Denatured thorium cycle: an overview
- Department of Energy, Washington, DC
We performed a scenario evaluation that delineates the potential role of denatured uranium/thorium-fueled reactors, including breeders, in symbiotic systems. In this study, reactors fueled with plutonium were built in secure centers, while reactors at dispersed sites were fueled with natural, low-enriched, or denatured uranium (12% /sup 233/U or 20% /sup 235/U in /sup 238/U). The installed nuclear capacity is assumed to be 350 MW(electric) in the year 2000, with a net increase of 15 GW(electric)/y permitted through the year 2050. The U.S. Department of Energy Division of Uranium Resources and Enrichment projected the two bounding cases of uranium recoverable at a marginal cost of $160/lb U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ or less used in this study. The marginal cost of $160/lb U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ occurs at 3 million short tons (ST) for the high-cost supply and at 6 million ST for the intermediate-cost supply. For the assumed high-cost U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ supply (3 million ST U/sub 3/O/sub 8/), thermal recycle with denatured light water reactors (LWRs) will achieve the same incremental increase in maximum achievable nuclear capacity as U/Pu recycle in LWRs (approx. 200 GW(electric) more than once-through cycles). Introduction of a breeder is required for the system to achieve the projected nuclear demand (1100 GW(clectric) in 2049). For all denatured systems, including those with breeders, a significantly larger fraction of the installed capacity can be located at dispersed sites, compared with U/Pu systems. For the assumed intermediate-cost U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ supply (6 million ST U/sub 3/O/sub 8/), thermal recycle with advanced converters will permit projected nuclear demand to be met for both the Pu/U and denatured uranium--thorium cycles.
- OSTI ID:
- 6222846
- Journal Information:
- Nucl. Technol.; (United States), Vol. 42:2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Fuel utilization potential in light water reactors with once-through fuel irradiation using various reactivity control methods (AWBA Development Program). [PWR]
Strategy for the practical utilization of thorium fuel cycles
Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
FBR TYPE REACTORS
THORIUM CYCLE
THERMAL REACTORS
COST
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DENATURED FUEL
ENERGY POLICY
BREEDER REACTORS
ENERGY SOURCES
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
FUEL CYCLE
FUELS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
NUCLEAR FUELS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
210802* - Nuclear Power Plants- Economics- Fuel Cycle
290600 - Energy Planning & Policy- Nuclear Energy