Significance of breeding in fast nuclear reactors
Only breeder reactors--nuclear power plants that produce more fuel than they consume--are capable in principle of extracting the maximum amount of fission energy contained in uranium ore, thus offering a practical long-term solution to uranium supply problems. Uranium would then constitute a virtually inexhaustible fuel reserve for the world's future energy needs. The ultimate argument for breeding is to conserve the energy resources available to mankind. A long-term role for nuclear power with fast reactors is proven to be economically viable, environmentally acceptable and capable of wide scale exploitation in many countries. In this paper, various suggestions pertaining to the fuel fabrication route, fuel cycle economics, studies of the physics of fast nuclear reactors and of engineering design simplifications are presented. Fast reactors contain no moderator and inherently require enriched fuel. In general, the main aim is to suggest an improvement in the understanding of the safety and control characteristics of fast breeder power reactors. Development work is also being devoted to new carbide and nitride fuels, which are likely to exhibit breeding characteristics superior to those of the oxides of plutonium and uranium.
- Research Organization:
- Department of Physics, University of Baluchistan, Quetta
- OSTI ID:
- 6687838
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-831205-
- Journal Information:
- Alternative Energy Sources; (United States), Conference: 6. Miami international conference on alternative energy sources, Miami Beach, FL, USA, 12 Dec 1983
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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FBR TYPE REACTORS
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REACTOR SAFETY
CARBIDES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
NITRIDES
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
URANIUM OXIDES
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
BREEDER REACTORS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
KINETICS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PNICTIDES
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SAFETY
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
210500* - Power Reactors
Breeding