Molten salt reactors for burning dismantled weapons fuel
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
- Tennessee Univ., Knoxville, TN (United States). Dept. of Nuclear Engineering
In this paper, the molten salt reactor (MSR) option for burning fissile fuel form dismantled weapons is examined. It is concluded that MSRs are potentially suitable for beneficial utilization of the dismantled fuel. the MSRs have the flexibility to utilize any fissile fuel in continuous operation with no special modifications, as demonstrated in the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment, while maintaining their economy. The MSRs further require a minimum of special fuel preparation and can tolerate denaturing and dilution of the fuel. Fuel shipments can be arbitrarily small, which may reduce the risk of diversion. The MSRs have inherent safety features that make them acceptable and attractive. They can burn a fuel type completely and convert it to other fuels. The MSRs also have the potential for burning the actinides and delivering the waste in an optimal form, thus contributing to the solution of one of the major remaining problems for deployment o nuclear power.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 7005523
- Journal Information:
- Nuclear Technology; (United States), Journal Name: Nuclear Technology; (United States) Vol. 100:3; ISSN 0029-5450; ISSN NUTYBB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
210300* -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Graphite Moderated
ACTINIDES
BURNUP
CONVERSION
DILUTION
ECONOMY
ELEMENTS
FISSILE MATERIALS
FISSIONABLE MATERIALS
FUEL ASSEMBLY DISMANTLING
FUELS
MATERIALS
METALS
MOLTEN SALT REACTORS
OPERATION
OPTIMIZATION
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTORS
SAFETY
WEAPONS