ECONOMICS OF ENRICHMENT AND OF THE USE OF PLUTONIUM AND U-233

Technical Report · Sat Oct 31 04:00:00 EST 1959

OSTI ID:4283068

Franklin, N L; Hill, J M; Stewart, J C.C.; Rennie, C A

A standard for comparison; the gas-cooled reactor using natural uranium metal fuel is adopted. A brief survey of the cost structure of power produced from such a reactor is given. The effect of the fuel cycle and the reactor size upon the expected reactivity performance using natural uranium fuel is discussed. The cost structure in the production of enriched uranium is reviewed and a typical cost enrichment curve is deduced for the range 0.5 to 2.0 Co. Typical fuel element costs, inventory costs, and repurchase values are presented. The general principles of the use of plutonium in place of uranium 236 are considered for conditions of total plutonium recycle and for plutonium-natural uranium fuels. Tbe major differences between such systems and systems using enricbed uranium are discussed under the headings of: Fuel element fabrication and processing; The choice of spikes or uniform enrichment; The nuclear performance of plutonium as a substitute fuel; and The effect upon reactor operation. These considerations are combined to provide estimates of the relative economic worth of plutonium and uranium 235 enrichment. The general principles of the use of uranium 233 as a fuel are outlined. (auth)

• Research Organization: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, Risley, Lancs, Eng.; Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell, Berks, Eng.
• NSA Number: NSA-13-007202
• OSTI ID: 4283068
• Report Number(s): A/CONF.15/P/54
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CONFIGURATION
CRITICALITY
DIAGRAMS
ECONOMICS
EFFICIENCY
ENRICHMENT
FABRICATION
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUELS
GAS COOLANT
MASS
MATERIALS TESTING
NATURAL URANIUM FUEL
PLUTONIUM
POWER PLANTS
PRODUCTION
REACTIVITY
REACTOR CORE
REACTORS
REPROCESSING
URANIUM 233
URANIUM 235
VOLUME
ZONES