A road map for the realization of global-scale thorium breeding fuel cycle by single molten-fluoride flow


Furukawa K., Arakawa K., ERBAY L. B., Ito Y., Kato Y., Kiyavitskaya H., ...Daha Fazla

13th International Conference on Emerging Nuclear Energy Systems 2007, ICENES 2007, İstanbul, Türkiye, 3 - 08 Haziran 2007, cilt.1, ss.5-32 identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Tam Metin Bildiri
  • Cilt numarası: 1
  • Basıldığı Şehir: İstanbul
  • Basıldığı Ülke: Türkiye
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.5-32
  • Eskişehir Osmangazi Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

For global survival, we need to launch a rapid regeneration of the nuclear power industry. The replacement of the present fossil fuel industry requires a doubling-time for alternative energy sources of 5-7 years and only nuclear energy has this possibility. The liquid metal cooled fast breeder reactors (LMFBR) have the best breeding criteria but the doubling time exceeds 20 years. Further, the use of plutonium in these systems has the potential of nuclear proliferation. The Thorium Molten-Salt Nuclear Energy Synergetic System [THORIMS-NES] described here is a symbiotic system, based on the Thorium-Uranium-233 cycle. The production of trans-uranium elements is essentially absent in Th-U system, giving nuclear proliferation resistance. The energy is produced in molten salt reactors (FUJI) and fissile 233U is produced by spallation in an Accelerator Molten-Salt Breeders (AMSB). This system uses the multi-functional "single-phase molten-fluoride" circulation system for all operations. There are no difficulties relating to "radiation-damage", "heat-removal" and "chemical processing" owing to the simple "idealistic ionic liquid" character of the fuel. FUJI is size-flexible, and can use all kinds of fissile material achieving a nearly fuel self-sustaining condition without a continuous chemical processing of fuel salt and without core-graphite replacement for the life of the reactor. The AMSB is based on a single-fluid molten-salt target/blanket concept. Several AMSBs can be accommodated in regional centers for the production of fissile 233U, with batch chemical processing, including radio-waste management. FUJI reactor and the AMSB can also be used for the transmutation of long-lived radioactive elements in the wastes, and has a high potential for producing hydrogen-fuel in molten salt reactors. The development and launching of THORIMS-NES requires the following three programs during the next three decades: (A) pilot plant: miniFUJI (7-10 MWe) (B) small power reactor: FUJI-Pu (100-300MWe) (C) fissile producer: AMSB for globally deploying THORIMS-NES.