918337
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 313
Book Description
107-1 Hearing: Energy And Water Development Appropriations For 2002, Part 5, 2001
Energy and Water Development Appropriations for 2002
Author: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Appropriations. Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Energy development
Languages : en
Pages : 1566
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Energy development
Languages : en
Pages : 1566
Book Description
Energy and Water Development Appropriations for 2002: Secretary of Energy ... pt.6. Atomic Energy Defense activities ... pt.7. Testimony of members of Congress and other interested individual and organizations
Author: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Appropriations. Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Energy development
Languages : en
Pages : 2206
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Energy development
Languages : en
Pages : 2206
Book Description
Thorium Fuel Cycle
Author: International Atomic Energy Agency
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 120
Book Description
Provides a critical review of the thorium fuel cycle: potential benefits and challenges in the thorium fuel cycle, mainly based on the latest developments at the front end of the fuel cycle, applying thorium fuel cycle options, and at the back end of the thorium fuel cycle.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 120
Book Description
Provides a critical review of the thorium fuel cycle: potential benefits and challenges in the thorium fuel cycle, mainly based on the latest developments at the front end of the fuel cycle, applying thorium fuel cycle options, and at the back end of the thorium fuel cycle.
Transactions of the American Nuclear Society
Author: American Nuclear Society
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Nuclear engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 1096
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Nuclear engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 1096
Book Description
Fiscal Year 2001 Budget Authorization Request
Author: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Science. Subcommittee on Energy and Environment
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Energy development
Languages : en
Pages : 1538
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Energy development
Languages : en
Pages : 1538
Book Description