Analyses of various options for the breeder fuel cycle in the United States
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has established a program to develop innovative liquid metal reactor (LMR) designs to assist in developing US future reactor strategy. This paper describes studies in progress to examine various fuel cycle strategies that relate to the reactor strategy. Three potential fuel cycle options that focus on supporting an initial 1300-MWe reactor station have been defined: completion and utilization of the Breeder Reprocessing Engineering Test/Secure Automated Fabrication (BRET/SAF) in the Fuels and Materials Examination Facility (FMEF); a co-located fuel cycle facility; and delayed closure of the fuel cycle for five to ten years. It appears feasible to increase the capacity of the original BRET design and SAF in the FMEF to accommodate the projected output (up to 35 MTHM/year) from the 1300-MWe liquid-metal concepts under study. Working with the reactor manufacturers, criteria were developed for a small fuel cycle facility co-located at a utility reactor site. The requirements considered the need to be able to support as little as approximately 400 MWe to as much as 35 MTHM/year reprocessing capability. A rough order-of-magnitude capital cost estimate ($300 million) was developed. Plans developed within the US Consolidated Management Office for an initial reactor project have envisioned that a cost savings could be realized by delaying closure of the fuel cycle as long as supplies of plutonium could be obtained relatively inexpensively. This might prove to be only five to ten years, but even that period might be long enough for the fuel cycle costs to be spread over more than one reactor rather than loaded on the initial project. This concept is being explored as is the question of the future coupling of a light water reactor (LWR) reprocessing industry for plutonium supply to breeder recycle. 12 figs.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA); Hanford Engineering Development Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 6496810
- Report Number(s):
- IAEA-SM-284/26; CONF-850722-2; ON: DE85016474
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
210500* -- Power Reactors
Breeding
BREEDER REACTORS
COST
DESIGN
ENERGY SOURCES
FABRICATION
FUEL CYCLE
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL PELLETS
FUEL PINS
FUELS
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
MATERIALS
MIXED OXIDE FUELS
NUCLEAR FUELS
PELLETS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
REPROCESSING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLID FUELS
TESTING