Key safety analyses for the plutonium consumption modular helium reactor

Journal Article · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:89160

Alberstein, D; Dunn, T D; Tangirala, V

Recent studies have shown that the modular helium reactor (MHR) directly coupled to a Brayton cycle helium gas turbine can meet the nation`s plutonium disposition needs by using weapons-grade plutonium as the driver fuel. The plutonium consumption MHR (PC-MHR) provides the capability to consume up to 95% of the charged {sup 239}Pu and 72% of the charged total plutonium in a single pass through the reactor-maximum plutonium destruction without recycle. The resulting spent fuel has high diversion/proliferation resistance because the amount of plutonium per spent fuel element is low, the spent fuel mass and volume are high, there is no developed process for separating the residual plutonium from the spent fuel, and the discharged plutonium isotopic mixture is severely degraded and unattractive for use in weapons. The discharged fuel elements are suitable, without further processing, for direct disposal in a permanent repository. Use of the Brayton cycle helium gas turbine provides electric generating capacity at a net efficiency of {approximately}48%, a level that can be obtained by no other nuclear reactor technology. This results in substantial revenue to offset project costs.

• OSTI ID: 89160
• Report Number(s): CONF-941102--
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Vol. 71; ISSN 0003-018X; ISSN TANSAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
35 ARMS CONTROL
ACTINIDE BURNER REACTORS
BRAYTON CYCLE POWER SYSTEMS
FUEL ELEMENTS
REACTOR SAFETY
SAFETY ANALYSIS