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Title: Interim assessment of the denatured /sup 233/U fuel cycle: feasibility and nonproliferation characteristics

Abstract

A fuel cycle that employs /sup 233/U denatured with /sup 238/U and mixed with thorium fertile material is examined with respect to its proliferation-resistance characteristics and its technical and economic feasibility. The rationale for considering the denatured /sup 233/U fuel cycle is presented, and the impact of the denatured fuel on the performance of Light-Water Reactors, Spectral-Shift-Controlled Reactors, Gas-Cooled Reactors, Heavy-Water Reactors, and Fast Breeder Reactors is discussed. The scope of the R, D and D programs to commercialize these reactors and their associated fuel cycles is also summarized and the resource requirements and economics of denatured /sup 233/U cycles are compared to those of the conventional Pu/U cycle. In addition, several nuclear power systems that employ denatured /sup 233/U fuel and are based on the energy center concept are evaluated.

Authors:
; ;  [1]
  1. eds.
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
5664449
Report Number(s):
ORNL-5388(Exec.Summ.)
TRN: 80-003077
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-26
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; BWR TYPE REACTORS; FUEL CYCLE; FEASIBILITY STUDIES; HEAVY WATER MODERATED REACTORS; HTGR TYPE REACTORS; LMFBR TYPE REACTORS; PWR TYPE REACTORS; DENATURED FUEL; ECONOMICS; REPROCESSING; BREEDER REACTORS; ENERGY SOURCES; EPITHERMAL REACTORS; FAST REACTORS; FBR TYPE REACTORS; FUELS; GAS COOLED REACTORS; GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTORS; LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS; NUCLEAR FUELS; REACTOR MATERIALS; REACTORS; SEPARATION PROCESSES; WATER COOLED REACTORS; WATER MODERATED REACTORS; 210802* - Nuclear Power Plants- Economics- Fuel Cycle; 210100 - Power Reactors, Nonbreeding, Light-Water Moderated, Boiling Water Cooled; 210200 - Power Reactors, Nonbreeding, Light-Water Moderated, Nonboiling Water Cooled; 210300 - Power Reactors, Nonbreeding, Graphite Moderated; 210500 - Power Reactors, Breeding

Citation Formats

Abbott, L S, Bartine, D E, and Burns, T J. Interim assessment of the denatured /sup 233/U fuel cycle: feasibility and nonproliferation characteristics. United States: N. p., 1979. Web. doi:10.2172/5664449.
Abbott, L S, Bartine, D E, & Burns, T J. Interim assessment of the denatured /sup 233/U fuel cycle: feasibility and nonproliferation characteristics. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/5664449
Abbott, L S, Bartine, D E, and Burns, T J. 1979. "Interim assessment of the denatured /sup 233/U fuel cycle: feasibility and nonproliferation characteristics". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/5664449. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5664449.
@article{osti_5664449,
title = {Interim assessment of the denatured /sup 233/U fuel cycle: feasibility and nonproliferation characteristics},
author = {Abbott, L S and Bartine, D E and Burns, T J},
abstractNote = {A fuel cycle that employs /sup 233/U denatured with /sup 238/U and mixed with thorium fertile material is examined with respect to its proliferation-resistance characteristics and its technical and economic feasibility. The rationale for considering the denatured /sup 233/U fuel cycle is presented, and the impact of the denatured fuel on the performance of Light-Water Reactors, Spectral-Shift-Controlled Reactors, Gas-Cooled Reactors, Heavy-Water Reactors, and Fast Breeder Reactors is discussed. The scope of the R, D and D programs to commercialize these reactors and their associated fuel cycles is also summarized and the resource requirements and economics of denatured /sup 233/U cycles are compared to those of the conventional Pu/U cycle. In addition, several nuclear power systems that employ denatured /sup 233/U fuel and are based on the energy center concept are evaluated.},
doi = {10.2172/5664449},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5664449}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1979},
month = {Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1979}
}