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Title: Advanced Reactors Around the World

Abstract

At the end of 2002, 441 nuclear power plants were operating around the globe and providing 17% of the world's electricity. Although the rate of population growth has slowed, recent United Nations data suggest that two billion more people will be added to the world by 2050. A special report commissioned by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimated that electricity demand would grow almost eight-fold from 2000 to 2050 in a high economic grown scenario and more than double in a low-growth scenario. There is also a global aspiration to keep the environment pristine. Because of these reasons, it is expected that a large number of new nuclear reactors may be operating by 2050. Realization of this has created an impetus for the development of a new generation of reactors in several countries. The goal is to make nuclear power cost-competitive with other resources and to enhance safety to a level that no evacuation outside a plant site would be necessary. It should also generate less waste, prevent materials diversion for weapons production, and be sustainable. This article discusses the status of next-generation reactors under development around the world. Specifically highlighted are efforts related to the Generation IV Internationalmore » Forum (GIF) and its six reactor concepts for research and development: Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR); Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor (GFR); Supercritical Water-Cooled Reactor (SCWR); Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor (SFR); Lead-Cooled Fast Reactor (LFR); and Molten Salt Reactor (MSR). Also highlighted are nuclear activities specific to Russia and India.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
U.S. DOE Idaho Operations Office, Idaho Falls, ID (US)
Sponsoring Org.:
US Department of Energy (US)
OSTI Identifier:
820908
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Nuclear Plant Journal
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 21; Journal Issue: 5; Other Information: September-October 2003 issue; PBD: 1 Sep 2003; Journal ID: ISSN 0892-2055
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; 29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY; 22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS; CLIMATES; ECONOMICS; ELECTRICITY; FAST REACTORS; INDIA; MOLTEN SALT REACTORS; NUCLEAR POWER; NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS; PRODUCTION; REACTORS; SAFETY; UNITED NATIONS; WATER COOLED REACTORS; WEAPONS; NUCLEAR REACTORS; GENERATION IV; UNITED STATES; RUSSIA

Citation Formats

Majumdar, Debu. Advanced Reactors Around the World. United States: N. p., 2003. Web.
Majumdar, Debu. Advanced Reactors Around the World. United States.
Majumdar, Debu. 2003. "Advanced Reactors Around the World". United States.
@article{osti_820908,
title = {Advanced Reactors Around the World},
author = {Majumdar, Debu},
abstractNote = {At the end of 2002, 441 nuclear power plants were operating around the globe and providing 17% of the world's electricity. Although the rate of population growth has slowed, recent United Nations data suggest that two billion more people will be added to the world by 2050. A special report commissioned by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimated that electricity demand would grow almost eight-fold from 2000 to 2050 in a high economic grown scenario and more than double in a low-growth scenario. There is also a global aspiration to keep the environment pristine. Because of these reasons, it is expected that a large number of new nuclear reactors may be operating by 2050. Realization of this has created an impetus for the development of a new generation of reactors in several countries. The goal is to make nuclear power cost-competitive with other resources and to enhance safety to a level that no evacuation outside a plant site would be necessary. It should also generate less waste, prevent materials diversion for weapons production, and be sustainable. This article discusses the status of next-generation reactors under development around the world. Specifically highlighted are efforts related to the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) and its six reactor concepts for research and development: Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR); Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor (GFR); Supercritical Water-Cooled Reactor (SCWR); Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor (SFR); Lead-Cooled Fast Reactor (LFR); and Molten Salt Reactor (MSR). Also highlighted are nuclear activities specific to Russia and India.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/820908}, journal = {Nuclear Plant Journal},
issn = {0892-2055},
number = 5,
volume = 21,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2003},
month = {Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2003}
}