Economic analysis of U-235 recycle in the HTGR

Technical Report · Thu Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 1976

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7351965· OSTI ID:7351965

Holder, N. D.; Pierce, V. H.; Rothstein, M. P.

A study of various modes of handling spent U-235 fissile particles in either a commercial or demonstration recycle plant has been performed under the Thorium Utilization Program. A detailed engineering study and cost estimate were available for a commercial recycle plant. Using these data as a base, it was possible to project design changes for several modes of U-235 handling and to estimate the resulting effect on the price of HTGR fuel recycle. The results have been combined with preliminary fuel cycle cost comparisons being performed under the HTGR Base Program to determine the most economical scheme for spent fissile fuel recycle. Owing to the cost of replacement U-235, recovering and recycling spent U-235 from initial core and fresh makeup fuel and disposing of the recycled fissile material in particle form as it returns from the reactor is the most cost-effective mode of handling U-235. During the study a possible fuel cycle cost benefit from mixing U-233 spent fissile fuel with the recovered U-235 was identified; this benefit derives from the removal of additional U-236 from the fuel cycle when the combined recycle fissile material is retired. Additional benefits of U-235 recycle include timely high-burnup fuel processing demonstration, uranium resource conservation, and economical Pu-238 source material. A disadvantage of U-235 recycle is the addition of complexity to recycle plant operations due to multiple processes and/or process lines. It is recommended that U-235 recycle be included in the HTGR Recycle Demonstration Facility to assess the risk of multiple processing in a commercial facility.

• Research Organization: General Atomic Co., San Diego, Calif. (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7351965
• Report Number(s): GA-A-13836
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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